The Lake Forest girls basketball team is in the midst of its best season in several years. Seniors Brooke Green, Grace Torkelson and Katie Hanson lead the Scouts, but freshman Maeve Summerville is on the rise.
On Jan. 30, the Scouts played Lakes. Trailing by a point late, Lake Forest had possession. Summerville got the ball and launched a three-point shot. It missed, but the Scouts got the offensive rebound. On the ensuing possession, the ball was again in Summerville’s hands beyond the three-point line with just over eight seconds left.
“We kicked it back to her and no hesitation, she shot and made it,” coach Kyle Wilhelm said. “It gave us the lead.”
Although the Scouts lost 46-45 on a Lakes three-pointer at the buzzer, the game encapsulated the rapid growth of Summerville this season.
At 6-foot, Summerville has the height of a natural post player. Early in the season, that’s where Summerville played most of her minutes. But her development has extended her value around the perimeter.
“She’s versatile, plays a lot of different positions,” Hanson said. “She knows a lot about the game and has stepped up and contributed. Throughout the whole season, but especially recently.”
Summerville, a year-round player who spent the spring and summer of 2014 on a Full Package elite travel team, said her height makes her a back-to-the-basket player. But she embraces her evolving skills outside the paint.
“[Wilhelm] has helped me practice my post moves. But I’ve also been an outside shooter. I never shot a three [before this year],” Summerville said. “I don’t think [defenders] expect me to shoot a three. It’s a sneaky thing.”
Wilhelm added: “She’s really turned into another offensive option for us. She’s finding a role where she needs to be. Even when she’s not on, she helps in so many other ways.”
Summerville also provides another post defender to pair with the 6-2 Torkelson. In a 58-57 loss to Libertyville on Feb. 5, the Scouts held the Wildcats’ 6-2 senior center Becky Deichl to eight points.
A 84-56 loss to undefeated North Suburban Lake champ Stevenson on Friday completed Lake Forest’s divisional schedule. Is 6-6 record in the Lake Division (the Scouts are 16-13 overall) is a significant improvement from a winless mark in 2013-14. The Scouts are a No. 9 seed in the Class 4A Palatine Sectional. Lake Forest hosts a regional, and opens the postseason Feb. 17 at home against No. 8 seed Libertyville in the regional semifinals.
In spite of the two losses to the Wildcats and Patriots, the Scouts say they are where any team wants to be in February — playing their best basketball. And having Summerville as another scoring threat boosts their collective optimism.
“We are playing well at the right time of the season. That’s a plus,” Hanson said. “[Summerville] has fit in so well. She’s the future of girls basketball at Lake Forest.”
More Top Picks Best Balance Ball Chairs For Adults
Jon Kerr is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.