Sandburg senior Danielle Antoine starts every game with a fire in her belly.
She relishes the responsibility.
“This season, I’ve been trying to hold myself accountable more than ever,” Antoine said. “I want to pull through for my team and stay true to my role.”
She also does pretty well when the bell rings for the third and fourth quarters.
Antoine was ready to roll Monday for the Eagles during a 68-45 victory over Lincoln-Way West in a SouthWest Suburban Conference crossover.
Josie Canellis and Erin O’Connor scored 12 points apiece for Sandburg (8-2), while Antoine and Juliana Paddock each added 11. Charlotte Trunk had eight points and eight rebounds.
Ava Gugliuzza led Lincoln-Way West (3-5) with 18 points. Aubree Schultz contributed 14 points and seven rebounds.
The Warriors rebounded from a 14-point deficit to get within 30-24 at halftime before Antoine went to work.
She started the third quarter by hitting a pullup jumper. Then she made a steal, after which Canellis made a 3-pointer. Moments later, Antoine earned the assist on a 3-pointer by Trunk.
That’s stopping a rally.
“Really, it was just more like a team effort,” Antoine said. “We want to have each others’ backs and make sure, when we have an opportunity to score, we score for the team.”
Antoine, a 5-foot-8 guard, made her varsity debut in the spring as a contributor off the bench. She earned her first starting assignment Dec. 2 against Mother McAuley.
Assistant coach Tom Johnson, who’s running the team while Nick Fotopoulos is recovering from an illness, said the reason was twofold.
“She worked hard at practice,” Johnson said of Antoine. “And we were kind of looking to mix things up a little bit, looking for a little drive and kick there.
“She’s been watching a lot of film. She’s been getting in a rhythm. And when she’s in a rhythm, she’s tough to stop. It’s fun to watch.”
In her second start, Antoine put a career-high 20 points on the board against Oak Lawn.
“That was definitely fun,” Antoine said. “It was more looking to make an extra pass and just finishing when you get your opportunities. I tried to make the most of all the scoring opportunities I had.”
Antoine’s drive-and-dish ability has made Sandburg’s potent 3-point game even more effective.
“The energy she brings to games and practices every day has always been awesome,” Canellis said. “Now that she’s a starter, she’s proving all that she’s able to do.”
Antoine also hit a 3-pointer in the win against Lincoln-Way West. She was one of six Eagles who combined for 10 baskets from beyond the arc.
“We got on a little streak with the 3-pointers,” Canellis said. “Everyone was making them. That kind of set us apart. We all really showed up. The drives and kicks were awesome. It really opened up the whole floor. And then there was the hustle everybody brought.
“Everyone had laser focus. It was a really good game.”
And one that Lincoln-Way West coach Ryan White found a bit ironic.
“I was joking with my assistant this is probably how people felt playing against us the past few years,” White said. “We would hit those 3-point shots and blow it open.
“Sandburg has that same ability, but really, they pretty much outplayed us in all facets. They were more athletic and moved to the ball quicker. After we got back into it at the end of the first half, they hit us with that little blitz. And that was it.”