I don't get to watch a lot of girls high school basketball. I usually start watching during regional and sectional time. I'll say it's always good basketball, and am thinking about switching over to cover them on a permanent basis. That's for another time, but this Bolingbrook Sectional gave two very entertaining games. Here we go:
GAME 1:
Benet Academy (Lisle) 42 North (Downers Grove) 32:
Benet Academy (Lisle) is the 1 seed in this Sectional. They have only lost two games this year Lost to Lyons Township (LaGrange) in season opener, won 22 in a row then lost to Nazareth Academy (LaGrange) in a close one. They've also beaten both those teams so they've beaten everyone on their schedule. Ironically both of those teams lost last night in Sectional Semifinal play to Chicago Public League powers Whitney Young and Kenwood Academy. Any event Benet controlled this game all the way and broke it open in the third quarter. They contained Thulin in the second half as she had 14 of her game high 21 points in the first half.
First quarter:
Both teams bombed away from outside and in the paint but not much scoring in the quarter. North (Downers Grove) shot 2 for 11, Benet was not much better at 2 for 9. Benet still led 11-7 at the end of one.
Second quarter:
Much of the same shooting wise but no one could stop Thulin. She just didn't get much from other teammates as she scored 14 of the team's 16 points in the half. Benet junior Bridget Rifenburg scored 5 of her 9 points in the quarter. Benet led 23-16 at half.
Third quarter:
Lots of shots but not much scoring by either team. Benet put a box and one on Thulin who went 0 for 3 for the quarter. Benet outscored North (Downers Grove) 8-4 to lead 31-20 at the end of the third.
Fourth quarter:
North (Downers Grove) went down 16 points and with about 5 minutes left and it was game over. Thulin did come alive with 7 points in the quarter. Benet senior Aria Mazza hit 2 threes in the quarter for 6 of her 11 points.
Top performers:
Benet Academy (Lisle):
Junior Emma Briggs 14 points 7 rebounds 4 steals
Senior Aria Mazza 11 points (3/6 3PT) 3 rebounds 1 steal
Junior Bridget Rifenberg 9 points 5 rebounds 3 blocks
North (Downers Grove):
Sophomore Campbell Thulin game high 21 points 5 rebounds 4 steals
Freshman Caitlin Sandridge 4 points
These are both young teams as 7 of the 10 starters in the game were underclassman. Bright futures for both teams.
Benet Academy (Lisle) advances to Sectional Final with a 29-2 record.
North (Downers Grove) ends season at 22-10. Thulin will need more scoring help for this team to realize their future potential. She made some great passes last night that were not converted for baskets.
GAME 2:
Waubonsie Valley (Aurora) is the 2 seed. They made it to the state finals last season and have some experience back. I think that experience helped in the big comeback win in this game. Fast paced game and a lot of shots from both teams. Final score was not an indication of how close this game was. Bolingbrook played a big time game for most of it. Waubonsie Valley has lost once all year to Fremd (Palatine) who's still in the playoffs. Most of the games have not been close to this was a good test for them.
Waubonsie Valley (Aurora) 57 Bolingbrook 44:
First quarter:
Bolingbook came out firing getting to a 10-2 lead before Waubonsie called an early timeout. Sophomore Sydney Dodd was having a field day inside scoring off passes and posting up in the paint. She had 12 first quarter points more than the entire Waubonsie Valley team. Sophomore Skylar Wakefield had the other 8 points in the quarter for Bolingbrook. Star junior Danyelle Mporokoso came out firing blanks. Had two airballs and shot 2 for 9 for the quarter. Bolingbrook led 20-9 at the end of one.
Second quarter:
Scoring dropped a bit for both teams. Mporokoso picked up her third foul and went to the bench. She did come back for the last two minutes of the half and Waubonsie Valley went to a zone defense. Waubonsie shot 3 for 14 for the quarter. Junior Taylin Heard (6'1") started asserting herself on the glass. Bolingbrook led 30-20 at the half. Dodd (14) and Wakefield (14) had 28 of the 30 points.
Third quarter:
The game changed for good. Waubonsie Valley started closing down the paint buckets as they packed the zone in daring Bolingbrook to shoot from outside. Bolingbrook did not hit a three the entire game going 0 for 6 from three point territory. Meanwhile Waubonsie Valley started getting steals and run out baskets. They also got into the bonus early in the quarter. They shot 14 free throws for the quarter and made 10 of them. Bolingbrook did not shoot a free throw in the quarter. Waubonsie Valley outscored Bolingbrook 23-10 to take a 43-40 lead into the fourth quarter. Mporokoso scored 10 points in the quarter ((6/7 FT).
Fourth quarter:
Waubonsie Valley's defense held Bolingbook to 4 points in the quarter getting turnovers, and pushing the pace as they had been the entire game. Held Bolingbrook to one field goal scored in the qaurter. Waubonsie Valley only scored 14 in the quarter, but the defense shut everything down in the paint and Heard took care of the defensive glass. She ended up with 8 rebounds off the bench. Mporokoso scored 7 points in the quarter and had a couple of nice passes for baskets to clinch the game.
25 point turnaround between halftime and the end of the game for Waubonsie Valley (Aurora)
Top performancers:
Waubonsie Valley:
Junior Danyelle Mporokoso 24 points (8/24 FG) 11 rebounds (double/double) 3 steals
Junior Arianna Garcia-Evans 15 points 10 rebounds (double/double) 5 steals
Senior Maya Cobb 10 points 6 steals
Junior Taylnn Heard 8 rebounds (huge off thr bench)
Bolingbrook:
Sophomore Skylar Wakefield 21 points 10 rebounds (double/double)
Sophomore Sydney Dodd 16 points 11 rebounds (double/double) 3 steals
Two very young teams faced each other in this game.
Waubonsie Valley (Aurora) has one senior in their starting lineup. Moves onto Sectional Final vs Benet Academy (Lisle) with a 30-1 record.
Bolingbrook starts three sophomores and only one senior in the lineup. Their season ends at 21-11 with a bright future.
Four teams had a combined 5 seniors of the 20 starters on all the teams. Might see these same teams in a Sectional again next season.
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