Drozdz, Stanke lead Wheeling past Maine East
Chloe Drozdz is planning on studying hospitality management in college.
As one of the assist leaders for Wheeling's girls basketball team the past few years, she sure has been hospitable to her teammates.
The senior guard knows how to score baskets, too.
Drozdz and classmate Sophia Stanke each scored 13 points while senior Naomi Metellus added 11 as the Wildcats took a 57-41 win at Maine East in Wednesday night's nonconference game in Park Ridge.
The game was tied 10-10 after one quarter but the Wildcats started the second quarter with back-to-back 3-pointers from Metellus and Stanke and pulled away to a 26-17 halftime lead.
"Even going into the second half, the first thing we said is that we've got to come out strong and not let them take the lead from us," Drozdz said. "We just relaxed and didn't let any adversity get to us. We didn't want to give up the lead."
Drozdz played a key role in that second-half goal, running the offense and scoring all of her points in the final 16 minutes.
She hit a 3-pointer and made 10-of-12 free throws.
"In the second half when they switched their defense (from a zone), our point guard (Drozdz) was able to get the basket," said Wheeling coach Matt Weber. "Chloe was really executing and getting to the free-throw line and making them. She is very hard to defend."
The Wildcats (2-7) were making it hard for the Blue Demons (1-4) to defend the arc in the first when they converted four 3-pointers, including three from Stanke and one from Metellus.
"I thought Sophia and Naomi did a good job of hitting the open looks, making the extra pass and finding the open teammates," Weber said. "They really carried our offense."
The Wildcats also got some offense from senior center Morgan Collar for the first time since last January when she suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Collar saw her first action since then and converted 5 points in less than 12 minutes on the floor.
"It was nice to see Morgan back on the floor," Weber said. "We wanted to give her a little confidence and get her feet wet. Hopefully we'll just extend on those minutes more and more as we work through the season.
"It's always good to see a player return from a devastating injury, work hard and be ready to go. I think she was excited to be playing with her team again. It's always good to see one of your senior leaders back on the court."
Collar's 15-footer gave Wheeling a 10-8 lead before sophomore Emina Hanic's bank in shot tied the game at 10-10.
Sophomore Mahima Chokshi led the hosts with a game-high 20 points while senior Collen Oribello had 11 and Hanic 8.
"I thought No. 12 (Choksi) and 11 (Oribello) did a good job carrying their offense," Weber said. "Maine East kept fighting back and made us work on every possession on offense."
Blue Demons coach Nicole Rinaldi, a former Fremd standout, said the game came down to hustle.
"It was very clear that Wheeling came out in the second half and wanted it more," she said. "It's tough. We had some kids out who have been sick. Emina Hanic was out with pneumonia so she was kind of struggling. But we're hoping she is feeling better and ready to go at full strength for our next game. Our shots weren't falling so it was kind of a heartbreaker.
"Mahima and Colleen played great. They attacked, they shot, played great defense and they hustled the whole game so I was very pleased with their performances. But collectively, as a team, Wheeling just out-hustled us all together."
St. Viator 65, Joliet Catholic 54: Nora Ahram scored 25 points and had 5 assists and 4 steals to lead the Lions (2-5, 1-0) to the East Suburban Catholic win. Joy Bergstrom added (12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals) and Aubrey Horbach (11 points, 6 rebounds) also contributed.