Free throws the key to Hilltoppers' victory

If you're not going to make field goals in the fourth quarter, you had better make sure you knock down your free throws.

Despite the Glenbard West girls basketball team being limited to just 2 field-goal attempts in the fourth quarter of its game at Wheaton Warrenville South on Tuesday night, the Hilltoppers converted on 10 of 14 free-throw attempts to come away with a 47-42 victory in Wheaton.

Glenbard West (16-5) held a 35-34 advantage heading into the final quarter, when tough defense and a collective clutch performance at the line allowed the Hilltoppers to escape with a road victory.

Sophomore center Cayla Herbst showed touch and poise at the line in the fourth quarter, sinking all four of her attempts - the last of which gave Glenbard West a 43-39 lead with 1:20 remaining.

"I just knew that I should make them and that I needed to make them," Herbst said. "We've been practicing them in practice every day for a really long time, so I knew that if I just blocked everything else out that they would go in."

"It's something everybody works on. You need to be able to make your free throws to close out games, and they did a nice job," Hilltoppers coach Mike Hofland said. "It's nice to see the girls come through in the clutch."

Glenbard West ripped off a 12-2 run in the late stages of the third quarter, regaining control of the game after the Tigers built a 25-19 halftime lead.

Hofland cited "being patient on offense and communicating on defense," as the two keys to his team's turnaround. "We were patient in getting the ball inside, and that's where we had the size advantage.

"With our height the only thing they could do was foul us."

Wheaton Warrenville South (5-15) suffered through another tough shooting night, hitting just 29 percent of its field-goal attempts while offering 24 shots from beyond the arc.

The Tigers managed just 5 points in the fourth quarter until Hannah Credille's 3-pointer with five seconds remaining - one more instance of too little, too late.

"That's becoming too much of a habit for us," Wheaton Warrenville South coach Rob Kroehnke said. "We've just got to find a way to get better looks and better shots.

"That's where we're at right now. We can play with some teams; we've just got to finish them."