Stevenson holds off Barrington
Turning the momentum was key for Stevenson's girls basketball team on Thursday night.
Alex Elzinga got it done in the most efficient way possible: She scored her only basket a couple of minutes into the second half.
It came on a rebound and reverse layup.
"Everyone else did a great job boxing out and I was able to get the rebound," Elzinga said. "I was underneath the basket, turned around and did a reverse. At that point, it was the only thing I was thinking of doing.
"It helped, in a way. It brought our emotions up and helped set up a rhythm. We were starting to play better on defense."
Stevenson went on a roll from that point and defeated Barrington 41-31 in the Suburban Holiday Showcase held at Niles West in Skokie. Katie Batman led the Patriots with a game-high 17 points.
The Patriots (10-4, 1-1) broke away from the Fillies (5-8, 0-2) after a 21-21 tie at the break with an 8-1 run, with Elzinga's bucket as part of the spurt. Stevenson led 29-22 with three minutes left.
"It was a great second half, with a great defensive effort," said Stevenson coach Tom Dineen, whose team has won 4 of its last 5. "It was an outstanding team effort. We did make a some adjustments when we thought (Barrington) was getting inside a little too much. It made (Barrington's) post player able to get the ball kicked back out. We just tightened things up a bit."
The Fillies closed the lead down to 29-26 by the end of the quarter as Alexa Resch scored 5 of her 7 points.
In the fourth quarter, Batman dropped in 7 points, including one of her 3 3-pointers, as Stevenson outscored Barrington 12-5.
"In the second half we were able to get into a rhythm," Batman said.
Stevenson next plays at Proviso East at 1 p.m. today; Proviso East (11-2, 2-0) surprised host Niles West (13-2, 1-1) 60-37 in the other game Thursday. Barrington meets Niles West at 2:30 p.m. today.
Wauconda 39, N. Chicago 23: Chavez Coombs kept her cool.
Wauconda's 5-foot-11 senior had 9 points, 18 rebounds, 5 steals, 5 assists and a blocked shot to lead the Bulldogs to a 39-23 win over North Chicago in final-day action of the Northern Illinois Holiday Classic at McHenry on Thursday.
"(North Chicago) got under her skin, and she stepped up," Wauconda coach Jaime Dennis said. "She was frustrated and mad, but she decided to play hard instead."
Dennis was just thrilled that Coombs flashed her potential.
"She finally had the game I've been waiting for from her the last two years," Dennis said.
Andrea Lichterman and Diana Enriquez scored 11 and 10 points, respectively, for Wauconda (5-9, 2-3), which won its last two games in the tournament. Haley Kramer contributed 6 points and 7 rebounds for the Bulldogs.
Grayslake Central 34, Niles North 32: At Warren, Skyler Jessop scored 15 points, as the Rams completed the Blue Devil Classic with a 4-1 record.
Warren, which also went 4-1 in the tournament, won the championship by virtue of its win over Grayslake Central on Wednesday.
Claire Brennan added 8 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals for Grayslake Central (12-3). Morgan Dahlstrom had 5 points and 8 rebounds. Jessop and Brennan were selected to the all-tournament team.
Round Lake 54, Harvard 40: At McHenry, Aaliyah Chastang scored 19 points, Kaylee Parlogean added 16 and Adriana Pitts chipped in 10, as the Panthers concluded the tournament on a winning note.
Round Lake (4-12, 1-4) snapped a 10-game slide.
Lakes 44, Richmond-Burton 30: At Woodstock, the Eagles came out strong in their final game of the Northern Illinois Holiday Classic.
"We came out and played with great intensity," Lakes coach Pete Schneider said. "We showed the energy, hustle and heart needed to win a varsity contest."
Lakes (6-8, 3-2) was led by Amanda Smith with a game-high 14 points, Heather Hurlbut had 10 points and Dayna Olson and Ashlee Cunningham each added 8.