Girls basketball: Maine South downs New Trier, heads back home for sectionals
March Madness arrived early in Winnetka on Thursday in the IHSA girls basketball Class 4A New Trier regional final.
Despite never leading in the game, New Trier gave Maine South all it could handle in the regional semifinal at New Trier High School. Ultimately, the Hawks pulled off a 67-54 win over the Trevians to advance to the Maine South sectional next week.
Maine South (24-8) jumped out to a 13-0 lead before New Trier (15-18) scored its first basket. The Hawks led by as many as 16 points, including a 39-23 halftime lead, but the Trevians refused to go away.
New Trier cut the South Maine lead to 57-51 with just over two minutes remaining, with the New Trier section celebrating each shot as it cut into the Maine South lead.
“They became the aggressor and hats off to them,” Maine South coach Jeff Hamann said. “You’re on their home floor and it's a conference opponent that we’ve now seen three times. They became more aggressive and took it to us offensively.”
When New Trier made it a game late in the fourth quarter, the Hawks finished the game on a 10-3 run to ensure the victory.
“We talked about it before the game, we knew New Trier was going to play with more energy when they made a big shot or a big play,” Maine South senior forward Addie Kopf said. “I think we got a little flustered.”
Junior point guard Gianna LaVecchia led the Hawks with 15 points and three assists, while senior forward Kopf added 11 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Hayden Fahy added 12 points, four rebounds, three assists, one steal and a block and Emily Currey added 10 points.
But it was junior guard Phoebe O'Shea who provided the spark for the Hawks off the bench. She finished with 12 points, five assists, four steals and four rebounds. She hit 3 of her 4 free throws in the fourth quarter.
“Coming off the bench, my mentality was just go out and don’t overthink it,” O’Shea said. “In the end, if you lose, you’re done.”
Emerson Buck scored a game-high 17 points in the loss for New Trier. The Hawks recorded 12 steals for the game, often giving New Trier’s offense fits in the first half.
Maine South will play the winner of No. 3 seed DePaul Prep and No. 6 seed Lane in Tuesday's sectional semifinal next Tuesday at Maine South High School.
“Two years ago, during sectionals, we sold out the gym,” Kopf said. “I’ve never seen the gym that full. I am hoping we get the gym like that again.”