NORMAL — With 1:35 remaining Tuesday, Normal Community High School senior Alex Peacock motioned to the already raucous Ironmen throng for more noise before stopping abruptly.
A dedicated and remarkably efficient laborer all evening, Peacock realized there was still work to be done.
And, the only person stopping Peacock in the Class 4A Super-Sectional at Redbird Arena was Peacock himself.
The Ironmen's 6-foot-7 forward stared national powerhouse and No. 1-ranked Chicago Simeon in the face and delivered a tour de force performance in steering NCHS to a stunning 64-50 victory.
"We knew we were the better team," a jubilant Peacock said. "They were a great team, but we knew if we executed the game plan the way we wanted we were the better team."
The fifth-ranked Ironmen (32-1) seized control with 12 straight third-quarter points and survived an onslaught of Simeon pressure defense over a foul-filled final quarter to advance to their second state tournament in five years.
"In 2011, winning this (super-sectional) game was big because that was the first time we had ever done it," said NCHS coach Dave Witzig. "But playing a team of Simeon's stature, this might be the biggest win in school history. It's a great moment for our guys."
Peacock scored 18 of the Ironmen's first 22 points and finished with 25 points and nine rebounds.
"He's just a big-time player," Witzig said.
"We definitely believed we could win this game. We know we have the talent. We know we have the heart," said Peacock. "We've got two more games, and we're going to win them."
NCHS meets No. 9 Geneva in a state semifinal game at 8:15 p.m. Friday at Carver Arena in Peoria.
Illinois recruit DJ Williams gave Simeon (27-4) its three-point halftime lead back with a three-point play early in the third quarter.
Peacock responded by drilling a 3-pointer from the key. Tyler Seibring then hit a reverse layup, Peacock a bank shot and Seibring a 3-pointer from the wing.
Mason Maier's soft-as-a-kitten's-fur bank shot at the 3:07 mark handed the Ironmen a 31-22 margin and plunged the NCHS faithful into a deeper state of delirium.
The Ironmen toted a 34-24 lead into the fourth quarter and held on — both to their lead and their composure — as the ultra-athletic Wolverines cranked their defense to its highest level.
"They were never able to get too many steals for layups and dunks," Witzig said. "That gets back to our ballhandling. Our defense was great and our ballhandling was great."
NCHS finished at 30 of 41 from the line (73.2 percent). That included 26 of 33 fourth-quarter accuracy.
Simeon crept as close as 49-41 with 3:10 to play. But the only buckle in the Ironmen was holding up Witzig's trousers.
"This is amazing. Unbelievable," NCHS senior guard David Boyd said. "We came out here focusing on what we could do to get this win. We executed everything the way we wanted. That's how we got the win."
Seibring contributed 17 points and boxed out the board-crashing Wolverines for 13 rebounds. Duane Farrington chipped in 10 critical points off the bench.
The Ironmen connected on 64 percent from the field (9 of 14) in the second half and were 16 of 38 overall (42 percent). NCHS enjoyed a 43-32 rebounding advantage.
Zach Norvell paced Simeon with 11 points, Evan Gilyard added 10 and Williams nine. Nebraska recruit Ed Morrow was limited to seven and Iowa-bound Isaiah Moss six.
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