There was little doubt in the mind of Regina girls basketball coach Bob Goldberg that his team was simply out of it Wednesday.
“We were outcoached, outhustled, outspirited–did I mention outplayed?” Goldberg said after his Panthers were drilled 57-38 at Marshall in a non-conference matchup of top-10 teams.
Lekisha Smith and Jacquay Holmes each scored 17 points to lift the No. 7 Commandos (24-1) to their 12th consecutive victory entering the Public League playoffs, which begin Friday.
Regina, coming off a dominant performance to win the GCAC Red tournament and on a 10-game winning streak of its own, couldn’t stop Marshall from pulling away.
The Commandos went on a 9-2 run in the final four minutes of the second quarter for a 29-20 halftime lead.
Things only became worse for No. 8 Regina (23-4) as Marshall pulled to its biggest lead of the game, 49-29, early in the fourth quarter.
“Too quick,” Goldberg said. “Our team was scared stiff and at half-speed. If we play like that again, we won’t beat the Regina Dominican nuns.”
“The third quarter, that’s where you win the game,” said Holmes, a 5-foot-8-inch junior who also had seven rebounds and three steals for the Public League Superconference champions. “We needed to step up and take control, make them play the way we wanted to–not the way they wanted to.”
Brittany Becker was Regina’s only player in double figures with 12 points. Tiffany Sardin had nine points, eight rebounds and three steals for Marshall.
Alan Sutton.
Marian Catholic 62, Maria 31: Maureen Simon had 12 points and Kelly Deuwerth had nine points, seven rebounds and nine assists to lead the top-ranked Spartans (23-1).
Fenwick 60, Andrew 42: Erin Lawless scored 19 of her 21 points in the first half as the No. 4 Friars (27-3) jumped to a 33-15 halftime lead. Dawn Vander Meer led Andrew (14-10) with 22 points.
Hillcrest 61, Homewood-Flossmoor 54: Danielle Lonie scored 19 points to lead four players in double figures for the No. 10 Hawks (21-2).
St.Viator 50, Resurrection 33: Lauren Weber had 16 points and Corey Klaus had 14 points and 16 rebounds to lead the No. 13 Lions (21-4) to its 14th straight win. Resurrection (18-10) shot 5-for-27 in the second half as St. Viator pulled away with an 18-2 run. Denise Bronski had 11 points to lead the Bandits.
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Benet 53, Young 44: Jenny Callan scored six of her game-high 18 points down the stretch for the No. 14 Redwings (19-5). Benet’s leading scorer, Jordan Wilson, left the game in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. Danielle Campbell led Young (15-9) with 11 points.
Carmel 61, St. Ignatius 51: The Corsairs (20-7) used a pair of 16-point games from Caitlin Krombach and Christine Martinson to upset the No. 18 Wolfpack (18-11). Margaret Gilmartin scored 16 to lead St. Ignatius.
North Suburban championship: Erin Murtha scored 11 of her game-high 21 points in the fourth quarter as No. 19 Stevenson (24-6) beat Zion-Benton 49-44 for its eighth North Suburban title in 10 years. Jessica Altieri added 16 points for the Patriots, which trailed 34-32 entering the fourth quarter. Niekeisha Smith led Zion-Benton (14-10) with 14 points.
Mid-Suburban championship: Cathy Mangan scored 10 of her game-high 20 points in the second quarter as Fremd (16-1) rolled past Buffalo Grove 53-35. Jennifer Guth led Buffalo Grove (20-10) with 14 points.
Class A regionals
Evergreen Park: Nina Wright had 13 points and Julie Beenes added 10 to lead Chicago Christian (21-5) to a 44-38 win over Evergreen Park. Kara Corley scored eight of her 12 points for Evergreen Park (22-6) in the fourth quarter. . . . Illiana Christian used a 16-0 fourth-quarter run to rally for a 51-38 win over Seton. Heidi Vermeulen and Patti Iperlaan each had 13 points for the Vikings, and Jennifer Hoffman led Seton with 13.
Boys basketball
Dunbar 84, Hubbard 62: Martel Mahon poured in 32 points and Aaron Spears added 30 to carry the Mighty Men (14-7, 7-2) in the Public Red Central.
Dionte Brown led Hubbard (14-10, 6-4) with 15 points.
Steinmetz 86, Taft 83 (2 OT): Andrew Stennis scored 23 points and Marcquintice Davis added 21 as the Silver Streaks (9-13, 6-4) outlasted Taft in a Red North contest. Chris Cobbs led Taft (17-7, 5-5) with 24 points.
Von Steuben 58, Mather 57: Ryne Hamblet scored 12 points and Temi Soyebo added 10 as the Panthers (13-7, 8-1) held on for a Public Red North win.
Von Steuben was charged with personal and technical fouls with four seconds remaining, and Mather’s Michael Shamon hit three of four free throws to make it a one-point game. Mather (14-11, 3-7) retained possession after the free throws, but the Rangers lost possession while attempting to inbound the ball.
Daniel Mendoza led the Rangers with 18 points.
Girls gymnastics
Neuqua Valley: Oswego is headed to the state meet for a fifth straight year after winning a sectional that had three lead changes.
The Panthers, who were fifth after two rotations, posted a 143.725 score on the strength of strong endings with floor exercise and vault. Naperville North, with five of seven gymnasts hampered by injuries, took second with a 143.075 after leading through three events.