Elk Grove throws scare into Buffalo Grove

Posted January 22, 2008 10:00 pm

By Bill Esbrook Daily Herald Correspondent

Senior Kayla Mahoney sank a quick 3-pointer to give Elk Grove an early lead over visiting Buffalo Grove.

Then the Bison scored the next 14 points and it looked like the game could be a repeat of an early-season 45-point win over the Grenadiers.

Elk Grove didn't let that happen.

The Grens stayed with the state's top-ranked Class 4A team every step of the way and trailed by only 3 points late, but a clutch block and 3-point play by Allison Mocchi helped lead BG to a 72-61 Mid-Suburban East victory.

"Give them credit," said BG coach Tom Dineen of the upstart Grenadiers. "They played hard, while we played with very little excitement or emotion."

Sophomore Ashley Capotosto scored a game-high 25 points and grabbed 11 rebound to lead the Grens.

"The girls played with a lot of heart," said Elk Grove coach Jim Wills, "but I told them not to be satisfied with this.

"We had the opportunity to take them down to the wire, but we had 21 turnovers and that made a difference."

BG, behind Maggie Mocchi (24 points), Allison Mocchi (17 points) and Ellen Ayoub (17 points), led by as many as 16 points midway through the third quarter.

Maggie Mocchi surpassed the 1,500 point mark for her career and now has 1,513.

But Elk Grove fought back in the fourth and when Melissa Regan nailed a long 3 with 3:40 remaining, the BG lead was trimmed to 3.

"When some people saw this game on the schedule, they thought, 'Elk Grove against BG, BG's going to win for sure,'" said Capotosto. "But we showed tonight we can play with them.

"I thought we were going to pull it out."

BG's lead was 61-56 at the two-minute mark when Allison Mocchi blocked an EG 3-point attempt, raced downcourt, made a layup, was fouled and hit the free throw.

More late free throws from Heather Nisbet (9 points) and Ayoub put the game on ice.

"We had some runs," said Dineen, "but we couldn't finish them off. "

Mahoney celebrated Senior Night by scoring 14 points, including 4 3-pointers, while junior Krystina Leazer recorded 9 points, 8 rebounds and 4 steals.

"We showed that we can compete with a team like Buffalo Grove," said Capotosto. "There's no reason we can't play the rest of our games this year the way we did tonight."