Sluder puts Chargers on shoulders down stretch in comeback win over Kishwaukee

GALESBURG — Logan Sluder scored the game's final nine points, helping the Sandburg men's basketball team pull off a stunning late rally for a 72-69 win over Kishwaukee on Thursday and keeping the Chargers undefeated in the Arrowhead Conference.

KEY MOMENTS
• The Chargers (17-9, 4-0) had a 58-50 lead with 8:50 to go after Davante Bradford found Ralph Wires for a layup. The Kougars, though, answered right away with a 15-0 run over the next 4:13 and looked poised to hand Sandburg its first conference loss.
• Kishwaukee led 69-63 with 2:35 to play after Mekhi Lunford knocked down a jumper, but the Kougars wouldn't score again as Sluder stepped up down the stretch. The sophomore from Normal West hit a pair of free throws at 1:26, then drilled a 3-pointer off a Wires assist with 1:03 to go to make it 69-68. Sluder was fouled on a drive to the basket with :14.4 to play and connected on both foul shots to give the Chargers the lead at 70-69.
• Kishwaukee committed an illegal screen on the ensuing possession, and Sluder cashed in two more free throws with :06 to go for the final score. Brayden Johnson's 25-footer at the buzzer was off the back iron for the Kougars, giving Sandburg its eighth win in the last nine games.

SANDBURG STANDOUT
Sluder had an impressive night even before his spectacular closing stretch. He finished with 29 points on 7-of-11 shooting, went 4 for 6 from distance and drained all 11 of his free-throw attempts. He also pulled in a team-best seven rebounds in leading Sandburg to victory. The 29-point output was the second highest of his career, behind only the 34 he scored in the Chargers' previous game, Saturday at Madison.

OTHER TOP CHARGERS
• Price — 20 points, 5 rebounds, 8-16 FG, 4-7 3FG
• Wires — 6 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists

FOR THE KOUGARS
• Lunford — 25 points

CHASING A CHAMPIONSHIP
With Thursday's victory, the Chargers need one win in their final two conference contests next week to win at least a share of the Arrowhead title. The Chargers are in search of their first conference title since 2018 and sixth in program history (1972, 1984, 1985, 1990, 2018). Sandburg plays Tuesday at Illinois Valley and Thursday at Black Hawk.

UP NEXT
7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Illinois Valley 

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