Lake girls basketball notes: Wauconda making its move in NLCC
The little things in basketball can lead to big things.
The Wauconda girls basketball team can attest to that. The 18-6 Bulldogs average 15 offensive rebounds a game, 18.3 points off turnovers, 18.5 deflections per game, 13 steals and 9.8 assists as a team. “We are starting to hit our stride,” coach Jaime Dennis said. “We are doing the little things that make a huge difference in a game. We are sharing the ball so well.”
In a 52-34 nonconference loss to Warren, Alexia Manalo had 9 points and 3 steals, while Helen Macey and Avery Geoghan each had 6 rebounds. Sarah Palmer had 3 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, while Kelsey Piehl had 3 blocked shots for the Bulldogs, who were 12-1 in Northern Lake County action heading into a midweek showdown with first-place Grayslake Central that would net a share of the conference title with a win. Wauconda had won 9 games in a row prior to the Warren loss.
Palmer, Ella Franck and Emma Wisniewski were cited for recent strong play. “Sarah stepped up when a player went down with an ankle injury,” coach Jaime Dennis said. “She impacts the game on both ends of the floor. Ella has found her scoring touch (58 points during a recent 3-game stretch) and Emma has been our defensive stopper on the other team’s best player every night.”
Stevenson update: Stick a fork in the North Suburban Conference race because it’s over. Stevenson was 13-0 in conference to start the week and 24-3 overall, riding a 9-game winning streak. Over the last 4 games, Nisha Musunuri was averaging 15.3 points, shooting 38% from 3 and had a team-leading 14 steals during that span. Emma Brooks shot .417 from 3 during that same span, while Emory Klatt continues to average a double-double on the season. “Emory continues to dominate,” Stevenson coach Regan Carmichael said.
Stevenson is holding teams to 31 points per game. “Team-wise, our defense continues to be great,” Carmichael added.
Antioch update: Heidi Rathmann leads the Sequoits (16-10, 8-3 and third NLCC) in scoring at 17.5 points, while Addie Webb is tops in rebounding at 6.5. Coach Jamie D’Andrea also has been pleased with the play of Maddie Avila. “Maddie has come on strong lately with fast feet and quick hands on defense,” she said. “That style of play epitomizes what I want Antioch girls basketball to be known for, so I am really pleased with her efforts and work.”
Grant update: The Bulldogs have received strong play of late from Lily Capulong, Mya Clark and Madelyn Dunskis. “Lily is great at changing the energy of the game for her team and making plays where there aren’t any,” coach Andrea Weaver said. “Madelyn and Mya have sharp shots and have been stepping up for us with their scoring.” Grant was 11-15 overall and 7-6 in NLCC action at week’s start, riding a 2-game winning streak.
Grayslake Central update: Defense has been the name of the game lately for the Rams, who started the week 22-6 and sat alone in first place in the NLCC with a 13-0 mark prior to a midweek conference finale at Wauconda (12-1 league).
“The team has been playing very well of late on both ends of the floor,” coach Steve Ikenn said. “Our team defense has been doing good job holding teams down of late.”
Over the last two weeks, the most points the Rams allowed in a game was 36, Ikenn pointed out.
Reasons for another strong Rams season? Maddison Hoffmann and Annie Wolff, in particular, come to mind, Ikenn said. During a recent 7-game run, Hoffmann averaged 16.1 points, 4.3 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 3.3 steals. “Madison has been playing well all season and that consistent all-around play has continued over the last two weeks,” he said. “Annie has also been an amazingly consistent player. Both Madison and Annie do ag reat job on the court, but their leadership cannot be overstated, especially with a young team like we have. What they do off the court and the way they lead is just as important as what they do on the court.”
Wolff averaged 12 points and 5.1 rebounds over the last two weeks. Freshman Addi Thomas also has made big strides. “Addi has stepped up lately,” Ikenn said. “She comes in and plays either point or wing and gives us a steady ballhandler, good defense and solid outside shooting.”
Grayslake North update: After a 1-15 start to the season, coach Brian Frerick’s group is 6-7 over its last 13 to sit at 7-22 overall and 3-10 in NLCC action. Freshman Ashlyn Stoneham had 16 points against Johnsburg and 10 against Lakes in recent times. “Ashlyn has stepped up her scoring,” Frericks said. Senior Makayla Campbell has played well since returning from injury. She had 16 points and 7 rebounds in the league win over Lakes.
Lakes update: The Eagles (10-16, 6-7 and fifth NLCC) opened the week with a 58-44 nonconference loss to Woodstock North where Madison Twarling had 14 points. Emily Ovaska had 9 points and now has 100 points and 100 rebounds on the season. Inclarity Turney had 5 assists and now holds the Lakes single-season assists mark with 100.
Turney leads the team in assists, steals and blocked shots, while Madison Twarling is averaging almost 12 points a game after the new year. Kaylee Anderson had a recent 15-point, 10-rebound effort and with 186 rebounds prior to the Warren game, needs 15 to set a new single-season record.
Speaking of Turney, she already has broken her own single-season steals mark (93 to start the week) and had 31 blocked shots to start the week, which gives her 86 for her career and puts her within striking distance of the school single-season mark of 88.
“When the season is done and dusted, I expect Incarity will hold 4 school records,” coach Grant Murray said. “Add in the two schools records Janae Pullen holds for 3s in a career and season and potentially Kaylee’s rebounding record and that would give this year’s team 7 records on the record board at school.”
Lake Zurich update: The Bears secured their seventh winning season in a row, “playing one of the 20 toughest schedules in the state,” explained coach Chris Bennett, referencing one online statistical service that has a metric for schedule toughness.
Avery Cooper averages 10 points and a team-best 6.5 rebounds, while Molly Friesen is at 8.5 points and Anna Gilbertson is at 8.3 points and 5.7 rebounds. Alex Nowak-Tice also averages 5.7 points, while Layne Nordstrom leads in assists at 2.9 and Gilbertson is at 2.8 assists for Lake Zurich (16-13 overall, 9-4 and third in the North Suburban).
Libertyville update: A close 58-53 nonconference loss to Maine South (Libertyville led by a hoop with 90 seconds left) halted a 7-game winning streak. “We hung with a Top 4 team in the state at their place for the whole game,” coach Greg Pedersen said. “That’s encouraging for the upcoming playoffs.”
The Wildcats were 23-5 overall and 11-2 in North Suburban action to start the week. Kate Rule had a team-high 14 points against Maine South and turned in a 4:2 assist-to-turnover mark. “Kate handled Maine South’s pressure,” Pedersen noted. “She’s primed for a great playoff run.”
Junior guard Elinor Lindal and sophomore forward Avery Maddux are giving effective minutes off the bench, Pedersen said, while Madison Sears has scored in double digits in 6 of the last 7 games, which included a 10-plus effort against Maine South.
Vernon Hills update: Coach Paul Brettner likes the way Frannie Poulos has been playing off the bench lately. “Frannie has been playing solid defensively, rebounding and adding a little scoring,” he said.
Maya Raval, Brettner added, has played a consistent role for the Cougars (9-20, 6-4 CSL North, tied for third with Niles West) all season, “doing a little bit of everything,” he said.
Elyse Davis averaged 10 points in the team’s final two conference games. “Elyse has been a pillar of consistency,” Brettner said.
Postseason Sectional Seeds
Class 4A: Libertyville (1), Lake Zurich (2), Stevenson (2), Carmel (3), Warren (4), Mundelein (5), Grant (6), Round Lake (7)
Class 3A: Grayslake Central (1), Wauconda (3), Antioch (6), Lakes (11), Vernon Hills (12), Grayslake North (13)
Note: All Lake County 4A teams except Stevenson are part of the McHenry sectional. Stevenson is part of the Fremd sectional. All 3A local teams are part of the Antioch sectional.