Taylor helps Glenbard East past West Chicago

Kelsey Taylor, all of 5-foot-6, won't win many jump balls on the basketball court.

She picked a good time Tuesday to make like a football cornerback.

Glenbard East's senior guard intercepted a long West Chicago inbounds pass and turned the theft into two game-winning free throws in a 45-44 Rams victory in Lombard.

Mary Connolly split two free throws with 26 seconds left to give West Chicago (12-13, 7-6 DuPage Valley Conference) a 44-43 lead. Glenbard East turned the ball over on its ensuing possession, giving the Wildcats the lead and the ball underneath the Rams' basket. On the inbounds a leaping Taylor reached over her shoulder to pick off a baseball pass past midcourt, took it the other way, was fouled with 8.8 seconds left and made both free throws.

"We knew that we had to get a stop," Taylor said, "and we were playing really tight up close. I just jumped to get that pass and hoped that it would be good enough. I just read the way she moved and hoped they were going long with it."

West Chicago, with one more chance, was called for a five-second violation inbounding in the Wildcats' frontcourt with 1.2 seconds left.

"My guard play is still a work in progress," West Chicago coach Kim Wallner said, "and you saw that tonight. Decision-making, poise and composure, that's continually what we're working on."

Taylor scored 18 points for Glenbard East (16-10, 7-6), making 11 off 12 free throws. As a team the Rams made 21 of 25 at the line, winning despite making just 3 of 25 field-goal attempts in the second half.

"It was a physical ballgame," Glenbard East coach Nicole Miller said, "and it was just a matter of getting to the line a lot and making them at the end."

Glenbard East led 30-25 at the half, before West Chicago surged ahead 31-30 on an Izzy Bruce transition basket. An off-balance shot in the lane by Taylor tied it at 34-34 going into the fourth quarter. A Connolly inside score and two free throws by Emily Paschke gave West Chicago a 42-39 lead with 2:40 left, but Glenbard East came back to tie it at 43-43 with 1:11 left on an Olivia Trefilek stickback.

Trefilek had 8 points and 9 rebounds and Jackie Foreman 9 points for Glenbard East. Connolly had 11 points, Bruce 8 and Liz Reyes 7 for West Chicago.