Physical play can wear a team down, but it can also show the strength of the other squad. The Bishop McNamara High School girls' basketball program weathered the pounding nature of Wilmington for the 50-43 regional win Thursday, Feb. 12, and their fifth straight championship. "We expected it to be this close," said coach Jeff Bennett of the Class A Manteno regional play. "Their inside kids are big and they have some shooters that made us work."

Wilmington's inside play was in the form of Gina Vercelli who gathered four defensive rebounds for Wilmington in the first-quarter while Amanda Gruca dropped in a pair of three-pointers for the 12-7 Wildcat lead.

Jennifer Juergens scored six of McNamara's seven first quarter points and continued in the second quarter by knocking down her second trey of the night with the help of a Taylor Bennett screen.

More inside play by Vercelli accounted for a bucket and the 18-11 lead before Juergens drained another three-pointer cutting that to four. Vercelli moved her team ahead 20-11 before Laura Gullickson was in position for an Irish offensive rebound and score. Marche Gibbs' pass to Schmidt, and a bucket from Juergens kept McNamara close despite two late buckets by Gruca.

McNamara's Taylor Bennett win a battle under the boards by getting a rebound from Wilmington's Gina Vercelli.
Herald photo by Brendan Olszewski

"We concentrated on containing (Jessoni) Plese and then the other girl (Gruca) comes in and lights us up," explained coach Bennett. "Our defense started to create some tempo in our favor later in the game and that made a difference." The 24-22 Wilmington lead at halftime was quickly tied by the defensive rebound and assist of Gibbs to Juergens. More Irish play under their basket offered a fast break with Juergens getting the rebound to Gibbs who fed Bennett for the 26-24 McNamara lead.

Plese finally was able to get a shot off and it counted for a three-pointer before Gullickson would get a three-point play for the 29-27 McNamara headway with 3:53 left in the third. Gruca and Plese each gathered a bucket for the 31-29 advantage, but a pair of free throws from Gullickson meant a tied tally at 31-31. Megan Flatt's successful trip to the line with 19 seconds left had Wilmington up 33-31 as Gibbs sank a three-pointer from the right side at the buzzer giving the Irish a huge lift and the 34-33 lead they wouldn't give back. Coach Bennett's reference to defense was reinforced in the opening minutes of the final quarter. A Wilmington turnover meant a bucket by Kate Welsh who later made a steal to slow the Wildcats. Juergens' defensive rebound didn't result in any scoring, but it started the frustration of Wilmington's offense. Hounding Wilmington on their next possession, the Irish forced a loose ball that Schmidt turned into two points.

All that Irish defense meant Wilmington wouldn't get a shot off until three minutes left in the game when Kristin Hedges scored. Bennett put McNamara up 40-35 with a driving bank shot and offered a defensive rebound that Gibbs helped Juergens drive to the basket for the 42-35 lead. Now depending on their big shooters, Wilmington went to Gruca and Plese. Each would respond with a three-pointer, the last from Plese with two seconds left, would account for the final Wilmington points. Gruca offered Wilmington a team-high 19 points followed by Plese having eight for the 17-8 squad.

Juergens put down 19 points for the 16-11 Irish and was helped by the nine points and 10 rebounds from Gullickson, eight points by Schmidt and four from Bennett. "This was a great win for the girls in that they know how to play 32 minutes of basketball," praised coach Bennett. "A lot of kids stepped up to get loose balls and rebounds and we changed the tempo to where we quit thinking of playing and we just played the game."

A rivalry was revisited Monday, Feb. 9 with far more implications than any held earlier in the season. The Manteno Class A basketball regional had the Lady Panthers hosting the Blue Devils of Peotone in first round action with Peotone taking the latest meeting 38-31. Just a one-point game after the first moved to a four-point advantage at halftime with Peotone ahead 21-17. The Blue Devils were able to stay in front 29-25 after the third before holding off Manteno to advance. Peotone was led by the 18 points from Kacey Morrison, nine from Nicole Boll and seven by Beth Cann.

Manteno finished their season at 6-18 with Claire Viall leading the crew by scoring 13 followed by four each from Jenny Collett, Stefanie Chavez and Carrie Gray. Coach Jenni Monk and assistant Kevin Prendergast see the graduation of senior Viall, Gray, Collett, Danielle Graefnitz and Amy DeLise.

The Bourbonnais Upper Grade Center 7th grade boys basketball team attained their season goal of participating in the IESA State Basketball Tournament.

This goal was attainted by winning the local regional championship with a victory over Manteno 38-26 and then capturing the sectional championship with a 44-34 defeat of Prairie Central.

During first round play of the Sweet 16 in the state tournament, the BUGC Tigers upset a strong Quincy team 44-39. The season ended however in the second round with a 65-11 loss to an outstanding and overpowering Bloomington team.

Herald photo by John Butterfield