Proviso East powers past Warren

Warren's girls basketball team knew it would have a tough challenge Friday night.

The Blue Devils also know that their Division-I duo of Jordyn Hughes (Eastern Illinois) and Kaylen Dickson (Wake Forest) can take over games.

The two senior guards tried, but Warren couldn't stay with an experienced Proviso East team and lost 66-42 in an opening game of the Niles North Thanksgiving tournament in Gurnee.

Hughes scored 21 points and Dickson added 14.

"I'm proud with the effort but not pleased with the 32 minutes of execution," Warren coach John Stanczykiewicz said. "I think we got a little bit tired and got into foul trouble. I think we just wore down. (Proviso East) played at a very high pace and they're a physical team. They challenged us all the time. There wasn't any free possessions against them.

The Blue Devils were in the contest for about 2½ quarters. The score was tied 15-15 after the first eight minutes and 18-18 a couple minutes into the second quarter. Warren then went on 8-2 run, and Hughes later made 1 of 2 free throws to put the Blue Devils up 26-20 with 3;04 left.

But the Pirates responded with eight straight points with the help of Keimari Rimmer, who scored 3 of her game-high 25 points for a 28-26 lead at the break.

"We were not able to sustain that effort," Stanczykiewicz said. "(Proviso East) took advantage of us and it seemed like the ball kept landing in the wrong spot every time. I thought we could have shot free throws better in the first half. We just didn't take the advantage of the opportunities they gave us."

Proviso East opened up the third quarter with eight more unanswered points. A 12-3 run included Deja Beavers making two free throws for a 40-29 lead with 5:16 left.

The Pirates took a 50-37advantage into the fourth and increased the margin. Jayiyah Davis added 10 points for Proviso East.

"It was the first game of the season, and we had to get back into the game and work on things," Proviso East coach Ezra PridGeon Jr. said. "We were a little sloppy, but we expected that for a first game.

Hughes sank four 3-pointers, and Dickson also made a shot from beyond the arc.

"They can shoot and drive to the basket, and they're very scrappy," PridGeon said. "We had to limit them and contain them, and then we could take control of the game."