Wheeling still on winning road
After winning its season opener at Park Ridge's Maine South High School on Tuesday night, the Wheeling girls basketball team headed a few miles down the same street Friday night to play at Resurrection High School in Chicago.
The result was the same - another win - for the highly-ranked Wildcats, who finished third in last year's Class 4A state tournament last March.
Wheeling began defense of its Niles North Thanksgiving tournament championship Friday with a 73-56 triumph over the Bandits, who were playing their first game under rookie coach Keith Miniscalco.
The former Loyola High School girls basketball assistant will see another powerhouse when his team faces Fenwick in round two of the tourney at 4 p.m. today at Niles North.
The Wildcats will face the host Vikings at 7 p.m.
"We held our own for a while but we knew coming in they're a very tough team," Miniscalco said. "Sometimes it's a good measuring stick playing the great teams and Wheeling is a great team. They are well-coached and well disciplined. They made us see the things we have to work on."
Wheeling coach Shelly Wiegel was able to work several players into the contest and received a career-high 18 points along with 5 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals from senior guard Stephanie Kuzmanic.
After her sophomore sister Kellie hit a pair of inside buckets, Stephanie scored 6 of the Wildcats' next 8 points as the went ahead 12-6. On the 2 points she didn't produce, she landed the assist when she grabbed a rebound and raced up court on a fastbreak and passed the ball to Bianca Szafarowicz (13 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assist, 4 steals) for the layup.
"I think a lot of people on the bench stepped up," Stephanie Kuzmanic said. "For Leah's (Malsom, who was with the swimming team until this week) first game as a sophomore, she did a great job. And Selma (Smaljovic) and Ellie's (Grinter) defense was real good."
Wheeling used an 8-1 run to close out the first half with a 36-21 lead.
Janelle Cannon, who scored 14 points with 10 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 assists, hit a big 3-pointer which gave Wheeling a 31-20 advantage. A baseline drive by Malsom on an assist from Szafarowicz and a 3-point play by Stephanie Kuzmanic closed out the half.
Cannon saw a lot of double coverage from the Bandits' defense.
"I've just got to try and beat it by looking for my teammates for easy layups and basket," she said "We like to build up the lead so we can get everyone into the game. It's not just the starting five.
"We are taking this tournament game by game. We want to show up for every game, and not take anyone lightly. We want to repeat (the title)."
Kellie Kuzmanic also reached double figures with 13 points along with a steal and blocked shot.
"I thought Larissa Aguero (5 points) did a nice job, too," Wiegel said. "Leah (Malsom, who had 8 points) settled down in the second half and played a real nice game. It was nice to get 10 players into the game in the first half. They play so well in practice so it's nice to get them into games."
Junior Jenna Rice (2 3-pointers) scored a career-high 16 points for Resurrection.
Prospect 42, West Chicago 32: Senior Alyssa Baker led the Prospect (2-0) with 12 points and also pulled down 7 rebounds in the opening game of the Lyons Township tourney.
"Many of Alyssa's rebounds were offensive ones, giving us several second-chance opportunities," said Prospect coach Martha Kelly, whose club resumes tourney play today at 5 p.m. against Queen of Peace. "And they helped get her to the foul line."
Baker made 6-of-9, including 5-of-6 in the final period.
"West Chicago was pesky and would not let us pull away," said Kelly, whose team led by 8 at half but was tied with a few minutes left in the game.
However, Sarah Winans made a big drive to the basket and scored to give Prospect a lead it would not relinquish.
Winans finished with 9 points, 7 in the fourth quarter when she was 5-of-9 from the free throw line.
Fremd 77, Dundee-Crown 27: Fremd (2-0) put up the most it has scored in coach Dave Yates' four seasons in route to winning its first game of the Dundee-Crown Thanksgiving tournament.
Leading the Vikings were Taylor Glassmann (18 points), Gianna Abruzzo (9), Kendall Minta (9) and Bridget Kubis (9).
Glassmann had a pair of 3-point baskets while Kubis, Minta and Jessie Wiedemann (4 rebounds) each had one.
Freshman guard Ashley McConnell collected 5 rebounds and 5 assists while sophomore guard Megan Hubbard had 6 steals.
Jacobs 39, St. Viator 37: St. Viator, playing in the Dundee-Crown Thanksgiving tournament, suffered a tough loss in its season opener.
The Lions were led by Ronnie Mack (9 points) and Meghan McGrath (7). Bridget Urbanus and Taylor Skala each had 6 while Meghan Malone (5 points) tossed in a 3-pointer.