Practice pays for Geneva's Santos

Geneva senior Ashley Santos, in her fourth season as a starting varsity guard, has packed a lot of basketball into her young life. She was born in Queens, N.Y., but moved to the western suburbs when still very young. She played basketball as a tyke but really got going late in elementary school on the club circuit; she's since played for such teams as the Georgia Ice, under former pro player Antonio Davis #8212; and is even a member of Puerto Rico's Under-18/19 Women's National Team. Beginning high school at Bartlett, she transferred to Geneva her sophomore year and helped the Vikings go 31-1. Last season she was named MVP of the Benet/Naperville North Christmas Tournament, all-Upstate Eight and a fourth-team IBCA all-state selection after averaging 15.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.2 steals. Santos scored her 1,000th career point on Jan. 27. In the spring Santos committed to Marquette from among a wide array of choices. She has two younger brothers, Geneva freshman K.J. and fourth-grader Nate, and a sister, Sidney, a sophomore forward. For a second straight year, though, Sidney suffered a knee injury, robbing the sisters of the chance to share the court.

Q: How disappointing is it not to be able to play your senior season with Sidney?

A: Very. I can't remember the last time I stepped on the floor with her. It feels like it's been that long. I was really bummed when I found out that (she reinjured her knee). The last time I was able to play with her, she reinjured herself.

Q: When did you two last get a game in together?

A: The summer at the end of her eighth-grade year. We were playing in exposure events. That's the very last time I played with her.

Q: How is she doing?

A: I'm more confident that it's going to be ten times better the second time around with her rehab and getting all that stuff done. We're more determined to getting her healthier #8212; not that it didn't work the first time, but since she reinjured it we're taking a different route this time, and just staying positive about everything, trying to keep her thoughts out of the negative.

Q: Former coach Gina Nolan's cancer diagnosis before last season must also have been terrible. How did that affect you?

A: When I first heard about it, when she told our team, I was more or less very, very shocked about it. Throughout the course of the season my team and I knew we had to stay strong for her and keep playing our best and as hard as we could for her. Even during practice, to keep her mind off it, as well. Yeah, it was hard for us to deal with.

Q: Did you feel it made you guys try harder?

A: Yeah, especially going into the late part of our season last year. It made us fight for something, fighting to keep playing. You could definitely feel that.

Q: Do you keep in touch with her?

A: I see her once in awhile in the hallways, and I'll run into her. She came to my signing when I signed with Marquette. It's always nice to see her.

Q: What's one practice drill that's most challenging?

A: (New Vikings) coach (Sarah) Meadows introduced us to this drill called Four Quarters. What it is, is the four corners of the court and there's different exercises you need to do, like plank, jumping jacks, push-ups, stuff like that. And we'll do those stations for a certain amount of time. When that time's up she'll have everyone line up on the baseline and we'll run seven touches (baseline to baseline) in a certain amount of time. Then we'll quickly run to the next corner to that station, then get back to the baseline.

Q: Why did you choose Marquette?

A: What drew me there was how friendly and how nice the coaches were. I met everyone on the team; there's something about them that just drew me to them, it felt comfortable. The school itself, I liked how it was not as big as a Big Ten campus. A private school, it was a little smaller. And the Big East Conference, I like the up-tempo style of play. My (Marquette) coach, Terri Mitchell, everything she stands for I believe too.

Q: What did your recruiter, Marquette assistant Ashley Earley, like about you?

A: They liked how I was basically one of the hardest-working people on the floor, is what they told me, and how I didn't take breaks going from offense to defense. I'm always there somehow.

Q: What are your top skills on the court?

A: I would say I have a keen eye for passing. That's my favorite thing about myself, is I'm really good at taking it to the person at the last minute and they're wide open. I also have a good midrange jump shot. I'm working on expanding it to the 3-point range.

Q: Any weaknesses?

A: Yeah. I want to get my dribbling tighter. And defensively I can rebound, but I want to bring my consistency up, and even stats-wise to increase my number of rebounds. For my size (about 6 feet) I should be getting more rebounds than I do.

Q: How was the basketball when you were in Atlanta?

A: Their level of play is so much different because every team is so intense and the tempo is constantly running, like all the time. You never see a team that has just half-court offenses. It's always run and gun. The athleticism that you find in the South, you find girls who are so much bigger, faster, stronger. The level of competition down there, it's different from what I've seen out here in the Midwest.

Q: What's your biggest moment in basketball?

A: I still have to say going to the supersectionals two years in a row. Being on that big of a stage and that deep into the state tournament, trying to qualify for state (finals). It's the farthest I've ever gone, obviously, but not a lot of people get to say that and I take pride in that.

Q: Could you tell you'd have that sort of success?

A: No one can really predict anything because at any given game it can be anyone's win.

Q: You went out for track for the first time last year. How'd that go?

A: They had me in high jump at first, toward the end of the indoor season, because that's when I came in during basketball. Coach (Peter Raak) was like, you should do triple jump (personal record 35 feet, 3 inches at the Kane County Meet). I tried it and it was hard at first, but I liked it.

Q: What's something people wouldn't know about you?

A: I'm really, really big into movies. My sister and I are really, really close because she shares the same love for movies as I do. We literally sit and watch movies till we can memorize all the lines. Then we'll sit back and say the lines back and forth.

Q: Any big issues for you?

A: There's always been the normal schoolwork, keeping up and that part. My life has been mainly basketball and school for so long that it consumes my whole life, I'm not gonna lie. I've put so much time and effort and have sacrificed a lot to get where I am. I've missed out on some things, too. But I wouldn't take it back.

Q: What have you missed?

A: Even if it's just something as normal as canceling on friends for hanging out because of basketball practice. Even a date, you know? I missed my own homecoming sophomore year because I had the basketball exposure tournament evaluation period in the fall.

Probably the biggest thing is my summers. I haven't been home much at all to even hang out with people at school. I've always been away or gone, never had a summer when I kick back, hang with friends, do normal things.

Q: Then, do you ever get tired of basketball?

A: No. There are times when I may feel like I'm overwhelmed by all the workouts and games, but when it comes down to it, when you're playing the game you forget about it all. When you love it that much, it never gets old.

Q: What's your goal for your senior year?

A: To make the most of the time that I have left for high school, basically. Just not to waste any more time. I don't want to miss out on any opportunities. I just want to make the most of my senior year.

Swimming well above C level

Illinois Swimming recently announced that 74 of its members made the USA Swimming Scholastic All-America Team.

Those who competed over the last year either as high school sophomores, juniors or seniors and compiled grade-point averages of 3.5 or higher, were members of USA Swimming and who achieved a required time standard in at least one event were recognized.

Among them: Rachel Burke and Molly Coonce of Rosary; Nicole Chapko and Emma Smith of St. Charles East; and Amy Chapman and Ashley Gladis of Batavia.

doberhelman@dailyherald.com

Mascot vs. Mascot

Aurora Christian Eagle

Bald eagle is America's symbol

Tears flesh with beak and talons

One nest weighed nearly 3 tons

Can dive at about 100 mph

Dominant chick kills weakling

Aurora Central Catholic Charger

Warrior equipped with lance

Shield is optional protection

Barrels forth on regal steed

No known photo exists of reclusive mascot

Scale drawing depicts 22-inch biceps

Outcome: Legends abound of adult Eagles swooping down to cart off human infants in their talons. Even if true, the Charger #8212; especially the Charger's mate #8212; would not abide this practice for long. Though direct confrontation is rare, willful poaching and deforestation control the species.

Winner: Charger.