Immaculate Conception speaks Latin's language

Kasey Reaber wasn't impressed.

The Immaculate Conception point guard didn't have many good things to say about the Knights' 54-39 victory against Latin School on Tuesday night in the Lisle Holiday Cage Classic semifinals.

"We weren't playing our defense," the junior said. "We were just out of it. I don't even know what we were doing. We'd get a lead, then we'd let them catch back up, get a lead then let them catch back up. We weren't just playing our game, but we got the job done."

The bottom line is all that matters, though, and it says that the Knights (15-1) will play Wheaton Academy at 8 p.m. today for the tournament championship. Latin will play Lisle at 6:30 p.m. in the third-place game.

Immaculate Conception never trailed but pulled away gradually after a 7-7 tie. The lead finally hit 10 in the third quarter on a Taylor Reaber basket, the start of a 12-2 IC run to open the period.

"They're a tough team, they play good, in-your-face defense, and our kids, I hope they take some lessons away from tonight," Latin coach Max Rouse said. "We let some outside things get to us tonight, and I think their pressure was constant. And at times that made us buckle a little bit."

The Romans (13-1) might have buckled a little, but they never crumbled. They cut the margin to 8 with 6:15 to play in the game, but the Knights answered with a 7-0 run to put the game away.

"The fourth quarter was our best quarter," Kasey Reaber said. "We did what we wanted to do. But the other quarters our defense was atrocious. We just did not come out to play."

Taylor Reaber scored a game-high 14 points, and Kasey Reaber added 13 and 6 assists. Latin senior Chloe Kaulas powered through the lane for 12 points and 9 rebounds.

"Playing in a tournament with this type of caliber of teams, up and down all 16, and to be in the final it's an outstanding feeling," IC coach Dan Murray said.