Montini takes its time with Marian Catholic
It took four games, but Montini finally met its match at its tournament.
At least for three quarters.
A 15-0 Broncos fourth-quarter run finally put away Marian Catholic 71-55 on Tuesday night at the Montini Christmas Tournament in Lombard.
Montini (15-1), which beat its three pool-play opponents by a tick over 26 points per game, will play T.F. North (14-2) at 8 p.m. today for the tournament championship. T.F. North beat Bogan 48-42 on Tuesday.
"It's a great win, especially going into the game tomorrow," said Montini senior Alison Seberger, who had 9 points and 8 rebounds. "They (T.F. North) want to get us and we want to beat them because we'll have to beat them sometime soon if we get downstate."
Tied at half, Montini led 45-44 seconds into the fourth quarter after a jumper by Marian Catholic's Emily Kobel. Whitney Adams hit a pair of free throws for Montini at the other end, Mallory Sosnovich knocked down a 3-pointer and Seberger sank a corner 3. An Adams steal and score pushed the margin to 60-44 with 4:10 left.
"It's a nice win," Montini coach Jason Nichols said, "especially considering we didn't have much energy in the first half. We kind of weathered that early storm."
Montini's Michala Johnson scored 21 points with 13 rebounds and 4 blocks - big offensive numbers when you consider the Connecticut recruit didn't even get off a shot until 2:23 left in the first half. Johnson scored Montini's first 8 points out of a halftime tie. The 6-foot-3 senior showed her leaping ability later in the quarter, skying to pull down a rebound among three Marian Catholic players and laying in a basket.
"I was sealing a little bit too early at the beginning of the game," Johnson said. "I don't get frustrated with my teammates when I don't get the ball. They'll see it eventually."
Johnson was 7 of 8 from the field - following her only miss with a stickback basket. Just another night for a girl shooting 71 percent from the field.
"Terrible job by our guards early in the game," Nichols said, "not recognizing when she was open. They were holding it for too long. We just didn't get it to her.
"Michala just stepped up and dominated. She's the most efficient offensive player. It's ridiculous. She doesn't miss shots."
Marian Catholic (11-6) put on its own shooting clinic in the first half against Montini's matchup zone. The Spartans shot a sizzling 6 of 10 from 3-point range, a 3 by UIC recruit Kobel tying it 31-31 at the break. Marian Catholic cooled off in the second half, going 2 of 14 from deep.
Jasmine Matthews scored 15 points and Kobel 12 for the Spartans. Marian Catholic's point total was the most surrendered by Montini in a win this season and only the second time since November that a Broncos opponent has broken 40 points.
"They did a very good job of overloading," Nichols said, "and getting us out of our matchup, popping a girl up to the top of the key. We did a bad job communicating and matching up all day, so we went to a little combo that we like to run where we man up and it gave them some fits."
Adams scored 15 points and Kiki Wilson and Whitney Holloway 8 apiece for Montini.