Girls basketball: Vyverman powers Mundelein past Grayslake Central in OT
Mundelein's Casey Vyverman already has interest from a handful of Division I colleges.
Vyverman certainly made things interesting in Monday's second-round game of the 47th annual Blenner Classic at Saint Viator High School.
The 5-foot-10 junior guard scored all 8 of her team's points in overtime to help lift the Mustangs (8-6) to a 41-35 win over Grayslake Central (10-4).
"It was a little stressful but it worked out and I had my teammates help out setting screens and things like that," said Vyverman, who collected a game-high 24 points with 9 rebounds and 2 assists. "I think the biggest key was our leadership on the court. Not every play went our way but we kept our heads high and we picked each other up."
The Rams picked up their game in the final quarter .
Trailing 27-19, they came back to take a 31-30 lead on Annie Wolff's fastbreak layup with 3:20 left.
Lucy Heikes' layup gave the Mustangs a 32-31 lead but Green Bay pledge Madison Hoffman (12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists) made a steal which she converted into a putback for a 33-32 lead.
Audrey Smith hit a free throw with 1:22 left to make it 33-33, the way it stood going to OT after the Rams missed a 12-footer in the lane in the final seconds.
"Madison took a great shot at the end of regulation, it just didn't fall," said Rams coach Steve Ikenn. "But we didn't make free throws and we didn't shoot particularly well. I credit them for making us not shoot as well. They made it tough for us to do anything. I think we made it tough for them as well. But in the end, they had a few more extra shots that we did."
In OT, Vyverman, who played all 36 minutes, made three straight baskets and gave her team a 39-35 lead with 30 seconds left. She also hit 2 free throws with eight seconds left which accounted for the final score.
"I was proud of our poise and confidence in overtime," said Mundelein coach Sarah Teipel. "I felt we played a complete game. We competed with grit and our teamwork was super. I’m proud of them. Grayslake Central is a great team and I was proud of our girls because they showed they were a great team today."
"Casey guarded Madison the whole game. She (Vyverman) brings it on both sides of the floor and that's why she is such a phenomenal player. I never subbed for her but she was still able to bring it in overtime."
"It was really fun going against her (Madison Hoffman)," said Vyverman, who hit for a career-high 30 against St. Viator earlier this season. "It was a good battle."
Neither team led by more than 2 points in the opening quarter.
Smith's 16-footer gave the Mustangs a 4-3 lead before Madison Hoffman muscled her way for a 4-footer to put the Rams in front with 5:56 left. A 3-pointer by Grace Dunigan gave Mundelein a 7-5 lead with 3:58 remaining.
Katelyn Marcelain's layup off a nice entry pass from Mosey Drevline sent the teams into the second quarter even at 7-7.
Mundelein scored the first 6 points of the second quarter with 2 free throws from Smith, one from Heikes and a 3-pointer by Vyverman to lead 13-7 with less than two minutes left to half.
Madison Hoffman's layup off an assist from Bailey Betts cut it to 13-9 before Adrianna Lesniak hit a 3-pointer for a 16-9 lead with 1:18 left.
Drevline's free throw got the Rams to within 16-10 at intermission.
"Holding them to 10 points in the first half was phenomenal," Teipel said. "And I really thought we had nice balanced looks offensively in the second half of going downhill and attacking the pressure."
After Peyton Hoffman's 3-pointer got the Rams to within 21-19, the Mustangs pulled away to a 27-19 lead after three quarters, thanks to back-to-back 3-pointers from Vyerman and Madelyn Gardner in the final 1:45.
"I was proud of how everyone stepped up in difficult moments,“ Teipel added. "I thought Grace Dunigan (4 rebounds) handled the pressure and she handled the ball a little bit and handled it with poise. I was proud of Audrey (13 rebounds) who played great help defense and Adrianna Lesniak (4 rebounds) with her great help. Everyone just did their part at different moments. And there were great hustle plays."
Peyton Madison added 7 points and 8 rebounds for the Rams while Wolff (5 rebounds) and Drevline each had 5 points.
"I give credit to them (Mundelein)," Ikenn said. "They did a nice job keeping us from getting into our offense. They kept us from executing. Both teams struggled to score."