Veteran lineup helps Naperville Central

A veteran basketball team in November is like a warm security blanket on a cold winter night.

Just ask Joliet coach Roger Plechaty.

"It's a great advantage early in the season to already have that camaraderie," Plechaty said, "and to have played together for a few years. We have 28 feeder schools, coming from all over the place. They're still learning to play with one another."

That is not the case for a seasoned Naperville Central team, which picked apart Plechaty's Steelmen 66-33 at the Benet/Naperville Central Tip-Off Tournament on Friday in Naperville.

Junior point guard Emma Ondik, a third-year varsity player, had 15 points and 7 assists, and sophomore Emma Donahue, in her second varsity season, had 15 points and 7 rebounds. Two other seniors in their third varsity season, Claire Fleming and Catherine Tanck, added 13 and 11 points, respectively.

"We definitely feel more comfortable playing with one another," Ondik said. "I've started every game my freshman and sophomore year. I'm definitely comfortable out there with the experience I've had."

"We have a neat combination of experience and youth," added Redhawks coach Andy Nussbaum, who has three freshmen on the roster and started sophomore Jill D'Amico on Friday. "Even the freshmen look comfortable out there."

Ondik honed her game even further in the off-season, and also went through extensive speed and strength training. She showed once again Friday why she's one of the best shooters in the area.

Ondik knocked down three 3-pointers and scored 10 points in the second quarter. Naperville Central trailed 10-7 after a quarter but took the lead for good in the opening minute of the second on the strength of an Ondik jumper, a pair of Ondik free throws and an Ondik 3. Ondik scored 22 points in the Redhawks' season-opening win over Providence on Tuesday.

"With Kelley (Hendrick) graduating," Nussbaum said, "as far as handling the ball and running the floor, Emma's the deal. She's really good."

The biggest downer for the Redhawks came in the second half, when senior reserve D.D. Buttgereit went down with a knee injury that looked severe.

Naperville Central (2-0) did turn the ball over 29 times in an often helter-skelter pace. Eleven of those came in a ragged first quarter.

"Obviously, Joliet is very fast," Nussbaum said, "and it took us about a quarter to get used to their speed. While I'm very pleased with the last three quarters, we can't take a quarter to get used to the pace of the game."