Streamwood 4-0 for 1st time in 23 years

It’s been a long time since a Streamwood girls basketball team was 4-0.

Like 23 years ago.

Not since the Sweet Sixteen season of 1987-88, when they started 14-0, have the Sabres enjoyed such success at the start of a season.

But they made it 4-0 Tuesday night, coming from behind to defeat a scrappy McHenry team 48-42 at the Dundee-Crown Thanksgiving Tournament.

Senior Michelle Tomczak and junior Amanda Patterson had banner nights for the Sabres, while senior scoring leader Emma Schmidt was off her game a bit with an illness. Tomczak scored 14 points, had 14 rebounds, 6 blocked shots and 4 steals, while Patterson delivered 13 points on 5 of 7 shooting as the Sabres clawed their way back from a 26-21 halftime deficit.

“That’s the first time we’ve been down at halftime,” said Streamwood coach George Rosner, the coach of that 1987-88 team who is now just 11 wins shy of 300 at Streamwood. “That shows a little about our character, coming back like that.”

The Sabres went on a 7-0 run to open the third quarter and get back in the game. Sophomore Deja Moore (9 points) scored to open the quarter, Patterson hit her first career 3-pointer, and then nailed a jumper just to the left of the free-throw line, and the Sabres had a 28-26 lead with 5:11 left in the third quarter.

“The third quarter’s been our best quarter all season so far,” said Rosner.

Streamwood led 35-34 after three quarters then opened the fourth with a 7-0 run that concluded when Schmidt’s left-handed hook layup with 4:35 left in the quarter gave the Sabres a 42-34 lead.

Schmidt was held to 6 points but is now just 40 points shy of 1,000 for her career.

Despite McHenry making two mini-runs, Streamwood was able to maintain at least a 3-point lead the rest of the way. Ahead 45-42 late, Moore made 3 of 4 from the free-throw line in the final 28 seconds to seal the win.

“The difference in the second half was we made them shoot from outside and they didn’t hit their shots,” said Rosner of McHenry, which was 3 of 24 in the second half including 0 of 10 in the fourth quarter. “We definitely played better defense in the second half. We have to rebound. When we rebound we run and we get better shots.”

Rosner was pleased with Patterson’s performance.

“Amanda played really well,” he said. “She’s looking to score more and she’s definitely a threat out there. That helps us.”