Prospect finds clear formula for success

Prospect's girls basketball team has had five players as its scoring leaders this season.

So it's not easy to focus on one player for the Knights.

But it's easy to zero in on one fact.

Prospect is winning.

Second-year coach Martha Kelly has the Knights off to an 8-1 start after they won their Mid-Suburban East opener 49-38 over Hersey on Tuesday night at the Ken Carter Gymnasium.

Senior Alyssa Glennon led the Knights with 14 points, followed by Danielle Brucci (9) and junior Lexi Glennon (8).

"This team just gets along real well," said Alyssa Glennon, who also collected 3 steals and 2 assists. "We have a lot of fun playing on the court together and we have good chemistry."

The Knights built a 17-9 lead after one quarter but Hersey (5-3, 0-1) charged back and pulled even at 25-25 early in the third quarter when sophomore Eileen Zydek hit a short bank shot.

Prospect went ahead for good at 30-29 on Marissa Pettenuzzo's driving bank shot and the visitors led 34-31 after three quarters thanks to a pair of free throws by Alyssa Glennon.

The Knights opened the final period with a 6-0 run - a 16-foot baseline jumper by Alyssa Glennon, a layup by Sarah Hunt (7 points, 5 rebounds) and free throws by Rachel Hunt and Sarah Hunt - and Hersey never got closer than 7 points.

"At halftime, coach told us we had to start rebounding," said Brucci, who finished with 8 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists. "We really came back tough in the second half. We just had to hold our composure."

Hersey was led by senior Kelly Rogowski (12 points) while junior teammate Maddie Swan blocked 10 shots and had 9 rebounds. Megan Rogowski added 8 points and Julia Fredian 7.

"Maddie's shot blocking was excellent but it was too bad we couldn't rally around that," said Huskies coach Mary Fendley. "Our defense was terrible and they (Prospect) played very well."

"Our goal is to hold the other team to under 40 points," Kelly said. "We use that as a measuring stick for our defense. One of the keys was Lexi Glennon's outstanding job on Megan Rogowski. We were trying to limit her points and Lexi really held her to two buckets. The other two were in transition."

Lexi Glennon said she focused primarily on defending the 5-9 sophomore guard, who is averaging 22 points.

"I just wanted to stay on her," said Lexi, who had 3 steals. "I have been working on my defense so that was my big goal in this game."

"We wanted Lexi to focus on her (Megan Rogowski) and make their other girls shoot," said Lexi's sister Alyssa. "We've been working hard in practice and it's nice to see it paying off in games."