Montini thrilled with 2nd chance

The Montini practice floor couldn't have looked more inviting than it did Wednesday afternoon.

"I love my family," said Broncos coach Jason Nichols, "but I'm not ready to be home this time of year."

The Broncos saw their season flash before their eyes on Tuesday night. After nearly blowing a 22-point lead to St. Joseph, No. 1 seed Montini gets No. 2 Riverside-Brookfield on Thursday night in the Class 3A Nazareth sectional final.

"I believe our kids are wise enough to put that game out of their heads," Nichols said. "You have to have short-term memory in the playoffs. We need to focus on R-B."

Montini (29-2) can become the sixth school in IHSA history to win six straight sectional championships in girls basketball. R-B (24-5), on the other hand, will be playing in its first sectional final tonight.

Nichols cautioned not to take history for granted.

"This is (R-B's) first sectional final," he said, "so you know they're going to bring a lot of fans. We have to respect the situation and be ready to play. We have to be better. I think we will be."

Jessie Hutchens, a 5-foot-9 senior guard, leads the Bulldogs with 14 points, 4.3 assists and 2 steals per game. Shaquita Slater, a 5-9 senior forward checks in at 10 points and 8 rebounds per game, and 5-7 senior Anna Tess 9 points, 3 assists and 3 steals.

"They put up a lot of 3-point shots," Nichols said, "and they are deceptively quick. Quicker than you think. Their skill set might not be the greatest, but they're quick."

Montini point guard Whitney Holloway, who scored 14 points Tuesday, has averaged close to 17 since Michala Johnson went down with a torn ACL.

Nichols' biggest concern continues to be on the boards. Montini surrendered 27 offensive rebounds to St. Joseph, 10 in the fourth quarter.

"We have to get on the offensive glass and we have to limit second shots," he said. "We do that, we're going to win 95 percent of our games."