Quick start propels Lake Zurich by C-G
Lake Zurich 45, Cary-Grove 32
When you allow a good team to score the first 11 points of the game that usually spells disaster.
It did for Cary-Grove.
Jumping off to a 11-0 lead, Lake Zurich was able to convert a quick start into a 45-32 win over the Trojans in action at the Dundee-Crown Thanksgiving Tournament Monday night in Carpentersville.
"You can't spot a good team like Lake Zurich that big of a lead to start a game," said Cary-Grove coach Rod Saffert. "We played well the last three quarters and did some good things."
Making 5 of their first 6 shots, the Bears (4-0) blitzed the Trojans with the first 11 points of the game. Olivia Allen converted 3 layups, Lydia Bauer nailed a 3-pointer and Sarah Stauner made 2-of-2 from the line as the Bears led 11-0 with 4:52 left in the first quarter.
The Trojans (3-1) scored their first points of the game when Claire Jakubicek made both ends of a 2-shot opportunity at the line to make the score 11-2 with 4:02 left in the initial quarter. Cary-Grove's first basket of the game occurred on a layup by Lizzy Dyrck with 3:09 remaining to make the score 14-4.
Cary-Grove sliced Lake Zurich's lead to 7, 14-7 when Liz Bart buried a 3-pointer. But,, the Bears responded by scoring the last 5 points of the quarter including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Gabby Chapa to give Lake Zurich a 19-7 lead after 8 minutes.
Neither team could find the mark in the second quarter.
Cary-Grove, which made 2-of-12 from the field in the first quarter for 16 percent, didn't fare much better in the second quarter, converting only 1-of-10 from the floor for 10 percent. The Trojans, who scored only 5 points in the second quarter, made only 3 of 22 in the first half for 13 percent.
Lake Zurich, which made 7-of-12 shots from the floor in the first quarter, was scoreless for the first 6:09 of the second quarter before Allen hit a 12-footer to give the Bears a 21-10 lead.
Lake Zurich, which only made 2-of-10 shots and scored only 4 points in the second quarter, led 23-12 at half.
Cary-Grove never really threatened the Bears lead in the second half. Christina Bear's 3-pointer pulled the Trojans within 27-20 with 4:30 left in the third quarter. Lake Zurich's biggest lead was 38-24 after a layup by Stauner with 2:44 left.
"With four starters back from last season I expect us to get off to good starts in games," said Lake Zurich coach Chris Bennett. "We made way too many turnovers the last three quarters. We did a nice job on defense holding a good offensive team like Cary-Grove to 32 points.
Allen paced Lake Zurich with 12 points while Lydia Bauer scored 10. Jakubicek led Cary-Grove with 8 points.