Geneva's defense dominates DeKalb

So, which was your favorite DeKalb basket in the first three quarters Friday night at Geneva?

Was it the low-post move Kelli Gerace made just before halftime?

Or Michelle Todd's putback bucket midway thorugh the third quarter?

Want more choices?

Sorry, those two are it.

Geneva held DeKalb to just two field goals through three quarters on its way to a 53-26 victory. The Vikings limited the Barbs to 8 percent shooting at that point before DeKalb's 5 fourth-quarter field goals allowed it to finish at 20.5 percent.

"We really emphasize our defense from the beginning of the game to halftime, we really want to put pressure on them," Geneva sophomore Ashley Santos said.

The Vikings (8-0, 4-0) aren't even giving opponents an opportunity to think upset lately.

After racing to a 24-0 lead against Yorkville Tuesday, Geneva watched as DeKalb (7-3, 2-2) missed its first 17 field goal attempts Friday.

Of course, the Vikings did more than watch, their aggressive man-to-man defense a thorn in the Barbs' side all night, especially the first 16 minutes.

"That was the best defense we've played," Geneva coah Gina Nolan said. "We made a commitment to start in man and stay in man. The kids did a great job of communicating and helping each other out."

Gerace finally broke the Barbs' field goal drought with her basket with 1:07 remaining before halftime. By then Geneva had opened up a 25-7 lead - an advantage that ballooned to as much as 35 points in the second half against an opponent that was 7-2 entering Friday.

"We really pride ourselves on our defense and we try to get up on them because if we can get a lead sooner it will be all the better," junior guard Sammy Scofield said. "We've been working on our press a lot. We're definitely a high pressure team."

DeKalb coach Debbie Whitman knew that pressure was coming. The first wave came from the 5:30 to 4:39 mark in the first quarter, a 51-second span that saw the Vikings score three times, all by Kat Yelle under the basket. One score came after her own steal, the next a Scofield steal and assist, and then a Santos steal, quick feed to Scofield who again found Yelle.

"They made us play faster than we wanted to play," Whitman said. "They are extremely quick, athletic."

Yelle finished with 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the field and 5 of 6 at the line. Scofield and Lauren Wicinski (7 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 blocks) both added 8 points, while Santos got hot from the perimeter in the second half, sinking three jumpers for 6 points.

Freshman Rachel Torres hit all 8 of her free throws to lead DeKalb with 10 points.

"I thought the biggest difference was they (Geneva) played with confidence. I thought our kids we didn't play with the confidence I'm used to seeing," Whitman said. "Against a team of that caliber you can't dig a hole of 11-1, 19-2."

Geneva returns to action at 2:30 p.m. today against West Chicago.

"I feel like we are getting better each game, we are working on the things we need to be working on," Yelle said.