CL South defense holds off Maroons 50-36

Coming into the 2007-08 season, the Crystal Lake South girls basketball team set a defensive goal to hold opponents to 40 points or less each night.

Tuesday night, the Gators achieved that goal for the first time this season by defeating nonconference opponent Elgin 50-36 at Chesbrough Field House.

South jumped out to an early 13-7 lead after the first 8 minutes of play. Michelle Gaede (7 points) was accountable for South's first 4 points of the game.

In between the Gaede baskets, Elgin's Ellen Holton collected her own rebound to get the Maroons on the board.

Holton went on to tally a game-high 18 points before the final buzzer.

"Ellen is a huge post threat," said Elgin coach Angie Hudson. "The majority of our offense is going to depend on us getting the ball inside."

Following an Elgin basket from Giselle Bruskewitz, the Gators went on a 10-to-3 tear to conclude the first quarter.

While Elgin's Caris Alan recorded 6 of her 10 points during the second quarter, Crystal Lake South countered with a balanced attack including scoring from Benoit, Jenny Hanrahan, Carly Juliano, Katie Burton (8 points) and Jessica Taldone, who sank the first of three 3-pointers with a 1:45 left to play in the first half.

"This is a tough place to play," said South coach Kyle McCaughn. "Our girls came into a different environment and persevered.

"It wasn't the cleanest game we've played all year, but the girls did execute offensively. Defensively, they were able to achieve an ongoing goal of ours which has been to hold opponents to 40 points."

Caitlin Mize opened up the second half scoring on a pick and roll. Juliano followed with a drive up the right side for South.

Kaitlin Hardie got into foul trouble recording two back-to-back fouls in the first minute of the second half, and Elgin capitalized getting 8 third-quarter points from Holton to help it get within 13 points at 38-25.

The highlight of the contest for both sides came during the final quarter.

After opening the quarter with baskets from Holton and Bruskewitz (5 points), Elgin (0-6) put on a full-court press. The Maroons were able to cut the lead to 6 points (40-34) scoring 7 unanswered points, including 5 from the free-throw line.

"I think we're getting better," said Hudson. "The girls are starting to learn how to play with one another.

"Composure made a huge difference, but it's going to take intensity. Basketball is a fun game, and the girls need to learn to play like it's a fun game."

South (4-2) made the appropriate adjustments and finished the game on a 10-2 run of its own.

"The biggest positive for us came when Elgin cut the lead to six," said McCaughn. "Our kids stuck to their game.

"They showed that they believed in what we are doing here. They're buying into it. They didn't quit because they knew that their game was going to work."

Taldone (11 points) and Benoit (10 points) led the Gator offense.