Bauer's 'D' on DiPrima is key

After sinking her sixth 3-pointer in 7 tries, with still two-plus quarters of basketball to play, Andrea DiPrima did a spontaneous spin near midcourt.

The Buffalo Grove sophomore was having such an amazing first half at Lake Zurich that not even she could believe it.

"I really couldn't," DiPrima said. "I've shot well before, but not like that."

The ending to the Sweet Sixteen game didn't prove nearly as unbelievable, but it was surprising and, for Lake Zurich, exhilarating.

Led by its senior star, Lydia Bauer, who dominated both ends of the court in the second half, Lake Zurich rallied for a 51-44 win Wednesday night.

"She took over the game," DiPrima said.

Bauer scored 11 of her 23 points in the fourth quarter, draining three 3s from the corners, as Lake Zurich rebounded from its first loss a night earlier to improve to 10-1, while dropping Buffalo Grove to 3-6.

DiPrima had scorched the nets for 20 points in the first half. Mind you, she hadn't had a 20-point game all season.

At halftime, Lake Zurich coach Chris Bennett made the decision to put the 6-foot Bauer on the 5-7 DiPrima.

"Lydia's obviously one of our best post defenders and rebounders, and I just like having her close to the basket," Bennett said. "I didn't want to put Lydia on the outside because that takes her away from the basket. But we didn't seem to have anybody else who could guard (DiPrima). She does a great job running off screens, and we had to get Lydia out there chasing her around."

"In the second half Bennett told me to go 'red' on her," Bauer said. "Which means you just stay on your man, you don't play help-side or anything. Because (DiPrima) had 20 points at halftime - which is amazing - we wanted to make sure that she got the ball as least as possible. My only job was to stick on her and not let her catch it."

DiPrima finished with 25 points (seven 3s). Her sixth 3 of the half had Buffalo Grove up 28-17 with four minutes left before intermission.

"A lot of good screens and good passes," DiPrima said. "My teammates are so great."

"As hot as she was in the first half, Lydia was just as hot in the second," Bison coach Pat Dudle said. "She's a great shooter, Lydia."

Audrey Bauer (14 points, 14 rebounds) hit a hook shot, after taking a pass from her big sister, to give Lake Zurich the lead at 43-42 with 2:56 left. Lydia Bauer followed with a steal and layup, and the Bears' defense did the rest.

"I really respect Lake Zurich's team," said Dudle, whose Bison led 36-29 after three. "I hope our team can get some confidence from what we accomplished in the first three quarters."

Lydia Bauer finished with five 3-pointers. She's not sure she had that many, total, this season.

"I was just getting open in the corners," she said, "and I guess (the shots) were falling tonight."