Fenwick plays even faster than Neuqua Valley
Neuqua Valley likes to play fast, but maybe not that fast.
Fenwick fast.
It was a pace ultimately impossible to sustain.
In a matchup of two teams that mirror each other — namely in their affinity for an up-tempo game — Fenwick pulled away in the second half for a 72-64 win at Saturday’s 22nd McDonald’s Shootout in Villa Park.
Neuqua sophomore Amarah Coleman, who scored a career-high 23 points, didn’t hesitate to admit being a little spent.
“Yeah,” Coleman said, “they had us running up and down that court. The fast pace is the way we like to play, and we can handle it, but it was a pretty fast speed.”
Neuqua (15-3) led 24-18 after an exhausting first eight minutes behind Coleman’s 10 points, a quarter that featured 25 turnovers and 23 players used. Neuqua didn’t substitute five-for-five hockey-style like Fenwick, but the path to the scorer’s table was well worn down by both sides.
The Wildcats’ lead grew to 9 twice, the second 22-13 after a Shay Robinson score. But Fenwick (13-4) gradually eased back in and closed the half with a 7-0 run by Friars sophomore guard Jade Owens to go into the break up 37-34.
“I couldn’t believe we had the lead at the half,” admitted Fenwick coach Dave Power. “I think we wore (Neuqua) down a little bit. We got a little tired too, but that pace might be something they’re not used to.”
A pair of Megan Doody free throws gave Neuqua its last lead at 39-37, but Fenwick’s Maggie Reilly answered with a 3-pointer. Reilly poured in a career-best 22 points, hitting six 3s — four of them after halftime.
“Just run down the court and shoot — that’s our offense,” Reilly said. “Run down the court as fast as you can and hopefully somebody’s open.”
A Coleman basket kept Neuqua within 44-41, but Fenwick ended the quarter on an 8-2 run and the lead further ballooned to 62-47 on Reilly’s sixth 3. After a sizzling 53.6 shooting in the first half, Neuqua cooled to 35.5 in the second — and further hurt itself with 8-of-18 shooting on free throws.
“There were some tough times when we had some easy shots and we messed them up,” Coleman said. “We just have to keep our heads up.”
Like on Thursday against Waubonsie, Neuqua led in the second half, and in that game free throws were also costly. It doesn’t get any easier this week, with unbeaten Bartlett coming to Naperville on Wednesday.
“That’s our style, both Fenwick’s and ours,” Neuqua coach Mike Williams said, “but if you’re going to do that you have to finish. Right now our trouble is free throws and layups. That’s what it comes down to. I don’t know if it got too fast for our own good. We’re still a young team. You need to play in games like this to get better.”
Allison Hedrick had 7 points and 6 rebounds and Doody 8 points for Neuqua, playing in the shootout for the first time since 2006. Yale-bound Meredith Boardman had 14 points and 10 rebounds and Owens 11 points for Fenwick.