Geneva barely withstands Glenbard South comeback
Geneva coach Gina Nolan no doubt wondered how a 20-point first-half lead could turn into a one-possession game in the final minute Friday against Glenbard South.
Of a few things she is certain.
"Every time we play Glenbard South it's a battle it seems," Nolan said, "and they come at us. Everybody wants to come at us. We have to be ready for that."
Nolan's No. 2 Vikings needed a few key defensive stops and clutch Kat Yelle free-throw shooting to pull out a 62-54 win in Geneva.
A Patrice Hicks free throw pulled Glenbard South within 57-54 with 1:17 left, and the Raiders had a chance to tie after Geneva missed a jumper. But the Raiders missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and Yelle made 2 free throws. Yelle stole a pass on Glenbard South's next possession and split 2 free throws, then knocked down 2 more free throws with 16 seconds left.
"They finally came when I needed them to," Yelle said.
Dealt two opportunities to fold in the game, Glenbard South refused to go away.
The Raiders trailed 28-13 after a quarter, and it was 36-16 minutes into the second quarter. But Glenbard South (4-3, 1-1 Western Sun Conference) pulled within 40-32 at the half on a Danielle Chitkowski runner. Raiders 6-foot-3 junior leading scorer Nevena Markovic went to the bench with four fouls with 5:05 left in the third quarter and Geneva up 43-34, but Glenbard South trailed just 55-50 when Markovic returned with five minutes left in the fourth.
Thirty seconds later, Tess Diiorio banked in a 3-pointer to make it a 2-point game.
"My girls played with incredible heart," Raiders coach Julie Fonda said. "They could have hung their heads down 20 and they just battled back. That's what I love about this group. They just get after it."
Fonda blamed her game-planning in part for Geneva's fast start. Glenbard South came out pressing Geneva early, and the free-wheeling Vikings (6-0, 2-0) made them pay. Senior Myra Yelle, starting with Sam Schofield out of town at a soccer tournament, scored 9 of her 13 points in the first quarter.
"I like when teams pressure us," Kat Yelle said.
Glenbard South had three possessions to tie after Diiorio's 3-pointer, but Geneva forced turnovers on all three before Geneva's Ashley Santos hit a baseline jumper. Yelle, who scored 11 points on 3-of-11 shooting, had 7 steals in the second half alone.
"Everybody has off games," Yelle said, "and whenever my offense isn't there I try to really work on my defense. I try to get steals and get fastbreaks."
Hicks had 16 points and 9 rebounds for Glenbard South, also assuming added ballhandling duties against Geneva's pressure. Fellow sophomore Chitkowski had 8 points and 7 rebounds, and Markovic 12 points and 7 boards.
"We've made strides even from early on in the season," Fonda said. "We're getting there. I'm excited to have another crack at these guys at our place."
Lauren Wicinski had 16 points and 9 rebounds for Geneva and Katelyn Allen 9 points off the bench.