Wheeling's big win idles Warren

The school that boasts 2011 American Idol finalist Haley Reinhart now has a group of girls on the basketball floor making its own sweet music in the IHSA state tournament.

Wheeling's Wildcats won only one game in their first 15 this season.

But now they are the only Class 4A girls basketball team which has won four straight games in the tournament.

Starting as a play-in team in the Libertyville regional, the No. 14 seeded Wildcats (14-18) advanced to the championship game of the Palatine sectional with a 41-26 victory over No. 6 Warren on Monday night.

The Wildcats' Cinderella run makes its next stop in Thursday's title game against No. 8 Zion-Benton (21-8) at 7:30 p.m.

"A lot of people didn't think we could make it but we had faith," said Wildcats freshman guard Deanna Kuzmanic, who scored 9 points with a game-high 6 assists. "Now we are playing the kind of basketball we knew we could."

And it's basketball that stresses defense.

The Wildcats held Warren (21-9) under double digits each quarter, including 2 points in the first period and no baskets in the fourth.

"This (Warren) was a team capable of scoring 70 points if you let them," said Wildcats coach Julissa Hernandez. "Our biggest goal was to hold them under 10 points each quarter. That's what helped us get the win."

After both teams had trouble finding the basket in the first three minutes, a 16-footer by Kuzmanic with 4:39 left got the Wildcats in gear and they would never trail.

Senior Leah Malsom tossed in a 15-footer from the right side before Warren's Jessica Prince (10 rebounds) hit a 6-foot bank shot for the Blue Devils' only points in the first 10 minutes.

An 8-footer by Malsom, 3-pointer by Kellie Kuzmanic and putback by Hailey Dammeier (6 rebounds) with 25 seconds left gave Wheeling an 11-2 lead after one quarter.

The Wildcats stretched the lead to 16-6 on a layup by Malsom.

The closest Warren got the rest of the way was 7 points.

A free throw by Amanda Barger (6 rebounds) made it 27-20 with 2:36 left in the third quarter.

But 2 free throws by Kellie Kuzmanic and a layup by Malsom off a nifty pass from Deanna Kuzmanic made it 31-20 early in the final quarter.

"Give all the credit to Wheeling," said Warren coach John Stancykiewicz. "They were a different team than when we played them at Christmas (49-35 Blue Devils' win). They are playing with a lot more purpose and energy. And they're doing all the little things.

"We were the hot team last Thursday (defeating No. 2 seed Rolling Meadows). Things were going our way that game. This time, we couldn't get any momentum. We got it down to 7 but just couldn't build on it in the fourth quarter."

Kellie Kuzmanic (9 rebounds) led the Wildcats with 13 points and 2 3-pointers, followed by Malsom (10 points, 4 rebounds) and Hannah Dobrowski (7 points), including a big bucket and 2 free throws in the final quarter.

"I think Kellie and Leah have been our biggest leaders," said Hernandez, who won a sectional championship game as a player with Lake Park when the Lancers defeated Rolling Meadows in 2003. "They helped keep the team together but Deanna has helped us so much bringing the ball up the floor and keeping us together in the offense."

Amanda Barger led Warren with 13 points while Taylor Cotey had 5 with a 3-pointer. Alexis Leneau had 10 rebounds.

"Alexis (Leneau), Amanda (Barger) and Jessica (Prince) were all such warriors," Stancykiewicz said. "I'm so proud of all the seniors and our girls. I hope when they look back on this they will have enjoyed the experience."

The Blue Devils were 7-of-41 from the floor and 1-of-18 from 3-point range.

Stancykiewiez, who won three sectionals with the Blue Devils from 2005-07, credited Wheeling's defense.

"We got very few unchallenged looks around the basket," he said. "We just didn't make shots on the perimeter. They played very good defense."

Wheeling made 13-of-40 shots and was 4-of-14 (from the 3-point stripe.

"We focused on helpside defense in practice," said Kellie Kuzmanic. "We knew we had to get out on their shooters. Our defense has been outstanding. When we can get stops, then we gets chances to score on offense."