Hoffman stays hot, beats Conant

Hoffman Estates is peaking at the right time.

Hoffman got off to a bit of a bumpy start at the beginning of the season, but now has rattled off seven straight victories including, a 45-30 Mid-Suburban West girls basketball win against Conant on Friday.

Host Hoffman (16-4, 5-1) retained a share of the West lead with Barrington and Fremd as junior Jada Stotts scored a game-high 14 points.

"We just have to take it one game at a time," said Hoffman coach Mike Nocella after his team's 12th win in 13 games. "We're focused on conference right now, and it's just as much ours as anybody else."

Senior Megan Bernardoni added 12 points and 7 rebounds, and junior Precious Ogunleye chipped in 8 points for Hoffman.

Hoffman entered the second quarter with a 10-6 lead and went on a 7-0 run early in the quarter.

Kelsey Lukowicz (6 points) scored 4 points during the run and Stotts capped it with driving layup.

"Biggest thing for us is we're prepared for the game," said Stotts, who scored 6 points in the second quarter to propel the Hawks to a 25-13 halftime advantage. "We just have a positive spirit."

Hoffman's defense then took over in the third quarter, holding Conant (7-14, 2-4) to 1 free throw. The Hawks sticky 2-3 zone created problems for the Cougars all night.

Mary Pettit and Lukowicz pressured the top, and Stotts, Bernardoni, and Ogunleye shut off the lane.

"Our defense has been the biggest key factor," said Nocella as the Hawks defeated Conant for the third time this season. "It has helped us weather some droughts on offense."

The Cougars had no answer for the Hawks defense and trailed 33-14 entering the final quarter.

"They're very solid," said Conant coach Dan Travers whose team shot 22 percent (6-for-27) in the first three quarters. "They controlled the tempo of the game, you make a mistake and they knock you down."

Kelsey McMahon split a pair of free throws with 5:04 remaining to narrow Conant's deficit to 34-23, but Hoffman went on a 9-0 run.

Senior Kim Davis (6 points), senior Ashley Lindeman (5 points), and junior Lindsay Fillingim (5 points) added to Conant's attack.

With the season winding down, the Hawks continue to tick off victories.

"We're playing great," added Bernardoni, "We look forward to the pressure. The confidence we gain, as we beat each team pushes us forward."