Maine West feels better after beating Benet
The sting of last week's girls basketball loss to Geneva still fresh, Maine West took out its frustrations on Benet.
The Warriors made sure they wouldn't endure a second loss of the season, defeating Benet 57-35 Saturday night in the final game of the Coach Kipp's Hoopfest in Villa Park.
"We learned from our loss last Saturday," Maine West senior Allison Pearson said. "We know now that we have to play all four quarters of basketball, not just finish in the fourth quarter. ... We just really wanted a really big win and to show people who we are."
Benet (18-4) was disappointed it didn't give Maine West (20-1) more of a challenge.
"I told the kids this was going to be a big girls game," added Benet coach Joe Kilbride, "and they played big-girl ball and we didn't today."
Ironically, the Warriors suffered their only defeat at Benet, 55-53 to defending Class 4A champion Geneva.
The key this time was the Warriors' defense.
"I know that we're capable," Maine West coach Kim de Marigny said. "It's just a matter of, is this team going to show up and play aggressive defense? They played aggressive defense tonight.
"Last time, when we played Geneva last Saturday, we didn't shoot very well. So we were hoping we would come out of the gates a little bit better tonight, and we did."
The third-ranked Warriors pulled away in the second quarter, outscoring the fourth-ranked Redwings 16-6 to take a 35-22 halftime lead.
"At halftime we just cleared off and said, OK, it's 0-0 now. We need to win the second half. So all the things that you were doing in the first half that were working, continue to do those. Then we tried to pinpoint a couple of things that weren't working well and make a couple of adjustments," de Marigny said.
It worked. The Warriors kept building their lead, never giving Benet a chance to get back in the game.
"Benet's a good team, and we knew they weren't going to lay down for us, so we were expecting them to press, to trap, and we were ready for it," Pearson said.
Junior Rachel Kent led the Warriors with 15 points. Senior Alisa Fallon scored 14, and 6-foot-3 sophomore Angela Dugalic added 13 points and 10 rebounds. Pearson dished 5 assists to go with her 5 points.
"It was a great team effort," de Marigny said. "Allison Pearson, she's just a leader on the court. Angela, all five of ours. Catherine (Johnson) plays excellent defense. Rachel Kent plays excellent defense. Alisa Fallon is just, her knowledge and IQ of the game. Jessica (Riedl) comes in off the bench rebounding, scores a couple of quick little baskets. I bring in a couple of subs and they shut them down. They know that defense is our main weapon and that's what we try to teach."