St. Francis newcomer gives IC all it can handle
Taylor Reaber confessed that the name Fiona McMahon didn't ring a bell before Friday night.
"Did she play last year?" the Immaculate Conception senior inquired of the St. Francis junior. "I don't remember her playing."
Reaber and the Knights won't forget her now.
McMahon, in her 10th varsity game, scored 28 points with 13 rebounds. No. 11 Immaculate Conception pulled out a 57-50 win at Wheaton's Spyglass Center to avoid a two-game losing streak, but the 6-foot Spartans forward left an impression.
"She was big and she was physical," said the 5-9 Reaber, "and she was able to pin me. I tried going over the top, but she was really hard to move.
"Coaches told us all game to try to go in front and X-cut around, but we got pinned behind her every time. They pounded it in to her every time and she squared her shoulders well. Our help-side should have pinched more."
McMahon didn't play her freshman year and was on St. Francis' sophomore team last season. She is averaging close to 15 points and 15 rebounds a game this year. McMahon was an efficient 14 of 20 from the floor Friday, and her basket from in close gave St. Francis its first lead at 41-40 with 5:57 left in the fourth quarter.
"She did a great job finishing," St. Francis coach Jeff Gerdeman said, "She had the size advantage and we tried to take advantage of that."
McMahon dished off one assist after the game.
"My teammates did a great job getting me the ball," McMahon said. "I couldn't do it without them."
IC (11-1, 2-1 Suburban Christian Blue) came in off its first loss. In that game 6-3 Montini center Michala Johnson scored 27 against the smallish Knights.
"We have to be able to defend the post," IC coach Dan Murray said. "If we can't defend the post better than that we're going to have some difficult nights. They just kept pounding it inside and we had no answer."
Another McMahon basket nudged the Spartans ahead 43-42 with 4:42 left, but IC answered with a Kasey Reaber driving layup. An Alexandra DiVito pushed the lead to 47-43. IC led the rest of the way.
Kasey Reaber, who finished with 16 points, 8 assists and 5 steals, scored 8 in the fourth quarter to hold off St. Francis. Taylor Reaber had a season-high 20 points, all in the first three quarters, with 11 rebounds.
Like last Saturday at Chicago Christian, IC pulled out a conference road win where it trailed late.
"We found a way," Murray said, "and did enough of what we needed to do to get the win. My kids play hard. I don't question that. It's just a matter of not having those little lulls that we go through at times."
Katie Slavin scored 9 points and Kelly McShea 8 for St. Francis (3-7, 1-3).
"I'm proud of our girls," Gerdeman said. "We took a good team to the limit. We'll see them again at the Lisle Tournament and the second time around in conference."