Redhawks rally to overtake Tigers
It didn't start well for host Naperville Central in Thursday's home game against Wheaton Warrenville South.
The younger and smaller Tigers built a 25-10 lead on 11-of-15 shooting from the field and hard-nosed board-work.
But the home team rallied in the second quarter and intensified their full-court pressure at the beginning of the second half to win their fourth DuPage Valley Conference game in a row, 49-43.
The win gives the Redhawks a 7-2 record in conference and brings them to 12-9 overall.
"We're trying to stay one game behind Wheaton North and keep our destiny in our own hands," said Naperville Central coach Andy Nussbaum. "The problem with our effort early in the game was that we just didn't score enough baskets. Wheaton's shooting was incredible and they were getting some second-chance baskets."
"We weren't as intense as we should have been in the first quarter," said Redhawks guard Kelley Hendrick. "But no matter how we switched on defense, their shots were going in."
After trailing by 15, the Redhawks' Emma Ondik hit a 3-pointer that started a 12-point run, but the Tigers still led 28-22 at halftime.
"Coach Nuss said that as long as we kept it to 6 by halftime we'd be all right," Hendrick said. "We increased our intensity in the second half and showed the type of team we are on defense. And that changed the whole game around."
The Redhawks' pressure bothered the Tigers (5-14, 3-5) right from the start of the second half.
Catherine Tanck of Naperville Central stole the ball and drove in for a layup in the opening seconds of the third quarter.
A few seconds later Hendrick made a steal, drew a foul at the other end and her foul shots brought them to within 3.
A 3-pointer by Caitlin Schwark revived the Tigers offense momentarily, but the Redhawks caught them later in the period as the defensive pressure continued to bother the WW South ballhandlers.
The Redhawks took the lead for good at 41-39 on a 3-pointer by Hendrick with 5:29 to go in the game.
Hendrick scored 12 of her game-high 18 in the second half and finished with 6 steals. The Redhawks' frontline of Emma Donahue, Tanck and Claire Fleming was strong inside.
Donahue finished with 10 points and 3 blocked shots, and Tanck scored 9 and led with 6 rebounds.
Schwark was the high scorer for WW South with 11 points, but Heidi Ansiel with 11 rebounds and Katie Ottolin with 10 fought hard throughout the game against their taller opponents.
"We reacted well tonight," said WW South coach Rob Kroehnke. "Unfortunately, when you play a good team like this, one or two mistakes is the big difference in the game. We missed our free throws and we let them go on a run. Our kids played a great game tonight. We just didn't finish it."