Defense identifies another Antioch win
Few athletes, if any, probably appreciate the importance of keeping the ball out of the net more than Katie Budd.
A star soccer goalie for Antioch, the junior is showing this winter that she can also defend on a basketball court.
It's become the identity, in fact, of Budd and her teammates.
The Sequoits won for the sixth time in seven games Saturday, keeping host Lakes winless with a 54-40 win in a North Suburban Prairie Division game between the cross-town rivals.
Antioch evened its overall record at 8-8 and its NSC Prairie mark at 3-3.
"At the beginning of the year, since we were such a new team, our coach was wondering what is our identity," Budd said. "I think it's man-to-man, full-court defense -- (playing) really aggressive."
While Lakes (0-18, 0-6) hit the 40-point mark for just the fourth time this season, Antioch's active, swarming defense limited the Eagles to 18 points through three quarters.
Lakes scored the first eight points of the fourth to complete a 12-0 run and pull within 35-26. But while the Eagles outscored the Sequoits 22-19 in the final eight minutes -- as Keshia Cunningham scored 10 of her game-high 13 points -- they never got closer than the nine-point margin.
"We got a little complacent there toward the end of the third," Antioch coach Tim Borries said. "All first half we were taking it to (Lakes) on the defensive end and being very aggressive, and then we just kind of pulled out. We took some ill-advised shots, we rushed our shots a little, and they got back in the game."
Antioch committed 20 turnovers and shot just 27 percent (19 of 70) from the floor, but also helped force Lakes into turning the ball over 39 times.
"Defensively, for the last six or seven games, we've been making other teams look kind of sloppy," Borries said. "Yeah, it does look sloppy but when you play very aggressive defense like we've been doing, something has to give. If we play hard defense, we'll be fine."
Offensively, Antioch received good balance. Andi Potkonjak was the only Sequoit in double figures with 12 points, while also adding 4 assists. Budd and Christine Gaborek (11 rebounds, 4 steals) added 8 points apiece. Martha Arntson (9 boards) and Katrina Holm (4 steals) each scored 7 points.
Cunningham finished with 10 rebounds, giving her a double-double for Lakes. The Eagles got 6 points apiece from Nora Kenney, Nickie Folinazzo and Amber Larsen (6 rebounds).
Antioch's relentless defense helped pressure Lakes into 24 turnovers in the opening half, helping the Sequoits build a 26-10 lead by halftime.
"We've been really good (all-around) defensively -- like full-court, pressuring," Budd said. "A lot of teams just can't handle it. That's where you get turnovers."