Alan Sutton –

Ms. Basketball of Illinois 1997 | Carlyle’s Courtney Smith

May 12, 2019 at 4:38 p.m.

It's 20 minutes after Carlyle beat Warsaw in the state's Class A girls basketball semifinals at Normal back on March 1. Warsaw coach Jerry Jerome, still digesting the 81-53 loss,...

Taylorville's Allison Curtin standing in a hallway inside the school on March 8, 1998.

Ms. Basketball of Illinois 1998 | Taylorville’s Allison Curtin

May 12, 2019 at 4:38 p.m.

Here's some refreshing news from Downstate Illinois. Allison Curtin can't hit the broad side of a barn with a basketball. In fact, she can't hit the slim side of a...

Portrait of Molly McDowell, who won 1999 Ms. Basketball by 10 points. McDowell poses in front of a team mascot painted on a wall inside the team's locker room on 3/21/1999.

Ms. Basketball of Illinois 1999 | Nokomis’ Molly McDowell

May 12, 2019 at 4:38 p.m.

TO: Marketing. RE: A television advertising campaign, based on a girls high school basketball player, for a large fast-food chain. THE SCENE: Inside a Dairy Queen restaurant in a small...

Marshall's Cappie Pondexter is named 2001 Ms. Illinois Basketball, pictured on March 19, 2001.

Ms. Basketball of Illinois 2001 | Marshall’s Cappie Pondexter

May 12, 2019 at 4:38 p.m.

There have been many great girls high school basketball players in Illinois--but only one Cappie. Though she stands a modest 5 feet 9 inches, Marshall's Cappie Pondexter has found a...

Portrait of Candace Parker, Naperville Central basketball player, who is the 2003 Ms. Basketball winner.

Ms. Basketball of Illinois 2003 | Naperville Central’s Candace Parker

May 12, 2019 at 4:38 p.m.

A year ago, Naperville Central girls basketball coach Andy Nussbaum went on his school's public-address system to make this announcement: "Congratulations to Candace Parker. She's decided to forgo the rest...

Candace Parker of Naperville Central shows two fingers for their back-to-back state championships after their win over New Trier on Saturday, March 6, 2004.

Ms. Basketball of Illinois 2004 | Naperville Central’s Candace Parker: 3 times the charm

May 12, 2019 at 4:38 p.m.

David the bus driver is like a lot of people. He knew about girls high school basketball, he'd heard about Candace Parker. But Dave never had watched her play. "You...

Theresa Lisch, the 2006 Ms. Basketball, poses on Thursday, March 23, 2006 at Althoff High School in Belleville.

Ms. Basketball of Illinois 2006 | Belleville Althoff’s Theresa Lisch

May 12, 2019 at 4:38 p.m.

Rusty Lisch believes he knows where his younger daughter, Theresa, developed her competitive edge. It was in the family's driveway in Belleville, Ill. The former Notre Dame and NFL quarterback--he...

Brittany Johnson, 17, poses for a photo in the gymnasium of her high school in Olney on Thursday March 22, 2007.

Ms. Basketball of Illinois 2007 | Olney East Richland’s Brittany Johnson

May 12, 2019 at 4:37 p.m.

She was born almost 18 years ago in Ft. Myers, Fla., to a woman with a crack cocaine addiction. Weighing only 1 1/2 pounds at birth, Brittany Johnson struggled to...

State finals bits: Whitley ‘proud’ of Geneva’s run

May 12, 2019 at 3:59 p.m.

Taylor Whitley knew she and her Geneva teammates had something to prove entering the final weekend of girls basketball. The Vikings headed into Friday's semifinal against Young with a 32-0...

GodBold carries Commandos to top-3 finish

August 22, 2021 at 5:58 a.m.

Adrienne GodBold is well aware of the work ethic preached by Marshall coach Dorothy Gaters and gave a convincing demonstration of it Saturday at Redbird Arena. The 5-foot-10-inch senior brought...

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