Shooting woes frustrate Wheaton Warrenville South
Junior guard Erin Madigan and her Wheaton Warrenville South girls basketball teammates could have been groggy considering the 8 a.m. tipoff against Hillcrest for the first game of the 25th annual McDonald's Shootout Saturday at Willowbrook.
Instead, the Tigers' Ellen Anderson scored the game's first two baskets.
"Waking up at 5:45 a.m., and to start walking around, eating, it was pretty hard but we adjusted," Madigan said. "I thought we came in with a lot of energy. We just couldn't get the win."
The sinking feeling came afterward. The Tigers couldn't convert numerous chances and suffered a frustrating 43-39 loss after once leading 18-7 two minutes into the second quarter.
WW South (8-13) cut a 39-32 deficit to 39-38 on Sarah Struebing's free throw with 56.6 seconds left. The Hawks (10-7) scored a basket after rebounding their missed 1-and-1 free throw and added two free throws following Madigan's free throw with 26.8 seconds.
The Tigers made 6 of 10 free throws in the fourth quarter but were 9 of 20 for the game. They also were 14 of 49 from the field, including 2 of 15 from 3-point range.
"It's what we've been doing late. We've been playing great defense, giving ourselves opportunities. Bottom line -you've got to put the ball in the basket," WW South coach Rob Kroehnke said.
"Between free throws and 3-point and 2-point percentage, you make it tough on yourself. If you can hold people to 40 points, you should be in the game most of the time. You've got to score more than 39, though."
WW South freshman Jayla Johnson had 12 points mostly inside on 6-of-9 shooting. Madigan and Anderson had 8 points each and Olivia Linebarger had 6 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals before fouling out in the final minute.
The Tigers outrebounded Hillcrest 22-14 in the first half and scored 12 second-chance points. But after the Tigers took their 11-point lead, the Hawks didn't commit a turnover the last five minutes of the half and pulled ahead 22-21.
"We had them at one point and then we just kind of lost it. We were becoming too rushy, not patient, and then they slowed it down," Madigan said.
Senior point guard and college prospect Tanzania Sherrill then scored 9 of her 18 points in the third quarter to help put Hillcrest ahead 31-27. Joshulyn Shepard added 13 points as the five starters accounted for all 43 points.
Hillcrest has won four straight and eight of its last 10.
"It was an early morning game. Sometimes our girls don't have the focus at the beginning of games or halves, but once they get it together they can really play well together," said first-year Hillcrest coach Rex Martin.
By the end the Tigers still led 41-31 in rebounds but had no offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter. Their three baskets for the quarter were inside by Johnson off passes by Linebarger or Madigan.
Hillcrest made just 4 of 9 free throws in the fourth quarter, but 5-foot-3 Jaila Cole-Clark rebounded her missed free throw and Shepard scored for the 41-38 lead.
"Free throws are everything in these games and we have to learn that," Madigan said. "Our defense is really good. We've improved so much from when we first started. Once we get our offense going, we'll be an awesome team."