Geneva stymies Downers Grove North
Eighty percent of Margaret Whitley is better than about 99 percent of high school girls basketball players, and Geneva is 100 percent certain that's a good thing for its chances this year.
Whitley, Geneva's sophomore point guard, was so sick last week she missed three days of school. The only reason she came back Friday, she jokingly said - or perhaps she was dead serious - was so she could play in Saturday's season-opener.
Whitley was still coughing a little Tuesday night, but you wouldn't know from her play on the court. She scored 17 points, hitting 3-pointers from NBA range while scoring on a variety of drives and pull-up jumpers and also finding her open teammates in Geneva's dominating 49-28 win over Downers Grove North at Glenbard East's Rachael Bach Tournament.
Whitley drained a trio of 3-pointers. Twelve of her points came in the second half as Geneva turned an 11-point halftime lead into another easy win.
Geneva (3-0) will play for the tournament championship at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
As well as Whitley played offensively, she was just as excited to talk about her team's defense, one that held the Trojans (2-1) to 31.5 percent shooting while pocketing 13 steals - including 5 from center Grace Loberg, 3 by Whitley and 2 from Taylor Williams.
That's a Downers Grove North team that entered the season ranked No. 11 in the Daily Herald Top 20, six spots back of the Vikings.
"Whenever we focus on something we really do well," Whitley said. "The last two games our defense wasn't as good as we hoped so I think everyone was focused on that and I think we came and showed it."
At the forefront of that defense was holding Downers Grove North's best player, Penn State recruit Jaida Green, to 11 points on 5-of-13 shooting.
Maddy Yelle started the game on Green, Williams came off the bench and took a turn, and Stephanie Hart also harassed her.
"She's their best player by far and Maddie and Taylor and Stephanie played outstanding defense on her, not letting her get to the basket," Whitley said.
Geneva never trailed, racing to a 7-0 lead on Hart's 3-pointer, Hart's drive to the basket and 2 free throws from Yelle. The Trojans got as close as 9-7 on a 3-point play from Hannah Ilyavi.
Leading 15-11 after one, Geneva extended to 26-15 at halftime on the strength of Hart and Whitley 3-pointers and Loberg's steal she took the other way for a layup.
Whitley started fast in the third quarter with back-to-back jumpers, part of a 7-0 run for a 33-15 lead. Whitley capped the quarter with a 3 from well behind the line to make it 40-19.
Hart joined Whitley in double figures with 12 points, and Colleen Grady added 7.
"Steph and Marge were on tonight," Geneva coach Sarah Meadows said. "It was good to see. They should be a good tag-team all season."
Lauren Porcelli scored 6 points for the Trojans.
"We'll learn from this because they are good on offense and defense. They are really deep," Green said of Geneva.
"It's a little frustrating when everyone on the other team is kind of determined to stop you. I think my teammates did a god job of encouraging me, but it was a little frustrating. It's an adjustment. They (Geneva) did a really good job."