Pair of showdowns highlight schedule
It's the time of the season when conference races are reaching the stretch drives and every game takes on more meaning.
On Friday night, a pair of area girls basketball showdowns are slated for the Mid-Suburban League West Division and Central Suburban North.
In the MSL West, a pair of 4-1 teams - Barrington and Fremd - square off on the Fillies' court.
Those two teams are in a three-way tie with Hoffman Estates (4-1), which visits Palatine (0-5).
The CSL North battle features 22-time division champion Maine West against visiting Deerfield. Both teams are 5-1.
Pink Night: The Fremd-Barrington showdown in the MSL West will be "Pink Night" at Barrington High School to show support to breast cancer awareness.
Barrington associate principal Paul Gillette has arranged to have pink ski caps given away for donations to the breast cancer cause.
The Fillies will be wearing pink socks in honor of the event.
"It is the third straight year we've had this night," said Barrington's Babbi Barreiro, the dean of MSL coaches.
As for the game itself, the Fillies (15-6) won at Fremd 48-38 in December. The Fillies' only league loss is 49-35 to visiting Hoffman Estates.
"I think we have to play good, solid defense," Barreiro said. "Our defensive intensity has to try and dictate what Fremd does."
The Vikings (13-6) are led in scoring by juniors Taylor Glassmann and Gianna Abruzzo, who scored a career-high 21 points against Streamwood last Saturday.
Fillies forward Jenny Schnack scored a career-high 20 points against Conant last Friday.
"I think Fremd has a lot of different kids who can score at different times," Barreiro said. "But obviously, we can't let Abruzzo or Glassmann get going."
CSL North showdown: Maine West (12-9, 5-1) is trying to avenge its only conference loss when it hosts Deerfield (9-12, 5-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Junior forward Megan O'Neill had 18 points when West fell 46-41 at Deerfield.
Maine West struggled from the field the first time the two teams met.
"We have to shoot a lot better and we can't turn the ball over 20 times like we did in that game," said Maine West coach Derril Kipp. "We missed layups that game and they got the ball inside on us and scored layups."
Junior sharpshooter Samantha Acosta scored a season-high 20 points in West's last game against Indianapolis North Central at the McDonald's Shootout on Saturday.
"That was probably Samantha's best game all season," Kipp said. "We need Megan and Samantha playing well at the same time and we need the others kids to contribute."
Saxons' 30-point club: In the previous two seasons, former Schaumburg standouts Drewann Pancratz, Gabrielle Blackwell and Kylie Castans all scored 30 points in a game.
On Tuesday, Saxons senior forward Sarah Kellermeyer tossed home a career-high 30 points in a 71-64 loss to visiting Marist.
"Sarah is in some pretty elite company with those three," said Saxons coach Bill Murmann. "Sarah has played against some of the best posts in the state this season. And her attitude has just been outstanding. We want to see that rub off on our other kids."
Networking: The IHSA has made a switch in the sectional seeding process. No longer will there be a meetings at each sectional site.
Instead, coaches will do their voting on line.
Class 4A coaches have until Jan. 29 to submit their ballots.
"Personally, I don't like it," said Barrington coach Babbi Barreiro. "No. 1, I don't think you can communicate the strength of your schedule as well as you can communicate when talking face-to-face to the coaches.
"No. 2, I think the integrity of the voting becomes more questionable. I do like that we are getting about a week more before we must submit our votes. It gives you a few more games under your belt that can be taken into consideration."
Schaumburg coach Bill Murmann also prefers the seeding meetings.
"I don't like it all," he said of the Internet process. "Eighty percent of communication is nonverbal and they took that all away.
"When I'm listening to another coach talk about his team, I want to be able to look him right in the eye."