BG's at its best in Shootout

The top-ranked Class 4A girls basketball teams from Illinois and Indiana met in McDonald's Shootout at Willowbrook High School.

But Buffalo Grove proved to be in a class by itself Saturday night.

With Ellen Ayoub (26 points), Allison Mocchi (20) and Maggie Mocchi (15) all showing why they are Division I college recruits, the Bison rolled past South Bend Washington 74-58 just one night after the Panthers (16-2) defeated Illinois defending Class 4A champ Fenwick 105-64.

"We had already defeated the Wisconsin defending state champ (Milwaukee St. Vincent)," said Ayoub, who also had 12 rebounds and was 8-of-9 at the free throw line. "So we also wanted to take down the Indiana defending state champ. Now all we have left is Illinois."

The Bison (22-1) had plenty left Saturday night after a Mid-Suburban East victory 24 hours earlier.

They broke a 6-6 tie when Allison Mocchi made a nifty return pass to Heather Nisbet (9 points), who converted the fastbreak layup to start a 5-0 run.

BG would never trail again.

The Bison led 33-25 at the break, then took charge in the third quarter with Allison Mocchi (14 rebounds) scoring their first 9 points on a trio of 3-pointers.

"It felt awesome because sometimes you come out cold and tired to start the second half," Allison Mocchi said. "But my teammates were finding me. That's the thing about our team. Everyone can step up.

Like junior Kaitlin Hillner on Washington's all-everything junior southpaw Skylar Diggins, the Panthers' all-time leading scorer who collected a game-high 31 points.

"I give Kaitlin credit so much credit," Allison said. "I don't know how may points she scored (2) but she contained (Diggins). Kaitlin played her heart out. Same thing with Heather (Nisbet) and everyone else on our team."

"Kaitlin did a great job on Diggins," said Bison coach Tom Dineen. "Heather was all over the place and Lauren Angotti did a great job off the bench."

Allison Mocchi's third 3-pointer put BG ahead 44-31 midway though the third quarter.

The lead grew to as much as 53-35 on a great spin move to the basket by Allison Mocchi for a bank shot with 59 seconds left in the third quarter.

Washington closed to within 55-44 early in the fourth quarter but BG held tough to the finish, as Ayoub scored 9 points in the final 4:17.

"We had some lapses at times, but we finished the way a good team is supposed to," Dineen said. "It might have been our best game of the season at both ends of the floor considering the level of competition."

Washington, ranked sixth nationally by the ESPN Elite High poll (BG was fifth), recently had a 43-game winning streak snapped by Kentucky Lexington Catholic. Diggins had 40 points in that game.

"Buffalo Grove sees the opening and they attack right way," said Washington coach coach Marilyn Coddens. "Not to take anything away from Fenwick, but Buffalo Grove capitalized on our weaknesses and came ready to play."

"I was a little concerned after what I saw they (Washington) did to Fenwick," Dineen said. "We hadn't been looking real sharp lately. But the kids turned it on big-time tonight. At various times, our three kids stepped up and showed why they're all-staters.

"I don't know if anyone in Illinois has played a tougher schedule than us. If there is, I'd like to know."