Prospect features both quality and quantity

Watching their team win for the seventh time in eight tries this season, Prospect fans once again got to see plenty of girls in action.

Second-year girls basketball coach Martha Kelly used 11 players as the Knights posted a 49-40 nonconference victory over visiting St. Viator on Thursday night at the Jean Walker Field House in Mount Prospect.

Knights senior guard Danielle Brucci scored 7 of her 13 points in the first four minutes as the hosts grabbed a 7-5 advantage.

They extended the lead to 15-5 as Sarah Hunt (6 points), Rachel Hunt (6 points, 6 rebounds) and Alyssa Baker (6 points, 4 rebounds) all tossed in buckets before the quarter expired.

"It's like we have a lot of confidence in our bench," said Baker, a 5-foot-10 junior forward. "We have a lot of people who can go in and out an do the things we need to do."

Kelly said she was able to play 13 girls twice at the Lyons Township tourney, where the Knights went 4-0.

"I consider us a deep team," she said. "All the girls can play. And because we are playing a full-court game, some players will get winded. We have a lot of girls who can play solid defense and take care of the basketball."

Junior Lexi Glennon led the Knights with 15 points, while sophomores Sarah Winans and Marissa Pettenuzzo also made it into the scoring column.

Lexi Glennon's 17-footer gave the hosts a 20-14 lead before Viator received a 3-pointer from Mary Calov (10 points) and a free throw by Kelly Hendricks (5 points) to close to 20-18.

That's as close the Lions (2-3) would get.

A steal and layup by Lexi Glennon, and a layup by Brucci off an assist from Baker made it 24-18 at half.

"We are really focused on playing as a team this year," said Lexi Glennon. "We've played with each other for a long time. A lot of us were on the feeder teams."

"We want to keep working on our rebounding and transition game," added Lexi's sister Alyssa, who had 4 rebounds. "We weren't quite as sharp with those things as we have been. We want to maintain a high level every game."

Junior guard Susan Hohenadel led St. Viator with 15 points, while Colleen Nolan chipped in 6 and Ronnie Mack added 4 points.

"Prospect is a very good team," said Lions coach Paul Bjerkness. "We could have shot free throws better (8 of 18) and our shot selection could have been better. It was tough. Prospect is a hard-nosed team."

Bjerkness said his Lions did a good job blocking out at times.

"But we have to do it for 32 minutes," the coach added. "I thought it was a pretty good dogfight. They had the fortune of making more shots. We are a pretty good shooting team but we had an off night. We forced some turnovers in the transition game but you have to come away with a basket at the end."

Maine West 48, Maine East 37: Sam Acosta hit five 3-pointers for a game-high 15 points, as Maine West (4-2, 1-0) won its Central Suburban North opener in Park Ridge. Also joining the junior guard in double figures was 5-foot-4 freshman guard Amanda Hoye, who tossed home a career-high 10 points.

Maine West coach Derril Kipp played 15 girls in each half.

Warriors forward Megan O'Neill collected 8 points and 5 rebounds, while teammate Shaina Yalda had 6 points and 3 assists.