Morgan Park’s Adam Miller delivers the dagger to beat Bolingbrook

Some average high school players panic in the clutch. Some great players try to do too much and fail. Adam Miller was cool, precise and effective with the game at stake on Monday.

Morgan Park’s junior guard received the ball with four seconds left and the score tied. He made two moves and got to his spot in the lane and drained a jumper to give the No. 4 Mustangs a 67-65 win against No. 6 Bolingbrook in the Martin Luther King Day City/Suburban Classic at Fenwick in Oak Park.

“I knew it was going in the whole time,” Miller said. “As soon as I let it go I was already checking how much time was left on the clock because I knew it was going in. I thought they might still have a second left but by the time it went in the clock ran out and it was game.”

There was never any panic in Miller, he knew where he wanted to be on the floor to win the game and was able to get there.

“It was a hard shot,” Miller said. “I could have settled for the three or even a one-dribble pull up but I got deeper in there and it was a better shot. I had been hitting midrange shots all game so I went to the one I was knocking down.”

Morgan Park’s bench exploded in celebration and mobbed Miller. Tensions were high throughout the second half. The Mustangs picked up three technical fouls in the third quarter.

“We are the most hated team in the state of Illinois,” Morgan Park coach Nick Irvin said. “They beat my players up every game. We persevered through it and everything. That’s how we are built.”

PHOTO GALLERY

Bolingbrook’s Kameron Leonard (42) pulls in a rebound against Morgan Park, Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Morgan Park’s Adam Miller (44) switches directions against Bolingbrook, Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Morgan Park’s Marcus Watson Jr. (22) makes his way to the basket, Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Morgan Park’s Christian Roberts (3) makes a reverse layup, Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Bolingbrook’s Tyler Cochran (23) splits two Morgan Park defenders, Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Morgan Park’s Marcus Watson Jr. (22) falls back after making a shot over Bolingbrook’s Kameron Leonard (42), Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Morgan Park’s Deshawndre Washington (24) pulls up a jump shot against Bolingbrook, Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Morgan Park’s Adam Miller (44) stops at the three point line, Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times. | Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times

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Morgan Park celebrates after winning at the buzzer, Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For Sun-Times

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Morgan Park’s Adam Miller (44) makes two points over Bolingbrook, Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Morgan Park’s Marcus Watson Jr. (22) gets a fast break against Bolingbrook, Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Morgan Park’s Kyel Grover (0) shakes of Bolingbrook’s Kyonte Thomas (21), Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Bolingbrook’s Darius Burford (10) collides into Morgan Park’s Deshawndre Washington (24) going for a rebound, Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Bolingbrook’s Joseph Yesufu (1) gets dunk against Morgan Park, Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Morgan Park’s Kyel Grover (0) drives right down the lane, Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Morgan Park watches Bolingbrook’s Tyler Cochran (23) shoot a technical foul, Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Bolingbrook’s Darius Burford (10) throws the ball off of Morgan Park’s Isaiah Burrell (10), Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Morgan Park’s Chris Roberts (3) stops in the lane for two, Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Morgan Park and Bolingbrook get into a shoving match, Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Morgan Park’s Kyel Grover (0) and Morgan Park’s Deshawndre Washington (24) box in Bolingbrook’s Tyler Cochran (23), Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Morgan Park coach Nick Irving knocks over a bunch of cups onto the court, Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Morgan Park’s Marcus Watson Jr. (22) puts pressure on Bolingbrook’s Tyler Cochran (23), Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Morgan Park’s Deshawndre Washington (24) blocks out Bolingbrook’s Tyler Cochran (23) from scoring, Monday 01-21-19. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

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Miller scored 27 points. Morgan Park (19-3) led by 11 at halftime but Bolingbrook led 52-48 after the tumultuous third quarter.

“When you have the Player of the Year on your team you have a chance to win every night,” Irvin said. “I knew that was going in when it left his hand.”

Bolingbrook’s 6-8 senior, Kam Leonard, played very well in the second half and finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds.

“He was tremendous on the boards,” Miller said. “Sometimes you just look and stare at people and say wow.”

Kyel Grover scored 15 points for the Mustangs and Chris Roberts added eight points and six rebounds. Senior Karl Jones finished with eight points and seven rebounds.

“[Miller] is a great player and he showed it,” Bolingbrook coach Rob Brost said. “If there is a better guard in the state I’d like to see him. For that matter we’ve played all over the country and he’s the best player I’ve seen. You have to hand it to him, he made a tough shot and they won the game on that.”

Joseph Yesufu led the Raiders (14-4) with 21 points and Tyler Cochran added 19 points and 10 rebounds.

“We just had too many little errors,” Brost said. “The game was lost at the free-throw line and with our carelessness with the ball, just too many turnovers. There are no moral victories here for us. We’re not a program about that. We want to handle ourselves with class starting with the coaches and all the way down to the players.”