Once the Mooseheart boys basketball team popped Hinckley-Big Rock to win the program’s first regional championship, the thrilling possibilities around the corner could not be ignored.

The Ramblers, then winners of 15 straight games, were headed home to play in a Class 1A sectional, and appeared a likely bet to head downstate this weekend for the state tournament in Peoria.

That prospect seemed just as likely when the Ramblers led Chicagoland Jewish by 10 points with a little more than 3 minutes to go in Wednesday night’s sectional semifinal. Then came a collapse so painful that coach Ron Ahrens still hasn’t had the stomach to review the game tape to dissect what went awry.