Coach Joel Kessler’s quick fix Friday for Niles North’s woes against Lake Park not only erased a 10-point deficit, it allowed his Vikings to put the game away and claim the Maine East/Niles North tournament title.
The 48-41 victory over Lake Park (7-10) boosted Niles North’s record to 11-5. The Vikings finished the week 5-0. But in the first half, host Niles North didn’t appear on the verge of a championship. The Vikings trailed 24-14 at the half before Kessler instructed his team to use a full-court press.
“Lake Park dictated everything in the first half,” Kessler said. “They wanted a slow-paced game, and we wanted a fast-paced game. But Lake Park just slowed the game down and outplayed us physically.
“We started hitting our open outside shots in the second half. Our outside scoring allowed us to set up our full-court press . . . which turned it into an up-tempo game for us.”
Niles North’s Amy Gonzales, the tournament’s most valuable player, scored 15 of her 17 points in the second half and had eight during an 18-1 third-quarter run. Gonzales connected on four three-pointers and added five assists.
In the third-place game, Niles West (9-5) handled Oak Park 49-25 behind Jenn Reifenberg’s 12 points and five steals. Niles West’s Dominika Wawezyniak was limited to four points but grabbed seven rebounds. Oak Park fell to 4-11.
Hillcrest: No. 5 Sandburg (11-1) defeated Seton 46-32 with Lola Dada’s 10 points. Rene Shalvis scored 11 for Seton (9-2). . . . No. 20 Hillcrest (9-1) dominated Shepard 54-37 with Shavonna Hunter’s 32 points. Hunter scored nine in a 13-0 Hillcrest run to start the game. Dianna McMahan scored 10 for Shepard (2-12). . . . Marian Catholic (6-6) beat Bremen 41-33 behind Leslie Boyle’s 11 points. Patrice Jennings led Bremen with 19. . . . Lincoln-Way (9-4) downed Rich Central 59-39 as Carrie Kimson scored 20 points and Melissa Hardy 11. Joy Rauch had 12 points and eight rebounds for Rich Central (6-5). . . . Dorthea Thomas’ 11 points helped Thornwood (8-5) top Rich South 40-30. Shavon Alexander had 13 for Rich South (8-7). . . . Kristin Kwasny’s 19 points helped Oak Forest (9-3) to a 49-48 triumph over Thornton (4-7). Carolyn Estes scored 12 in defeat. . . . Tami Barrows had 11 points and Megan Bramlette 10 as Homewood-Flossmoor (9-2) cruised to a 54-20 victory over Thornton Fractional South (3-9). . . . Amanda Rowson scored 17 points and Jessica Joyce 10 to help Stagg (7-5) roll past Tinley Park (0-12) 58-17.
Machesney Park Harlem: Unbeaten Conant (15-0) will play host Harlem (12-3) for the title at 4 p.m. Saturday after winning two games Friday. The 13th-ranked Cougars topped Hampshire 55-49 with Sheryl Jedd’s 16 points and Jill Bergmann’s 15 and routed Geneseo 60-41 as Jennifer Pettyjohn, who was limited to four points against Hampshire, scored 19.
Warren: LaQuitla Evans scored 22 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, and Kenja White added 20 to lead Waukegan (5-8) to a 53-39 first-round victory over Elk Grove (2-10). Diana Ruiz scored 15 third-quarter points to bring Elk Grove within one, but the Bulldogs used a 19-0 fourth-quarter run to put the game away. . . . Hersey (9-4) drubbed Kenosha Reuther Central 96-14 with Katie Meyer’s 15 points and Holly Schurr’s 13. . . . Grayslake, dropped out of the tournament because of injuries.
St. Viator: Kristen Kedzior led defending tournament champion Cary-Grove (9-3) with 22 points, Stephanie Perkins added 19 and Karen Liss 17 as the Trojans prevailed over St. Benedict 68-57. Maureen Weber scored 12 points and Heidi Schraeder 11 for St. Benedict (7-5). “On a scale of 1 to 10, we were about a 5,” Cary-Grove coach Jim Altendorf said of his team’s performance. “We looked like we haven’t shot in a couple of days, and we haven’t.”
Latasha White totaled 16 points and 18 rebounds to lead Taft (9-1) to a 46-24 victory over Prairie Ridge (4-8), which made just 9 of 44 shots and was limited to six points in the second half. . . . Nicole Maciorowski scored 17 points–10 in the first quarter–to guide St. Viator to a 50-43 victory over Wheeling. TeShawna Conrad and Maureen Mastalarz scored 13 apiece for Wheeling (2-9).
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McHenry: In the third round, Prospect (7-6) defeated St. Edward 61-49 with Alison Campbell’s 19 points. Campbell led four in double figures. Diana Muno had 15 for St. Edward (5-9).
Montini: Oak Lawn (7-7) earned a 54-42 fourth-round victory over Lemont (3-11) with Cheryl Sullivan’s 11 points. . . . Rachel Boerema and Laura Hoekstra scored 11 apiece as Timothy Christian (9-5) edged Glenbard East 37-32. Kate Parkinson led Glenbard East (6-6) with 10 points.
Momence: Illiana Christian (11-2) routed Evergreen Park 78-19 in the first round behind Kara Bruxvoort’s 17 points. Lisa Brinkmann and Trisha Balkema added 12 apiece for the victors. Evergreen Park is 2-11. . . . Alisyn Rathje scored 13 points, including two free throws with a second left, to seal Peotone’s 55-51 victory over Thornton Fractional North. Cheryl Leugoud led Peotone with 17 points, capped by a go-ahead basket that gave Peotone (7-3) a 53-51 lead with 14 seconds left. Joanna Mallek paced T.F. North with 14 points.
Proviso East: Proviso West defeated Walther Lutheran 59-45 in the first round as Tammy Haywood scored 12 points. . . . Proviso East (5-8) rolled past Eisenhower 74-27 with Erica Jones’ 21 points, 12 rebounds, seven steals and four assists.
St. Ignatius: Melissa Leonardo had 15 points and Gina Spano 14 as Queen of Peace upended Westinghouse 59-55 in the third round. Thorlan Buchanan scored 20 points in defeat. . . . Kathleen Mitchell scored 13 points to help Regina in its 55-40 victory over Deerfield. . . . Michelle Shaughnessy scored 17 points and Lee Glover added 12 as St. Ignatius (7-7) knocked off Thornridge 57-41. Zakashia Harvey had 18 points to pace Thornridge (3-9).