Girls basketball notes: 35th Kipp Hoopsfest packed with area’s best teams

Fifteen of the Daily Herald’s top 20 girls basketball teams, including the top three — Benet, Fremd and Waubonsie Valley — will participate in Saturday and Monday's 35th annual Coach Kipp's Hoopsfest in Lyons Township and Lisle.

Event organizer Jim O'Boye renamed his long-running showcase event seven years ago in honor of the late IHSA hall of fame coach Derril Kipp.

Kipp was the legendary coach for Maine West's girls basketball program, where he won 788 games in 35 seasons and an undefeated Class AA state championship (35-0) in 1988. He lost his battle with cancer in the summer of 2016.

"He did a bunch for girls basketball and helping lift it to what it is today," said Rolling Meadows three-sports sophomore Iris Jordan, whose team will play Batavia at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at Nazareth Academy.

"In the 1980s, no one was making the efforts in the summer for girls basketball like coach Kipp," O'Boye said when he renamed the event in 2017. "He and his wife Marianne, along a couple of other Maine West staffers, organized leagues and tournaments that were attended by thousands of young girls and hundreds of college coaches over the decades."

"He's (Kipp) a main reason there are so many showcase events like this now," added Jordan, who also plays flag football and softball. "It's grown into what we do in the summer at places such as Batavia and Geneva and Fremd where they renamed their showcase event for coach Dave Yates (Fremd hall of fame coach who died last summer). I'm glad it's grown into what it is today. I'm excited because it is such a prestigious event (Kipp's Hoopsfest) and you have to be invited to it."

Saturday's action will take place at Nazareth with the following schedule: Downers Grove South vs. Maine West, 10:30 a.m.; Geneva vs Sandburg, noon; Batavia vs Rolling Meadows, 1:30 p.m.; St. Charles East vs. Lyons, 3 p.m., Benet vs. Prospect, 4:30 p.m., Glenbrook South vs Lake Zurich, 6 p.m. and York vs. Nazareth, 7:30 p.m.

On Monday, in the main gym at Benet High School, the schedule includes Nazareth vs Montini 10:30 a.m.; Peoria Notre Dame vs St. Ignatius, 12:15 p.m., Libertyville vs. Benet, 2 p.m., Fremd vs. Loyola, 3:45 p.m. and Maine South vs. Whitney Young 5:30 p.m.

The schedule in the Alumni Gym at Benet on Monday is: Downers Grove North vs. Lincoln-Way Central 11 a.m.; Grayslake Central. vs. Homewood-Flossmoor 12:45 p.m.; Lincoln vs Leyden, 2:30 p.m.; Lake Central, Ind., vs. Hinsdale South 4:15 p.m. and Hersey vs. Waubonsie Valley, 6 p.m.

"I believe no one has done more to grow, promote and help young girls continue their basketball and educational goals than coach Kipp," O'Boye said. "His summer league and observation tournaments at Maine West High School are legendary."

Fremd update: Fremd recorded the 1,000th win in program history with its 68-35 victory over Barrington.

The Vikings (16-4) will celebrate the milestone in their next home game on Monday, Jan. 27.

"We played really well against Barrington," said first-year Fremd coach James Han, one of only three coaches in Vikings history along with hall of famers Carol Plodzien and Dave Yates.

Ella Todd led the Vikings against the Fillies with 19 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists in only 16 minutes. Coco Urlacher added 12 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals in only 19 minutes.

Prospect update: Riley Carrol, who started 28 games for the Knights (15-4) last season, recently returned from tearing her ACL in the spring during the lacrosse season.

Prospect coach Matt Weber said Carrol made the return to the rotation after working hard in rehab. The senior guard hit her first 3-pointer in a 62-58 win over Glenbard West last Thursday and then came back on Friday with three more from long range in a win over Wheeling to finish with 11 points.

Rolling Meadows update: The Mustangs (14-5, 3-2) went 1-1 last week with a win over Buffalo Grove and loss to Hersey.

Abby Ramel led the way in each game with 25 points against BG and 10 vs. Hersey.

"We've been consistently led by our two captains Lizzy Andriano and Claire Cox on and off the court," said Meadows coach Ryan Kirkorsky. "We have an exciting week with our program night (67-30 win over Larkin on Monday), senior night (Wheeling on Friday) and the Coach Kipp's Hoopsfest Shootout on Saturday."

Palatine update: The Pirates (11-10) topped Schaumburg 55-20 last Friday night, led by seniors Halle Onyekonwu (19 points), Molly Pieper (17) and Addyson Dersnah (10).

On Saturday, they came back from a 33-12 deficit to Glenbrook South before falling 52-43.

Pieper led 18 points while Onyekonwu had 13 while classmate Elise Martino chipped in 4.

Maine South update: Entering this season, there were 10 Hawks in program history who made at least 100 3-pointers in their career.

Two more have entered that elite group: Katie Barker and Ally Pape.

Barker, Pape and Asia Kobylarczyk are the Hawks' three leaders in all of the team's major statistical categories (points, rebounds, assists, steals and 3-pointers).

"They are our captains," said Hawks coach Jeff Hamann. “They are leaders not only on the court but they are tremendous leaders and young women off the court."

"When it is said and done, our schedule this season might be the most competitive that we have ever had," Hamann added. "We have several more top teams that we will be playing in the coming weeks. Our team will definitely be battle tested when the postseason starts. I am very excited for this group."

Wheeling update: Wheeling held on to defeat Hoffman Estates last week, 35-28.

"While it was a great win, we also suffered two injuries," said Wheeling coach Kellie Brasse.

Starting sophomore forward Madison O’Rourke suffered a fracture in her foot and sophomore point guard Ellie Vito is also out with a foot injury for at least a week.

"I am proud of our team as players were able to come off the bench filling those spots and did some great things for us," Brasse said. "Junet Graves was able to finish at the basket while Nicole Sterkowicz and Mia Smith were able to handle the pressure ball handling throughout the game, more specifically in the final minutes."

Wheeling had a difficult matchup in its loss to Prospect.

"But the girls never stopped giving their best effort and worked hard from start to finish," Brasse said. "Laila Crump (freshman) was fearless in the paint, ripping down boards and powering back up to draw the foul and hitting her free throws. We have seen great growth from her since the beginning of the season and we looked forward to continuing to watch her develop as a player."

Schaumburg update: Schaumburg sophomore Martha White scored 13 points in a 37-26 win over Oak Park-River Forest and was named the player of the game for Schaumburg at the Grow The Game tourney.

Saxons coach Kaitlin Alyward says the Saxons have been dealing with a few injuries so younger players like White have been stepping up and playing solid.

St. Viator update: The Lions (13-7) have already surpassed their win total (10-25).

"Our three leading scorers are a freshmen and two sophomores," said Lions coach Kyle Brahney, whose team went 2-2 in the Blenner Classic to take fourth place after a sixth-place finish last season.

Freshman Ava Garcia (10.9 ppg., 6.6 rebounds) and sophomores Bella Gounaris (10.9 ppg) and Kalin McCrea (10.4 ppg, 4 rebounds, 2.2 assists) are all averaging double figures scoring.

Garcia (15 points, 10 rebounds), Gounaris (14 points) and McCrea (10 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals) led the Lions in a 43-30 win over Buffalo Grove on Monday.

Maine West update: Warriors junior returning all-conference player, Kaitlyn Nutley, is leading the team, averaging 10.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 2.4 steals a game.