Batavia's win sets up Friday night showdown

Nothing is more important in tight games than free-throw shooting.

The one aspect of the game that anyone can practice proved its worth for Batavia against Glenbard South in Tuesday night's girls basketball game when the Bulldogs won, 49-43.

Batavia shot 16 of 21 from the foul line for the game, and Natalie Tarter was a perfect 8-for-8 herself, with 6 of those free throws coming in the final period.

Batavia coach Tim DeBruycker said the Bulldogs (20-4, 12-1) have been taking advantage of free points on the line.

"We have been shooting outstanding from the line all season long," DeBruycker said. "We are one of the better free-throw shooting teams in the area. We shoot lights out, and tonight we needed to make our free throws and get all the points we can. I think the reason we shoot so well is because we have confidence in ourselves once we get to the line."

The Raiders, on the other hand, did not fare as well as Batavia from the free-throw line.

Glenbard South coach Julie Fonda said it was free-throw shooting that the Raiders really worked on during practice this week, but ironically, it was the foul line that hurt Glenbard South as the Raiders shot 9 of 19.

The game seemed like it was going to be put out of reach when the Bulldogs went on a 9-2 run to open a 37-30 lead with just under six minutes remaining. But the Raiders (17-8, 7-5) did not roll over, responding with an 8-0 run, grabbing the lead on a Meghan Pipal free throw with just under 3:30 remaining. That lead was the second lead of the game for the Raiders who led after scoring the games first basket.

Batavia led 39-38 when sophomore guard Sara Fruendt decided to hit some tough shots. First it was a 3-pointer from the top of the key and then the next possession it was Fruendt again hitting a 15-footer, putting the Bulldogs up 6 and not allowing the Raiders to get back in the game.

"Those were some really gutsy shots for a young player," DeBruycker said.

In a milestone moment, Glenbard South's Danielle Pipal became the third Raider to score 1,000 career points when she sank a free throw with 4:37 remaining in the fourth quarter. Pipal, a senior playing her last home game, finished with a team-high 11 points to put her at 1,004 points.

"I was pressing a little I guess," Pipal said. "I found out three days ago that I was this close to the milestone. I think I just pushed too much early on to try to make it happen earlier in the game."

"She really deserved this," said Fonda, whom Pipal passed four games ago on the Raiders' all-time scoring list. "She has worked so hard to get to this point. It's pretty cool to coach a player like her. She deserves everything she has accomplished because of the work she put in."

Kara Lydon scored a game-high 12 points in the win for the Bulldogs.

Batavia closes its regular season Friday at Geneva (12-1) with the conference title on the line.