Wauconda outlasts Marian
The fact that his Wauconda girls basketball team continued to extend its double-digit lead in the fourth quarter did nothing to calm the nerves of coach Tim Bartusch.
"That clock, I'll tell you what," a relieved Bartusch said after his Bulldogs defeated Richmond-Burton 56-32 at Marian Central in Woodstock on Friday night. "(The game) seemed like 64 minutes (instead of 32)."
That's because Bartusch cannot remember his team ever winning its season opener in his previous eight seasons as head coach.
Wauconda now has a chance to win the tournament by beating host Marian Central on Tuesday night. Marian Central (1-0) beat Richmond-Burton (0-2) this past Tuesday night. The tourney features only three teams, since Crystal Lake Central decided to play in Harvard's tournament.
Wauconda jumped out to a 6-0 lead against former Fremd coach Carol Plodzien's R-B Rockets and never trailed. The Bulldogs led 14-7 after one quarter and 32-19 at halftime, despite just 11-of-33 shooting and Lauren Mead sitting out most of the second quarter with 3 fouls.
"The first quarter especially, I thought Lauren played a tremendous interior defense," Bartush said. "She was outstanding. Then she got herself into some foul trouble. She didn't shoot particularly well, but she rebounded for us. It was nice to see this team respond without her on the floor, because we're going to have games where we can't always look to her and she's not always going to be there."
Mead, a 6-foot-1 junior and three-year varsity player who was an all-area and all-conference choice last season, finished with 8 points and a team-high 7 rebounds. Freshman Tammy Ellis came off the bench to lead Wauconda in scoring with 13 points and also grab 4 rebounds. She hit a pull-up jumper at the buzzer to end the first half.
"Tammy Ellis played a nice game," Bartusch said. "And (Kate) Martino, that year of experience has really paid off."
Martino, the Bulldogs' sophomore point guard who started for Bartusch last season, had 12 points and 8 steals. Wauconda's balanced scoring also featured veterans Courtney Kimes (8 points), Katie LePage (7) and Amanda Gertz (6).
"I thought we had tremendous leadership from our returning players," Bartusch said.
Richmond-Burton's Hailey Schleibinger posted game bests of 14 points and 11 rebounds.
LZ 52, D-C 24:ŒLake Zurich used its defense to create its offense. The Bears' defense created a whole lot of it.
Lake Zurich forced Dundee-Crown to turn the ball over 19 times in the first three quarters and used the turnovers to build a 52-24 led after three periods. The Bears (1-1) went on to take their opening game of the Dundee-Crown Thanksgiving Tournament 54-38 over the host Chargers (1-1).
For as good as the Bears' defense was, the offense equaled it. Lake Zurich shot 56.4 percent (22 of 39) from the floor. Junior Lydia Bauer led the charge with 23 points, all of which came in the first 3 quarters, and shot 81.8 percent (9 of 11) from the floor. Bauer added 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks in the victory.
Lake Zurich opened up the game in the second quarter, when it outscored D-C 20-10. The Bears made 6 straight shots from the floor turning a 13-11 game into a 26-13 advantage. Gabby Chapa made a pair of 3-pointers during the run and finished with 8 of her 13 points in the second quarter.
"Lake Zurich really played good defense," Dundee-Crown coach Joe Komaromy said. "I don't think we matched their intensity. They played a very good game."
Bears point guard Peggie Parhas finished with 9 assists, including 6 in the first quarter.
-- Matt Stacionis