It was, from a Mooseheart perspective, the culmination of a terrific rally and a strong head's up play when Stephen Pinto rebounded Anthony Westbrook's missed jumper with 6 seconds left.

At the same time, host Hinckley-Big Rock looked at the same play and saw the culmination of a disappointing final stretch and a mistake in that Pinto was not blocked out on Westbrook's miss.

But Pinto got that rebound and put in the layup and the Ramblers had themselves a key 52-51 nonconference victory.

``I didn't think he was going to miss it,`` Pinto said. ``But when he did, I jumped as high as I could and I put it in.``

The victory was huge for the Ramblers, who played without junior power forward Mike Tovar, who did not travel due for team reasons. The game also began an eight-day finishing kick for Mooseheart, which plays Alden-Hebron on Tuesday, Elgin Academy on Friday and opens IHSA Class A tournament play on Monday against Oregon, at Oregon -- a 50-mile trip west.

That Hinckley-Big Rock has defeated Oregon was not lost on the Ramblers either.

``We needed this win very badly,`` Pinto said. ``We didn't have (Tovar.) We played a really good game, although we started out and didn't have really good intensity.`` The host Royals (15-10) blitzed Mooseheart (15-5) by hitting four three-pointers in the first quarter en route to a 16-6 advantage. Tyler Nauman hit a pair of those treys. He hit four three-pointers in the game and finished with 14 points.

``They came ready to play and we had to get into it,`` Mooseheart coach Jeff Perales said. ``They can really shoot the basketball and we had to make some adjustments.`` Mooseheart rallied in the second half, got the lead to 30-24 by halftime, and could have been closer but for a missed layup at the buzzer.

``We got yelled at a little bit and then we played a little better,`` Pinto said. ``After halftime, we got better chemistry and felt looser and played better.`` Pinto scored only 4 points in the first half but added 8 of his game-high 18 points in the third quarter.

Mooseheart's third-quarter surge allowed it to catch the Royals at 32-32 when Nic Grasty hit a three-pointer with 4:16 left in the quarter.
Hinckley-Big Rock surged at that point and hit four three-pointers in the final 4:00 of the third quarter. The Royals led 45-38 entering the fourth quarter.

The rally continued as Hinckley-Big Rock struggled to make free throws. The Royals were 2-for-7 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter.
``The last two minutes of the game, we had a couple of turnovers,`` Hinckley-Big Rock coach Bill Sambrookes said. ``We lost our composure against their press. We didn't make free throws and didn't rebound at the end.`` The Royals were outscored 14-6 in the final quarter and the final moments of the game didn't provide them any respite either.

``I told them that if they got a shot, to make it one shot,`` Sambrookes said. ``They got two and they scored on the second.``

Mooseheart guard Floyd Mays finds himself surrounded by Hinckley-Big Rock defenders in the Ramblers 52-51 victory.

Mooseheart's Chris Morones tries to find an opening for a shot under the basket in the first half of Mooseheart's victory over Hinckley-Big Rock.

Mooseheart center Anthony Westbrook shoots a jumper in the Ramblers 52-51 victory over Hinckley-Big Rock.

Mooseheart coach Jeff Perales discusses strategy late in the Ramblers victory over Hinckley-Big Rock.

Mooseheart's Stephen Pinto tries to keep the ball from a Hinckley-Big Rock defender. Pinto hit the game-winning basket in the Ramblers 52-51 victory.

Mooseheart's Brandon Moreno defends late in the Ramblers last-second victory over Hinckley-Big Rock.