What’s known around the halls of Young as “The Streak” is still intact.
The Dolphins’ girls basketball team had not lost a home game since Jan. 7, 2003, to Hope–the eventual Class A state champ that season.
Young would not let that streak end Saturday. Led by D’Frantz Smart and Ashlee Anderson, the No. 1-ranked Dolphins dominated Bolingbrook 59-44 to win the championship game of Young’s Thanksgiving tournament.
In improving to 5-0, Young was not about to take No. 10 Bolingbrook lightly. The Raiders were said to be rebuilding this season after losing a group of Division I recruits that won a state title in 2006 and finished second in 2007.
Consider them rebuilt. On Friday, Bolingbrook beat the team ranked No. 5 in the nation by USA Today–Las Vegas Bishop Gorman. Saturday it rolled by No. 6 Montini 49-26 in this tournament’s semifinals.
Smart was aware of the danger Bolingbrook posed.
“You never expect a blowout, you always expect a good game because they have a tradition of having great teams,” said the 5-foot Smart, who would finish with 15 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals.
She and her teammates remembered one of those teams. In 2006, Young lost an overtime game to Bolingbrook in the Class AA state semifinals. This time that streak, which Smart believes is at 70 games (no one else knew the exact number), was on the line.
Behind Miranda Tate’s first two baskets, Bolingbrook shot out to a 5-0 lead.
“We were a little shaky at the beginning, but we have a young team,” Smart said. Pun intended?
Whatever the case, the Dolphins outscored Bolingbrook (3-2) 34-14 on the way to a 15-point halftime lead.
The play that seemed to put Young over the top came with the Dolphins leading 20-13. Smart knocked down a three-pointer – and was fouled. She completed the four-point play. Young’s lead was 11 and would never drop below double digits again. The Dolphins led by as many as 24 late in the fourth quarter.
“They’re a little quicker, but we also didn’t move our feet or communicate on defense,” said Tate, who as a sophomore led the state championship team in scoring. She finished with 15 points in this effort.
Anderson led Young with 19 points, freshman Chanise Jenkins had 14 and Porsha Harris collected eight points with eight rebounds, tying Anderson for the team lead.