Naperville North downs Metea in OT
The wrapping came off on a brand new girls basketball season for both visiting Metea Valley and host Naperville North on Tuesday night in thrilling fashion.
The Huskies prevailed 57-52 in overtime, but both teams found out plenty about themselves what worked for each squad, what didn't as each faces tournament play.
Naperville North enters this campaign with just four seniors on a 14-player roster, and the team's youth played a big factor in the victory. Sophmore Delaney White scored a game-high 16 points, including three 3-point baskets in the third quarter and four total for the game. Freshman Kayla Sharples hit for 14 points. Senior Shannon Bushman rounded out the double-digit scorers with 12.
"We're lucky. We had a cold first half. But we have the girls that can come back in the second half," Naperville North coach Jacquie Discipio said. "I felt confident going into overtime. I knew this team was going to evolve."
However, things were very icy for the Huskies at the beginning. The teams were tied at 9 at the end of the first eight minutes, and the Mustangs led 22-17 at intermission on 36 percent shooting from the field. Naperville North was in freezer-burn range at 7 of 37.
"We're coming together as a new team with new players," White said. "We came together and stepped it up and brought our game in the second half."
Discipio said she wasn't going to have the offense let up the pressure on Metea despite the lack of accuracy in the first half.
"We always tell the girls to keep shooting. But we were missing a lot of shots," she said.
Metea was pretty much in control of the first four minues of the third quarter. Anna Petersen, one of three Mustangs to score in double digits with 12, hit net on the second of two free-throw attempts to put her team up 26-21 with 4:46 left in the period.
About a minute later, White sank the first of her three 3-pointers for the quarter, and at the end of it, Naperville North was up 34-32.
Metea coach Kris Kalivas saw a Mustangs team more experienced than last season's 7-23 squad despite just four seniors on its 11-player roster.
"We're a little older, a little more mature," she said. "What was frustrating was that third quarter. We just didn't make good decisions. I'm a little disappointed at the lack of decision making at key moments of the game. We left (White) alone too much."
The Huskies enjoyed a 5-point lead a few times during the fourth quarter. Metea, though, worked its way back into the game late with as Bria Walker, who scored a team-high 15 points, sank a 3-pointer to tie the game at 50 with just 13.2 seconds left in regulation.
The overtime belonged mostly to Naperville North. Bushman opened up with a 3, and the Mustangs were forced to start fouling. White made 4 of 6 free throws during the extra time.
Lori Obendorf hit for 12 points to be the third Metea player in double digits.
The Mustangs open Naperville Central/Benet Tip-Off Tournament play Friday against host Naperville Central. Naperville North takes on Huntley on Saturday at the War-Hawk Tournament at Waubonsie Valley.