Fremd 39, Schaumburg 36

After a 6-9 start, the Fremd girls basketball team had won its next four games using a combination of tough team defense and contributions from everyone.

On Friday night, the Vikings hosted state-ranked Schaumburg and used its winning formula to procure a fifth straight win with a 39-36 Mid-Suburban West upset victory.

"We're feeling good. We're playing together as a team really well," said Fremd junior guard Katie Hetzner after coming off the bench to hit the go-ahead basket with 20 seconds left. "When we play together we're hard to stop. Our journey is just starting now."

It was a surprising turnaround for the Vikings (11-9, 4-2). They lost 63-35 on Dec. 21 to Schaumburg, which was ranked ninth in the Associated Press Class 4A poll.

"It's got to be (the biggest win of the year)," said Fremd coach Dave Yates. "(Schaumburg is) a great team. The last time we played them they beat us by 28 points at their place. I'm just really proud of the kids for the way they bounced back.

"We've been playing well but to step up in a game like this against the best team is something that we've been shooting for."

Sophomore Taylor Glassman had 11 points and Dani Videka added 9 for the Vikings.

Fremd led the majority of the game until the Saxons took a 36-34 lead on a 3-point play from Kylie Castans with 2:06 left. Sam Thelin (6 points) hit a short runner to tie the game with 49 seconds left and Hetzner followed with her game-winning basket and a free throw.

"We weren't playing together. We weren't running our offense, we weren't really doing anything," Castans (13 points) said after her team shot 10-of-24, including 2-of-7 in the first half, and turned the ball over 25 times. "There shouldn't be any excuses.

"We should have executed, we should have run our offense and do what we usually do. But we just didn't."

Gabby Blackwell had 13 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 assists and a block despite sitting out the second quarter because of foul trouble for Schaumburg (19-2, 5-1).

Gryte Satas added 6 points and 4 rebounds and sophomore Taylor Kosla had 4 points and 2 steals while Drewann Pancratz was held scoreless.

"I thought we played really good defense, helping on Castans and Pancratz and Blackwell," said Hetzner.

Saxons coach Bill Murmann offered a concise and pragmatic view of the loss.

"Fremd deserved to win the game," Murmann said. "They totally outplayed us."

Schaumburg won't have much time to regroup as it is scheduled to play five games the next seven days.

While the Saxons left the gym in quiet disappointment, the Vikings couldn't contain their excitement.

"We're jacked," Yates said. "(Schaumburg) is a team that is obviously the best in our conference. So that's a team that we're excited to beat.

"Hopefully they realize that if they put their minds to it they can beat anybody."