It’s not so simple, Simon Krugliakovas knows. But the Naperville Central senior ‘couldn’t let them down’ in the end.

Naperville Central’s Simon Krugliakovas lay sprawled on the floor, staring up at the ceiling and trying to catch his breath.

The senior point guard had just been knocked down while attempting a desperation 3-point shot and was in the situation every kid dreams about.

“I was just thinking, ‘It had to be free throws,’” Krugliakovas said. “I haven’t made one all game, and then I had to shoot them for the win.”

The Redhawks trailed host Willowbrook by a point with 0.2 seconds remaining in overtime on Wednesday. Krugliakovas had missed 5 of 9 free-throw attempts, including two earlier in OT.

But everyone knew how it would end. He had made 20 in a row while scoring 40 points on Nov. 29.

“Everyone on the team was telling me they knew I was going to make them,” Krugliakovas said. “I knew I couldn’t let them down, so I had to finish out the game.”

Krugliakovas did. He sank all three foul shots to give the Redhawks a scintillating 70-68 victory.

It was the first time in Krugliakovas’ prep career that he faced such a situation.

“I’ve lost a couple games like that in a couple AAU games, not three free throws, but two free throws to win,” Krugliakovas said. “I missed them, though.”

Not this time. Krugliakovas finished with a game-high 25 points, five assists and three steals to help the Redhawks (4-4) snap a two-game losing streak.

“Good for Simon,” Naperville Central coach Pete Kramer said. “He’s got to do that. He’s a senior, he’s our leader, so he’s got to make that.”

Krugliakovas wasn’t the only player who made big shots against Willowbrook (1-5). Ivan Najdovski came off the bench to score 11 points, including a layup off a feed from Krugliakovas to give the Redhawks their largest lead, 51-37, with 1:45 left in the third quarter.

Grady Cooperkawa scored 13 points, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter and another 3-pointer out of the left corner that put the Redhawks up 67-65 with 33 seconds remaining in OT. Krugliakovas assisted on both.

“The buzzer-beater at the end of the third quarter, that was a nice shot,” Krugliakovas said. “And then I saw Grady wide open in the corner in the overtime, and I knew he was going to make it. He doesn’t miss that many threes.”

But Cooperkawa had never made such a shot in such a crucial point in a varsity game before.

“In AAU, I’ve hit shots like that before, but I don’t think I’ve had one in school ball yet,” he said. “It felt great, but there was still some time left.”

Willowbrook took advantage as Noah Campbell answered by sticking a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give the Warriors a 67-65 edge with 21 seconds to go.

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The Warriors defended well, but Reese Kennedy got the ball to Krugliakovas, who got his shot off in the nick of time. When the whistle blew, Cooperkawa foresaw the ending.

“In practice, he makes them all the time,” Cooperkawa said. “That one game he had 20 in a row. I knew he was going to hit them.”

For the Redhawks to be consistently successful, they will need to be diversified on offense. They were in this game, with four players reaching double figures. Ross DeZur, who had 18 points, 11 rebounds and four steals, was the other.

“They know they need to be big, and they stepped up pretty big in this game,” Krugliakovas said.

After back-to-back losses to Waubonsie Valley and Hoffman Estates, the Redhawks needed a pick-me-up.

“It was big to get the win tonight headed into Neuqua at home on Friday,” Cooperkawa said. “That’s going to be a big game.”

Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.