Wheeling, Schaumburg for MSL title

Tonight's 35th annual Mid-Suburban League girls basketball championship has a brand new look.

Wheeling is making its first appearance.

The state-ranked Wildcats (24-3, 9-1) will visit Schaumburg (24-4, 8-2) at 7:30 today to decide the league champion.

Wheeling tied Buffalo Grove for first place in the MSL East while Schaumburg and Conant shared the MSL West crown.

The Wildcats and BG were even in all tiebreaker rules, so Wheeling got the title-game berth because BG was the last team to play in the game (last year against Barrington). Schaumburg got the nod over Conant because of 2 wins over the Cougars.

On Jan. 8, senior Drewann Pancratz hit an off-balance 12-footer from the baseline as time expired to give Schaumburg a dramatic 54-52 triumph over visiting Wheeling.

"We're pretty excited to be playing a team that we lost to," said Wheeling coach Shelly Wiegel, who has directed the Wildcats to four straight 20-win seasons, including a 28-4 record two years ago. "The girls were disappointed with their first loss at Schaumburg and a lot of times you don't get a second chance to redeem yourself. That happened for us with Buffalo Grove, too."

Schaumburg coach Bill Murmann believes his team mirrors Wheeling in a lot of ways.

"We both have a big post presence and about the same height," he said. "And for our size, we both can get up and down the floor pretty well."

Pancratz, a 5-10 senior who averages 11.8 ppg, 80 assists and 56 steals, 5-10 senior Kylie Castans (17.2 ppg, 6.6 rebounds, 68 assists, 63 steals) and 5-11 senior Gabrielle Blackwell (13.0 ppg, 9.0 rebounds, 61 steals, 44 assists) have scored more than 1,000 points in their careers while Illinois-bound Lana Rukavina (6-0 senior) and Purdue recruit Ashley Wilson (6-foot) have done the same for Wheeling.

"They are very balanced with their big three players and Gryte (Satas, a 6-4 senior who averages 4 points and 5 rebounds) is kind of the x-factor," Wiegel said. "We played pretty good defense on their big scorers last time but they knew how to find Gryte, and she can hurt you.

"Schaumburg is such a great team. They will find the open person. Our job is to make sure all five of our players are playing as a team and shutting down the person they are defending."

The only underclassman in the starting lineup for Schaumburg is 5-7 sophomore point guard Taylor Kosla, who has a team-high 100 assists with 32 steals.

Murmann has received key contributions off the bench from Sarah Kellermeyer (6-0 junior), Rachael Kahan (5-6 sophomore), Kaitlin Marchok (5-10 senior) and Sarah McGinn (6-0 junior).

"I think whoever executes this game will succeed," Murmann said. "I think when we play them it's just like we're looking at ourselves. It was nice to see them that first time and know what they are about. I thought Lana (13.7 ppg, 113 rebounds, 29 assists) and Lindsey Mills (4.9 ppg, 75 rebounds) played their guts out that game."

Rukavina and Mills (6-2 senior) will be key players off the bench for Wheeling. Rukavina recently missed more than a week from a concussion and Wiegel has been bringing her back slowly.

Wilson (15 ppg, 181 rebounds) is joined in the starting lineup by 5-9 sophomore Janelle Cannon (13.3 ppg, 111 steals, 103 rebounds, 89 assists), 6-foot senior Natasha Robinson (64 rebounds, 34 assists, 30 steals), 5-11 sophomore Bianca Szafarowicz (7 ppg, 65 rebounds, 60 steals, 34 assists) and 5-11 senior Jessie Smith (57 rebounds, 47 assists, 26 steals).

Stephanie Kuzmanic (a 5-8 sophomore who has 48 rebounds and 36 assists) and Bridgette Gray (5-3 junior with 10 steals and 8 assists) also are key members off the bench.

The Wildcats have won seven straight since the loss at Schaumburg, including a 57-46 victory over Montini when Cannon had a triple-double with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 steals.

"The first time we played Schaumburg we didn't do a lot of the fundamental things we needed to do," Wiegel said." We didn't rebound well and play as aggressively as we needed. Ever since, we have rebounded well. And it hasn't just been Ashley. It's been the whole team, even Janelle. When you can get your point guard helping with that, that's a huge lift."

Schaumburg is making its first title game appearance since 1997 when it lost to Buffalo Grove. The Saxons also played in the 1980 and 1995 title games.

"I think it will be a great game," said Murmann, who has directed the Saxons to four straight 20-win seasons. "It will be fun. We've both got great athletes. Some of the girls know each other real well from AAU basketball as well. So we'll just have fun with it."

Both teams have sure been fun to watch.

"We do feel we've been playing better since the game at Schaumburg," Wiegel said. "Everyone has stepped up since. We know it takes all five players on the floor. Everyone must do something.

"Lana looks like she has her timing back (after missing more than three weeks due to leg injury, trip to Croatia and concussion). Confidence-wise, she is pretty good now.

"It's been nice knowing that in her absence we've had kids stepping up and been able to do such a nice job (wins over state powers Warren and Buffalo Grove). It's very nice to know we have a Division I post ready to go. To have someone of Lana's caliber coming off the bench speaks volumes about our team."