Red Devils hand Waubonsie 1st loss

A nemesis knocked the Waubonsie Valley girls basketball team from the ranks of the unbeaten.

Hinsdale Central used a defensive clampdown in the second quarter and nearly flawless free-throw shooting in the fourth to defeat the Warriors 58-51 in the semifinals of the Wheaton North Bill Neibch Falcon Classic Friday night.

The Red Devils (15-1) beat Waubonsie Valley (14-1) three times last season.

This time they caught Waubonsie Valley shorthanded. The Warriors played without two starters -- senior forward Emily Collins, who is out for the season with an ACL injury, and junior center Rachel Bostick, who has been sidelined by a separated shoulder.

Waubonsie Valley made up for its height disadvantage early by canning its first three 3-point attempts to lead 16-12 after the first quarter.

But second-seeded Hinsdale Central tightened its man defense on the perimeter and outscored the third-seeded Warriors 13-2 in the second quarter to claim a 25-18 halftime edge.

"We closed out on their 3-point shooters much better in the second quarter," Red Devils coach Steve Gross said.

The Red Devils led by as many as 9 on a couple occasions in the second half.

Waubonsie Valley pulled within 43-40 on Lauren Brownridge's backcourt steal and lay-in with 2:16 left. But Hinsdale Central solved the Warriors' for a Katie Delaney lay-in, and Allison Pilcher's 2 free throws put the Red Devils up 47-40 with 1:21 left.

"They're a good ballclub," Warriors coach Kris Kalivas said. "We're playing two people down and unfortunately we don't have the size that we need to beat them."

Hinsdale Central made 13 of 14 free throws in the final 1:21.

"Everyone stepped up and made their free throws toward the end of the game," said Toni Kokenis, who made all 6 of hers and led the Red Devils in scoring with 14 points. "It really helped. We're a pretty good free-throw shooting team, and we struggled in the past couple games, but today we really just took our time and nailed 'em toward the end of the game."

Hinsdale Central center Molly Kinsella spent the game in foul trouble, but Delaney came through with 10 points and 16 rebounds.

"Whenever she's not in the game, I just try to make it my job to get every board that goes up," Delaney said.

Brownridge scored a game-high 16 and Anna Gault added 12 for the Warriors.