Burlington Central ready for prime time
In 2014, Burlington Central's girls basketball team got its first taste of the prime time when the Rockets played Fremd at the McDonald's Shootout.
On Saturday, BC steps into the spotlight again and the Rockets are hoping for a better showing than last year, when they lost to Duke recruit Haley Gorecki and Fremd 55-35.
The task won't be any easier at 6:30 p.m. Saturday when the Rockets (14-2), ranked No. 8 in Class 3A, take on Divine Savior Holy Angels of Milwaukee, a 9-2 team that is ranked No. 6 in the large-school division in Wisconsin.
The Dashers feature 5-foot-9 senior guard Arike Ogunbowale, one of the top players in the country who is headed to Notre Dame.
“She might be one of the top 10 players in the United States,” said Burlington Central coach Mark Smith. “She'll get her points so we'll just have to limit the rest of their kids.”
Ogunbowale, who chose Notre Dame over UCLA, Louisville, Ohio State and Wisconsin, averages 24.7 points per game and has a high game of 36 this season for a team that scores just under 60 per game. The two-time She also averages 10.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.2 steals per game.
Junior forward Taylor Drost gives the Dashers 10.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game and the defense, which allows 43 points per game, is led by junior Grace Callan, a returning starter.
Divine Savior won its conference championship last year but hasn't gone beyond the sectional finals in Ogunbowale's three seasons. They are coached by first-year coach Jeff Worzella, who was at Waukesha North for five years before moving to Milwaukee.
The Rockets' only losses came to Class 4A New Trier and Stevenson, a combined 35-2, at the Dundee-Crown Christmas tournament. BC has been led by a balanced scoring attack. Junior Shelby Holt (12.6 ppg) and Sam Pryor (12.4) lead the way while junior Kayla Ross (9.4 ppg, 3.5 apg) has been the team's top defender. Seniors Alison Colby (7.7 ppg. 7.4 rpg) and Aly DeTamble (5.8 ppg) have also been steady for last year's Class 3A fourth place state team.
“Overall we were disappointed last year,” Smith said. “But that was our first prime time exposure. Coming off our win against South Elgin (at last weekend's Chicagoland Invitational Showcase at Fremd), we hope we can have that kind of performance again. The list of positives from that game was long.
“Luckily we got invited last year and luckily we got invited back again. It's a great showcase and it's exciting for the girls.”
Ali passes Sam: With her 19 points against Crystal Lake South Tuesday night, Huntley junior Ali Andrews became the program's second all-time leading scorer with 1,469 career points. The Illinois recruit passed her sister, Sam, by 4 points. Samantha Mader is the all-time program leader with 1,655 points.
Michalski out: Dundee-Crown sophomore center Alison Michalski is likely lost for the season, Chargers' coach Sarah Miller said, due to an ACL injury suffered in D-C's 55-48 loss to McHenry last weekend. Michalski was averaging 9.4 points and 5 rebounds per game.