Waldron, WW South win in OT
Meghan Waldron can affect games without taking shots. Her unselfishness is an admirable quality.
But make no mistake, Wheaton Warrenville South wants the ball in her hands late.
It was Tuesday. Waldron scored on her team’s first four possessions of overtime and had 10 of the Tigers’ 13 points in the extra session, carrying No. 4 WW South past No. 5 Naperville Central 64-59 in Naperville.
Waldron scored 19 of her 22 points in the second half and overtime to go with 22 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.
“Good things happen when Meghan has the ball,” WW South coach Rob Kroehnke said. “We know that she can pass. Now she needs to take the initiative and make people guard her. She understands that.”
Waldron and WW South (6-2, 3-0 DuPage Valley Conference) had a rough go of it for two-plus quarters.
She missed 7 of her first 8 shots and WW South shot just 25 percent in the first half. The Tigers, still up 27-21 at the half, watched as Naperville Central broke ahead 39-30 late in the third quarter.
Waldron had a last shot for the win in regulation but couldn’t pull the trigger on a 3-point attempt before time expired. She didn’t hesitate in overtime.
She hit two free throws first time down, converted a three-point play, and after a basket by Mary Buttgereit tied it, Waldron answered with a hard drive to the hole to give her team the lead for good.
It was a far cry from WW South’s last defeat — to Montini Nov. 17 — when Waldron took just 1 shot in the fourth quarter and the Tigers lost a late lead. She also made 10 of 13 free throws after coming in just 1 of 9 on the season. WW South hit 23 of 34 as a team.
“I didn’t think it was a big deal to go into overtime,” Waldron said. “Coach is always telling me to shoot it more. He doesn’t think I shoot it enough. But as a point guard it’s my job to get it to my teammates too.”
Naperville Central (7-1, 1-1), off to its best start since the 2009-10 season, reeled off a 14-2 run in the third quarter to take its biggest lead at 39-30. Cierra Stanciel and Shannon Ryan, who had a team-high 18 points, hit 3-pointers to start the spurt, and a 3 by Jamie Cuny pushed the margin to 9.
But the Redhawks turned it over on their last two possessions of the third quarter, and first three of the fourth, allowing WW South to creep back. Back-to-back Maggie Dansdill steals and baskets capped an 11-0 run that gave the Tigers a 41-39 lead moments into the fourth.
“The last minute of the third quarter is where we let it get away,” Naperville Central coach Andy Nussbaum said. “We’re ahead 39-30, and at the end of the quarter it’s 39-36.”
Dansdill scored 13 points with 7 rebounds and 6 steals for WW South. Sierra Bisso added 10 points. Victoria Trowbridge had 14 points and Stanciel 12 for Naperville Central.