It's not often games live up to expectations, but Hillhouse vs. Crosby did. Two heavyweights, the last four state champions in Connecticut's biggest class, going head-to-head to reach the semifinals.
Crosby dug down deep defensively, forcing two turnovers on foiled inbounds passes by Hillhouse, to come from behind to take a 73-71 lead with 41 seconds left.
Hillhouse ended up tying it on Freddie Wilson's driving layup with 16 seconds remaining, setting the stage for the final heroics by the best player on the floor, Anthony Ireland. His floater over multiple Academic defenders dropped in with five-tenths of a second left to send Crosby to the semifinals and Hillhouse to its first loss of the season.

Crosby was the best team Hillhouse faced and by far the quickest. It took plenty of time for the Academics to get adjusted. They did and the two titans went toe-to-toe in the fourth quarter until Ireland's heroics decided it.