Determined Conant snaps 4-game skid
After an 11-3 start, Conant's girls basketball team dropped four straight games.
So the Cougars' primary issue for Saturday's nonconference matinee against visiting Deerfield was to get back on the winning trail.
With an energetic start, the Cougars did exactly that.
Getting 2 buckets and 2 free throws from Emma Loos, a 3-pointer from Marissa Ross and 2 field goals from Lauren Jason, the Cougars led 12-1 five minutes into the game and never looked back en route to a 48-28 triumph in Hoffman Estates.
"It feels great," said Loos, who finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 6 steals. "We were so determined to snap our four-game losing streak. We came out strong right away."
Deerfield (9-12), tied for first in Central Suburban North with Maine West (both teams are 5-1), never got closer than 7 and trailed by at least double digits for the final 27 minutes.
"Our focus was a little off after losing to a team (Glenbrook North) the night before that we beat by 30 earlier in the season," said Deerfield coach Mike Muldrow. "And when you're playing a tough defensive team like Conant (12-7), it's tough to get your focus and get into a rhythm. They are very good defensively."
Jason added 10 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists.
"I thought Emma and Lauren came out with intensity all over the floor," said Cougars coach Dan Travers. "They led us in the game and Jackie Piasecki did a nice job on their big girl. For not starting the night before (against Barrington) and coming back the way she did in this game shows what a classy true senior she is."
St. Viator 60, Joliet Catholic 35: Junior Susan Hohenadel (game-high 20 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists) hit a pair of 3-pointers and made 6 of 6 free throws in the first quarter as the visiting Lions improved to 15-6 and 6-1 in the East Suburban Catholic Conference.
Other top performers for the Lions were Mary Calov (8 points, 8 rebounds), Kelly Hendricks (7 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists), Colleen Nolan (6 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists), Jamie Blenner (5 rebounds, 2 assists) and Meghan Malone (5 rebounds).
Fremd 59, Streamwood 45: Fremd (13-6) was led by a season-high 21 points from junior guard Gianna Abruzzo, who also collected 6 rebounds in the nonconference victory in Palatine. Teammate Sam Thelin (3 3-pointers) added 11 points while Taylor Glassmann had 8 with 4 assists.
Sophomore Megan Gray collected a team-high 8 rebounds with 6 points for the Vikings, currently in a three-way tie for first in the Mid-Suburban West with Hoffman Estates and Barrington.
Sandburg 47, Buffalo Grove 39: Sophomore Andrea DiPrima (16 points, three 3-pointers) and junior Heather Nisbet (11 points, three 3-pointers) were top scorers for the Bison (7-15) in the McDonald's Shootout at Willowbrook High School.
Maine South 55, Schaumburg 45: Taylor Kosla (14 points, 2 steals), Sarah McGinn (12 points, 8 rebounds) and Alyssa Saklak (8 points, 6 rebounds) led the Saxons (6-14) in the Sweet Sixteen tourney game in Park Ridge.