Hoffman holds off S. Elgin

For the first four minutes of the third quarter Thursday night, the scenario was all too familiar for the Hoffman Estates Hawks girls basketball team.

Multiple times last season, the Hawks found themselves jumping out to early leads only to lose the contest in the end.

However, Hawks junior standout forward Megan Fischer and her teammates were not content reveling in the past.

Thanks to Fischer's timely free throws (9-for-10) and several points off the fast break, the Hawks were able to stave off a late run by the South Elgin Storm and hold on for a 54-50 win in their second game of the Fenton Tournament.

"Last year we would get big leads and let them go," Fischer said. "This year we're trying to maintain our leads. Basketball is a game of runs so if they get hot we are going to try and stay with them and if we get behind we try and battle back."

Fischer, who had a team high 21 points in addition to 6 rebounds, led the Hawk attack from the get go.

"(Fischer) is a gamer," Hawks coach Michael Nocella said. "She'd be a gym rat if she could."

Trailing by four after the first quarter, South Elgin bounced back to within two at the half thanks to consistent shooting from their guard tandem of Alexa Kruel (20 points) and Genevieve Johnson (9 points).

The Storm opened the second half energized from its second quarter comeback, as it went on an 11-4 run to start the third, taking its first lead of the evening at 35-30.

"We wanted to attack the basket and be aggressive," South Elgin coach Tim Prendergast said. "We didn't turn the ball over as much in the second half."

Facing its first deficit of the game, Hoffman Estates did not panic and instead closed out the third ahead by two after an impressive 9-2 run highlighted by fast break points from Fischer and Jada Stotts (10 pts, 4 rebounds).

In the fourth, junior point guard Carole King (17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals) kept the Storm on its heels with her tenacious defense, ultimately preventing South Elgin from making a late rally.

The loss drops South Elgin to 0-2 on the season, yet Pendergast remains positive about his team's outlook.

"The girls are getting a lot of confidence," Pendergast said. "We're getting there but we have to be able to finish the games."