Montini cruises past Morgan Park
Montini's first true measuring-stick game never got the chance to measure up.
Morgan Park, minus two senior starters committed to Division I schools, proved no match for the No. 2-ranked Broncos, Montini rolling 58-40 on Friday at the Geneva Tournament.
"It is what it is," said Montini coach Jason Nichols, obviously disappointed at not getting his opponent at full strength. "We were without (6-1 sophomore Kelly) Karlis. She's probably our best rebounder and our best defensive player. So we missed her too. You just got to play and get better."
Montini (3-0) came in ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press's Class 3A preseason poll, Morgan Park No. 8. Montini beat Morgan Park (2-2) in overtime over the summer.
But Morgan Park seniors Kendyl Nunn and Gabrielle Richmond, committed to Toledo and St. Bonaventure, respectively, went down with knee injuries in Tuesday's loss to Geneva. Neither could go Friday, but both should be back soon.
Karlis also hurt her knee Tuesday, the severity not yet known.
"Geneva beat us up," said Morgan Park coach Thomas Johnson, who started two freshmen. "It's a disappointment, but we're still going to see (Montini) down in Bloomington."
Montini, starting two sophomores and a freshman, is still finding itself in the early going. But the Broncos' lineup has four starters standing 5-foot-10 to 6-foot, and that length exerted its will defensively on Morgan Park.
Tied 10-10 with a minute left in the first quarter, Montini held Morgan Park scoreless for 7:58 while breaking off a 15-0 run. A Nikia Edom three-point play started it, and Montini scored 10 of its first 12 points of the second quarter from the free-throw line for a 25-10 lead.
"We're big at the guard spot, which helps," Nichols said. "Our defense will keep us in games."
Montini went 18 of 22 from the line, which Nichols admitted isn't indicative of how his team has shot in practice. Sophomore Kateri Stone, who shared scoring honors with Edom with 12 points, knocked down 9 of 9 free throws.
"I'll be honest, our free-throw shooting has not been the greatest," Nichols said, "but today it was good."
Tianna Brown, the only returning starter off last year's state champions, fought off early foul trouble to finish with 11 points and 8 rebounds. Sara Ross added 10 points.
Montini led 30-16 at the half and 46-26 after three quarters. Morgan Park made things interesting late, pulling within 48-40 with 5:11 left on a Debra Jenkins 3. A tough putback basket by Montini's Jasmine Lumpkin stemmed the tide, Brown converted a three-point play and Ross hit a 3.
"It was a challenge when they started coming back in the second half," Brown said, "but other than that we did good."
Shami Goodman and Taylor Cephas, who both played on Morgan Park's Chicago Public League-winning sophomore team last year, led the Mustangs with 15 and 9 points, respectively.
"We're young, we struggled some with their pressure," Nichols said, "but how do you get better? By situations like today."