Apelt, Kuligowski make 3-point finals

NORMAL The 3-point shooting contest held during the IHSA state tournament series often allows players who didn't see a lot of floor time during the season a chance to shine.

Seniors Becca Apelt of Buffalo Grove and Sarah Kuiligowski took advantage of that opportunity here Thursday.

Apelt and Kuligowski each made 11 of their 15 shots at Redbird Arena to advance to today's finals in the event, Apelt in Class 4A and Kuligowski in Class 4A.

Apelt, a Bison reserve this season, was in the third of four shooting groups and didn't have near the wait to see of her 11 would be good enough to advance as did Kuligowski, who was the seventh shooter in the first group in Class 3A. A total of 32 girls in each class advanced to state.

But that didn't mean Appelt wasn't on pins and needles as the final 13 shooters took their turn. In fact, Hononegah's Krystal James and Pekin's Katie Powell made 10 right after Apelt, forcing a 6-player shootout of those who made 10. James won that shootout to join Appelt, Granite City's Paige Luehmann and Lincoln-Way North's Ashley Weringa in today's 4A finals.

"I was sitting up there shaking," said Apelt, who made 10 of 15 at the sectional level but never 11.

Apelt said she didn't feel that much pressure shooting into the difficult background at Redbird.

"A basket is a basket and I'm a shooter," she said. "It wasn't that different."

Kuligowski, a Rams' reserve, had more nervous moments because of being in the first group.

"It was very nerve-racking having to wait all that time. Not very fun," said Kuligowski, who will join Megan O'Dell of Charleston, Cassidy Jennings of Bartonville Limestone and Sarah Kurth of East Peoria in today's 3A finals.

Kuligowski, who was 3-for-7 as a 3-point shooter for the Rams this season, was more than happy with her performance.

"I haven't had much of a chance to shoot since we got knocked out in the sectional finals so I'm very proud," she said. "I was pretty nervous. I'm just proud to have made it down here."

The two winners of today's Class 3A and 4A finals will compete Saturday against the Class 1A and 2A winners from last weekend for the Queen of the Hill title. Christian Liberty's Jessica Moriarity won the Class 1A championship and Carlyle's Paige Rakers was the 2A champ.