Prospect defeats Wheaton North
Good, experienced guards are always a nice luxury for a basketball team this time of year.
Take Prospect’s Michelle Molini, for example.
The Knights junior guard scored 13 of her 20 points in the first half, and Prospect jumped on Wheaton North early for a 57-33 win in the first game of the first York Turkey Tournament on Friday in Elmhurst.
“Now that I’m an upperclassmen I feel more comfortable being a leader,” said Molini, inserted into Prospect’s starting lineup about a quarter of the way into last season. “Our starting five, we’ve been playing for a long time together and we’ve got really comfortable with each other. That’s an advantage.”
Molini hit 3 of Prospect’s 5 first-half 3-pointers, the Knights taking a commanding 34-16 lead into the break.
Just as important was the offense Prospect’s pressure created.
Alreading leading 19-11 after a Molini 3, the Knights ripped off an 8-0 run. Senior guard Jessica Petrovski scored twice off turnovers, and Molini followed with a steal and a score.
“We’re a smaller team,” Molini said of Prospect, which plays just one 6-footer. “Being smaller we have to be able to cause chaos for the other team.”
Prospect coach Martha Kelly enjoyed watching her team ramp up the pressure after a feeling-out first eight minutes.
“It started with the girls’ intensity,” Kelly said. “They notched it up, especially going into the second quarter. Once the second quarter came around we picked up the pace.”
Wheaton North turned the ball over 20 minutes in the first half, 34 for the game. It couldn’t have come as a shock to Falcons coach Dave Eaton.
Wheaton North’s starting backcourt had zero varsity starts before Friday. A third guard who did have experience, senior Maddie Baillie, was cleared to go after coming back from a sprained MCL but only played sparingly.
“We did notice our youth,” Eaton said. “At times we got a little rattled and had trouble getting into our offense.”
Eaton’s young Falcons did show fight, though.
Down 41-20 after a 3 by Prospect’s Christina Brucci, Wheaton North’s defense clamped down to hold the Knights scoreless over the next five-plus minutes. A stickback basket by freshman Emari Jones made it 41-29 with 6:11 left in the game, but it’s as close as Wheaton North got.
Jones pulled down 5 rebounds off the bench, and 6-foot-2 Falcons sophomore Chrissy Baird had 6 points and 10 boards.
“Chrissy has put a ton of work in,” Eaton said. “She was our best player on the floor tonight. Emari, when you put her on the floor she produces. She has a ton of athletic ability and a bright future.”
Reilly Stewart scored 8 points for Wheaton North. Prospect freshman Taylor Will scored 7 of her 11 points in the fourth quarter to stem Wheaton North’s comeback, and also had 5 rebounds. Petrovski added 7 points.