Girls basketball notes: Plenty to like about Huntley, Waubonsie Valley besides their two stars
At the midway point of the high school girls basketball season, it is time to dig a little deeper into the success enjoyed by a pair of area teams – Huntley and Waubonsie Valley.
The squads have plenty in common.
Huntley began the week as the last of the local unbeatens, sporting a 17-0 record, while standing atop the Fox Valley Conference with a 6-0 mark, one-half game ahead of Cary-Grove. The Red Raiders defeated Cary-Grove in their previous meeting on Dec. 3.
Meanwhile, Waubonsie Valley opened the week with a 16-1 overall record, perched atop the DuPage Valley Conference standings with a 4-0 mark, a full game ahead of second-place Naperville Central. The two teams will meet for the first time Thursday night in Naperville.
Both teams possess standout backcourt players – Huntley senior Anna Campanelli (18.9-point average, 5.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 3.0 steals) and Waubonsie Valley junior Danyella Mporokoso (22.1-point average), 4.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 3.3 steals).
Campanelli, a 5-foot-10 guard, is a Kent State commit, while 5-7 guard Mporokoso is a virtual lock to play D1 college basketball but currently undecided.
Campanelli recently became the eighth player in Huntley history to score 1,000 career points, accomplishing the feat against Maine West in the opening game of Komaromy Classic at Dundee-Crown.
Mporokoso tallied her 1,500th career point during a 35-point performance in Waubonsie’s 76-27 victory over Bartlett in the Bill Neibch Holiday Tournament at Wheaton North.
While there is no denying the fact that Campanelli and Mporokoso are the leaders of their respective teams, they have received plenty of help from their teammates.
“It has been a great season, and these girls have been an absolute pleasure to coach,” said Huntley coach Steve Raethz, who guided the Red Raiders to a fourth-place Class 4A state finish in 2013. “They compete and push each other every day in practice, and we have had a lot of different players step up to contribute this season.”
Players like seniors Paula Strzelecki (10.6 ppg, 7.1 rpg) and Ava McFadden (5.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.7 steals).
“Paula has had a significant impact on our team’s success,” Raethz said of the forward/center. “She’s a two-year varsity player and two-year starter, and she provides a strong post presence.
“She has a great touch around the basket and is an excellent rebounder and post defender. She’s our second leading scorer who leads the team in rebounding and blocks.”
Strzelecki enjoyed her best game of the season during Huntley’s 49-48 victory over Maine South in the championship game at Dundee-Crown when she recorded a double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds.
McFadden, a guard, is another multipurpose player for the Red Raiders.
“Ava is a three-year varsity player and two-year starter,” said the coach. “She leads our team in 3-pointers (26 for 77, 34%), she is an outstanding defender and can guard multiple spots.”
McFadden made a season-high four 3-pointers in Huntley’s 55-51 win over Prospect on Jan. 4.
The Red Raiders have received additional contributions from juniors Aubrina Adamik (17 starts, 3.4 ppg), Luca Garlin (16 starts, 4.1 ppg, 2.1 assists), Gwen Campbell (3.1 ppg), seniors Madison Diaz (1 start, 2.2 ppg), Isabella Boskey (2.6 ppg), sophomores Alyssa Borzych (3.2 ppg), Lana Hobday (2.9 ppg), Avery Suess (1.1 ppg), and freshmen Evie Freundt (2.8 ppg), and Kenzie Oates (1.3 ppg).
“All 13 players on our team are so unselfish,” said Raethz. “They do a great job of playing together and pulling for each other.”
At Waubonsie, senior forward Lily Newton (11.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 44% from 3-point range), juniors Arianna Garcia (10.8 ppg, 7.1 rpg), Maya Cobb (44% from the field), and sophomore Maya Pereda (4 blocks) have complemented Mporokoso.
“Danyella is a great player but we can’t be the team we are without her teammates,” said Warriors coach Brett Love. “They all have their own special skill sets which allow us to compete at a high level.”
Newton recently surpassed the 500-rebound plateau.
“She is a high IQ player that does all the things no one else glorifies like diving on the floor, taking charges, plugging gaps, boxing out, getting deflections, and communication,” said Love. “She’s great at being in the right spot at the right time.
“Arianna is a super tough player who plays bigger than she appears,” added the coach. “She’s a great defender who always guards the best player on the opposing team, allowing Danyella to take a little pressure off. Arie is a great passer and sees the court well. She sets others up for shot opportunities.”
Love calls Pereda “a young, aggressive and tenacious player who is an excellent spot-up shooter,” while adding Cobb “can shoot the 3 and jumps passing lanes.”
Additional supporters include seniors Ave Pereda, Layla Martin, juniors Elliana Morris, Keira Rivers, Taylnn Heard, and sophomores Nicole Douglas and Sanjana Ramesh.
Both teams have played tough schedules – Huntley owns wins against Maine South (16-4), Prospect (15-4), Mother McAuley (13-6), Hersey (13-7), and Stevenson (12-7), while Waubonsie knocked off St. Charles East (14-4) twice, Libertyville (15-4), Glenbrook South (15-5), Glenbard South (18-2), and Prospect.
Batavia MLK schedule
Batavia will host its annual MLK Day Showdown Monday.
Twenty varsity teams will take part in the 10-game event that features St. Charles North vs. Neuqua Valley, 11:30 a.m. – main gym; St. Francis vs. Schaumburg, 12:45 p.m. – middle gym; Wheaton North vs. Lake Zurich, 1 p.m. – main; Yorkville vs. Naperville Central, 2:15 p.m. – middle; St. Charles East vs. Glenbrook South, 2:30 p.m. – main; Lake Park vs. Hampshire, 3:45 p.m. – middle; Geneva vs. York, 4 p.m. – main; Sycamore vs. Conant, 5:15 p.m. – middle; Wheaton Warrenville South vs. Lyons, 5:30 p.m. – main; Naperville North vs. Batavia, 7 p.m. – main.