Girls basketball: Hanrahan scores 24, leads West Chicago over Larkin
Larkin needed the first half of Tuesday’s Upstate Eight crossover game against West Chicago to adjust to playing without Mia Carter, one of its key players.
The senior did not suit up due to illness.
West Chicago took full advantage of the Royals acclimating to their modified lineup to jump out to a 25-9 halftime lead.
Larkin’s offense got in sync in the second half but still fell short, dropping only its second game of the season, 47-36.
“Without a key player, we were off a little bit in the first half. Offensively and defensively, we couldn’t get into a rhythm. in the second half they settled down and played basketball,” said Larkin coach Deryn Carter. “But hats off to West Chicago, they made more plays than we did.“
West Chicago (8-1) jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. Makayla Preuss scored Larkin’s first basket halfway through the quarter. The Wildcats led 11-4 after the first eight minutes.
“Jumping out on them was big deal. Larkin played exceedingly well for being without their star player,” West Chicago coach Mark Fitzgerald said. “They gave us a lot of trouble. I’m pleased with the way the girls overcame the traps and figured things out.”
Sophomore McKenzie Hanrahan led West Chicago’s offense with a game-high 24 points.
“McKenzie is going to be a star. The way she goes the basket and glides in is fantastic,” the West Chicago coach said.
Larkin’s Yesenia Escobar sparked the Royals’ second half comeback attempt, scoring 19 of her team-high 22 points in the last two quarters. The senior canned four 3-pointers.
“The girls played hard in the second half especially Yesenia Escobar. I’m proud of that,” Carter said. “That’s something we can build on.”
The two squads played evenly in the third quarter. Larkin scored 11 points to West Chicago’s 12.
Larkin (7-2) opened the final frame on a 14-8 run ending with Ava Mayoral’s trey with less than two minutes to play but her team still trailed, 45-34.
“I think we eventually just took the energy out of them,” Fitzgerald said.
“We played really well as a team tonight, we had good passing and shooting,” said Hanrahan.
Senior Sneha George tallied nine points for West Chicago and classmate Alexis Leszczewicz scored six.
“Everyone is getting valuable experience right now,” Fitzgerald said. “And that was our eighth win so I’m very pleased.”
Both teams played spirited defense battling for the ball; the referees called 13 jump balls.