By Daniel Makarewicz, danmak@qconline.com

More photos from this shoot

Photo: Paul Colletti Rock Island's Jordan Hathorn gets a hand on the ball knocking it away from United Township's Damon Overton on Friday night, January 29, in East Moline.

More photos from this shoot

Photo: Paul Colletti United Township's Demetriyone Singleton secures the ball as Rock Island's DJ Anderson also tries to pull down the rebound on Friday night, January 29, in East Moline.

Shaq Lowery figured the last player that would burn the United Township boys' basketball team was Denzel McCauley.

"We weren't expecting anything out of him," the UT senior guard said.

Instead, McCauley had a coming-out party.

The 6-foot-7 Rock Island sophomore forward not only scored a career-high 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds off the bench Friday night, but he made a difference on the defensive end, too. McCauley's tide-turning draw of a charge late in the fourth quarter allowed the Rocks get enough of a cushion to snag a 43-40 Western Big 6 Conference victory over UT at the Panther Den.

"He was phenomenal," said Rocky junior guard Chasson Randle, who scored a game-high 19 points, surpassing Josh Elston for second place on the school's all-time scoring list. "And he's a sophomore. He's only going to get better, I hope. If he can continue to do that, we'll be in good shape toward the end of the season."

McCauley's night not only allowed Rocky (16-4, 6-1 WB6) to extend its winning streak to a season-high seven games, but kept it a half-game ahead of Quincy, a 52-36 winner over Galesburg, in the league standings.

"He hurt us," Lowery said. "The points he had were big for them."

His six fourth-quarter points, including four on offensive putbacks, will get the headlines, but one defensive play will be his defining moment. Trailing 37-35 midway through the fourth quarter, UT (13-6, 3-3) had a 2-on-1 break against McCauley, who had four fouls.

Lowery dished the ball to a darting Tayvian Johnson near the left block, forcing McCauley to retreat toward the basket. Rather then defend, McCauley stood in Johnson's path and fell to his back as the two made contact. Johnson's shot attempt trickled through the net, but the official called an offensive foul on Johnson, negating the basket and keeping the two-point lead intact.

"I wasn't going to take it at first," McCauley said. "I just stepped in there in took it and they called it for me. I was happy."

The Panthers were devastated.

"It definitely swung momentum," Lowery said. "They came down and got points. We were playing catch-up from there."

With the lead intact, Rocky never lost its edge. The Rocks made all six free-throw attempts in the final 3:18 to keep the lead. UT got within 39-38 after a Nick Jansen 3-pointer with two minutes left, but could never get closer.

In the second half, Rocky went 9 of 9 from the line.

"That's been a problem for us," said Rocky coach Thom Sigel, who celebrated his 43rd birthday on Friday. "We have guys who can make them. When we needed them, we were able to do that."

The Panthers scored the game's first 11 points, and Rocky went the first seven minutes without hitting a field goal. The Rocks tied the game at 11 early in the second quarter, setting off an epic back-and-forth contest.

In the final three-and-a-half quarters, there were four ties and 14 lead changes. Neither team had more than a four-point lead in that time.

"This is the essence of what makes Big 6 basketball what it is,"UT coach Marc Polite said. "This is what these kids live for."

McCauley certainly lived for this moment.

"He did it all,"Randle said. "I'm proud of him."