After an agonizingly slow bus ride through the snow in the Northwest Suburbs Tuesday, Wheeling’s girls basketball team reached Grant in Fox Lake at 7:25 p.m. – 25 minutes after their nonconference game was to start.
That was not a good beginning for the Wildcats. And it would have been a more upsetting evening for them if the area’s No. 3 team had lost.
But that didn’t happen as Wheeling came back from a seven-point deficit in the second half to get by the Bulldogs 45-39.
“It was a really long bus ride, it just like drains your energy,” Wheeling’s Ashley Wilson said. “You’re so pumped, ready to go. And then you’re on the bus for, like, two hours.”
The game might have seemed more agonizing for the Wildcats (9-1). 9-1.
Wheeling led 22-19 at the half. But Grant, sparked by Heather Reutsche (a game-high 14 points with four steals), would go ahead 31-24 with 3 minutes 20 seconds left in the third quarter.
Wheeling then went on a 9-0 run – capped by Janelle Cannon’s three-pointer for a 33-31 lead to start the fourth quarter.
Grant would not retrest. Reutsche scored with 4:08 left to give the Bulldogs a 39-38 lead. But those were the last points for the Bulldogs (6-2).
Cannon came up with a steal and score with 2:20 left to give Wheeling a 40-39 lead. Then 6-foot 3-inch Lana Rukavina nailed two free throws for some breathing room.
“We knew that they were physical and that’s their main strong suit,” said Rukavina, who tied Wilson for team scoring honors with 13. “So we knew we had to come out aggressive and keep our heads in it and play tough.”
Wheeling converted 12 of its 20 chances at the free-throw line. The Bulldogs hit all five of their attempts.
Cannon had 12 points and three steals for Wheeling while Jamie Swanson scored 11 for Grant.
The Wildcats’ next game is against No. 2 Buffalo Grove Friday.
“Oh, yeah, it’s a big game,” Wilson said. “We’re all just really excited. This is the main game we’ve been waiting for.”