Frea helps further in Libertyville's streak
The best things in life may be free, but Libertyville's best run in a month isn't all due to the insertion of Caroline Frea into its starting lineup.
"Oh no," Frea said with a smile and shake of her head.
Still, since Wildcats girls basketball coach Greg Pedersen has been starting the 6-foot sophomore, his team is 3-0. Frea scored 10 points and added 6 rebounds and 2 steals Tuesday night, as Libertyville defeated host Mundelein 48-34 in North Suburban Lake Division girls basketball.
The game was closer than the final score indicated, as Mundelein (9-15, 2-7) rallied to take a one-point lead early in the second half and was within seven with more than a minute left in the fourth.
"It's never easy, especially against this team," Pedersen said after his Wildcats improved to 14-7 and 6-2 in the NSC Lake. "It's just a good rivalry. It was a dangerous game to go into because you knew they were going to be all geared up. We were all geared up too. They play tough defense. We knew it would be a low-scoring game."
With four divisional games remaining, Libertyville remains two games behind first-place Stevenson (9-0). The two teams meet next Monday at Libertyville in a game that was postponed due to weather earlier this month. The Wildcats, however, are not focused on the divisional title.
"One game at a time," said Pedersen, whose team, a 73-46 loser to Stevenson in early December, hosts Warren on Friday. "We actually talk (only) about the next opponent. The only breach of that was we said we want to look around this time of the year for (state tournament) seedings."
Frea, a first-year varsity player, did not start a game in the first half of the season. She was put into the starting lineup following the Wildcats' 42-25 loss to Zion-Benton on Jan. 10.
"I love (starting)," Frea said. "It's just bringing the energy right away. You have to bring energy coming off the bench too. It's just once you start off with energy at the beginning (of the game), then it sets the tone for the rest of the game."
Frea sank a pair of baskets in the first quarter in helping Libertyville build a 10-6 lead. The Wildcats went into halftime up 17-12, but Mundelein's Maria DeVito hit back-to-back 3-pointers to open the second half and, suddenly, Mundelein had the lead at 18-17.
DeVito led the Mustangs with 11 points, including three 3s and another long jumper.
"She's definitely done well for us," said fellow Mundelein senior Maggie Mahar, who had 8 points and 6 rebounds. "She's moving well, she's getting open and she's ready to take her shot when she gets the ball. She's not hesitating. That's definitely helped us a lot this year. She's grown a lot in the past two years."
Libertyville called timeout after DeVito's 3-pointers, and the Wildcats responded. Center Becky Deichl scored 6 of her game-high 14 points in the third quarter, and 3-pointers by Riley Weis and Maggie Piazzi helped the visitors take a 31-20 lead into the fourth.
"We just focused on making sure (DeVito) didn't get the ball," Frea said. "She was shooting really well."
Amy Richards' steal and basket capped a 5-0 run and got Mundelein within 40-33 with 1:23 left, but a pair of free throws each by Piazzi and Frea helped put the finishing touches on Libertyville's first three-game winning streak since before Christmas.
Claire Keefe added 9 rebounds and 6 points for Libertyville.
Natalie Busscher also scored 8 points for Mundelein, which has lost eight of its last nine. It's been a disappointing season for a team that returned four starters.
"We've struggled commitment-wise and effort-wise, getting 11 girls on the court that want to be there and put forth everything they have," Mahar said. "That starts in practice."