Rolling Meadows advances, together, with win over Leyden
When junior guard Zashi Vasquez drove for a layup and completed a 3-point play, Leyden's girls basketball team nudged ahead of Rolling Meadows 8-7 in Monday night's play-in game of the Mustangs' own Class 4A regional.
But the No. 13-seeded hosts then took the game to a whole new level.
The Mustangs completed the first half with a dominant 24-3 run and never looked back in a 56-24 victory over the No. 20-seeded Eagles (2-27).
After winning their first game in the state tournament in seven years, the Mustangs (14-17) will advance to today's semifinal against No. 4-seeded Hoffman Estates (20-7) for a 6 p.m. semifinal. No. 5 Proviso East and No. 12 Oak Park-River Forest follow in the second semifinal.
Senior Kelly Adair led the Mustangs with 16 points followed by junior Sara Shumaker (8) and sophomore Amanda Gunn (7).
In all, 11 Mustangs scored for coach Todd Hatfield, whose team will be playing Hoffman Estates for the first time this season.
Sophomore Ann Marie Lynch's breakaway layup with 10 seconds left in the first half capped the 24- 3 run.
Adair, Shumaker, junior Ashley Rios and freshman Morgan Keller also scored during the big run.
"We just started pushing the ball up the floor and made the right passes," Adair said.
"We know we are going to have to play strong and not let down at any time against Hoffman Estates. They have a strong team and we have to play well, like we have been."
The current theme for the Mustangs is "family."
"That's the word around here," said Hatfield, who drew it on the chalkboard in big letters. "These girls have really grown to become one. They really don't want this to end.
"You can see it in Kelly's eyes. That kid wants as much as basketball as she can get her hands on right now. All four of our seniors (Maryclare Loughery, Rene Poellinetz and Jackie Grummel, who all scored buckets) are so focused and believe in themselves."
Leyden coach Michele Szatko started an all underclassmen lineup.
"We're a young team and trying to build," said the first year coach. who played for Fenwick. "We had a tough season with injuries. Two of our three returning starters (junior Tashemia McKinney and sophomore Dana Sullivan) were out for more than half of the season with injuries."
Junior Juliana Bassmaji led the Eagles with 10 points while Vasquez finished with 6.
"We came out strong," Szatko added. "We played aggressively and with intensity for the first five minutes and the last five of the game.
"But in between we did not take care of the ball and we were forcing things on offense. We have to be more patient. We need someone to step up and be a leader and hopefully that will happen this summer."
The Mustangs hope to step up against Hoffman Estates today.
"It's at our home and these girls want to be able to play for three games here," Hatfield said. "We know we have our hands full with Hoffman Estates. But this group of kids have prepared better than any I've been around.
"We had some jitters at the start of this game. Hopefully, we'll be ready (today) at the start, otherwise we'll be in a hole early."