Prospect smiling after beating Evanston
In college, Sarah Winans plans to study dental hygiene.
In four years of high school basketball, she has helped Prospect's girls basketball team to a clean record in opening-round round action of the Charger Classic at Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville.
The senior guard collected 11 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists on Monday in a 54-46 win over Evanston, giving Prospect its fourth straight first-round victory in the 16-team tourney under coach Martha Kelly.
The Knights (7-5) will face Bartlett (13-0) in today's 8 p.m. quarterfinal.
“No matter what, we'll finish in the top eight again,” said Winans, who is still deciding where she will play collegiate basketball. “We'll be able to see some good teams now the next few games.”
The Knights beat a good team in Evanston (8-4), which fell behind 10-2 after a pair of free throws by senior Marissa Pettenuzzo (7 points) with 3:11 left in the first quarter.
Winans and senior Sarah Hunt (team-high 16 points) each had three buckets in the first quarter which ended up with Prospect in front 18-9.
“After we got a rebound, we were looking to push the ball up the floor to take advantage of them being disorganized,” Winans said. “It's something we practice all the time with three-on-twos and two-on-ones. It helps us find the open person.”
Kelly liked the way her team ran the offense, which also got a big lift from sophomore guard Michele Molini.
“I thought overall the girls did a good job seeing the floor, and finding the open person,” Kelly said. “I'm very proud of the way the girls followed the game plan and executed the way they needed to.
“I'm very proud of Michele (Molini). Right when she stepped on the floor, she hit a layup for us (giving the Knights a 12-5 lead).”
Molini (13 points and 2 assists in nine minutes) was still hitting shots late, connecting for a 3-pointer with 7:12 left in the game that put Prospect ahead 43-30.
The Knights took their biggest lead at 49-30 when Winans hit 2 free throws with 4:45 left in the game.
“Sarah did a fantastic job,” Kelly said. “She was attacking the paint and she was finding her teammates for open layups.”
Evanston was led by senior Michelle Campbell (14 points) and freshman Sierra Clayborn (11).
“I thought we did a nice job offensively and getting good shot,” said Wildkits coach Steve Wool. “We didn't allow the second-chance opportunities until the second half. That's when we fell asleep. We put them at the free throw line too much. We had silly defensive lapses.
“Our effort was not the greatest. We deserved what we got.”
The Knights got 6 rebounds from Hunt and 2 apiece from Pettenuzzo and Maura Benson.
“I'm very proud of the way we came rebounded the ball,” Kelly added. “I thought that allowed us to attack their pressure.”
“We were really focused on what we needed to do,” Winans said. “If we can keep doing this, we can be very successful in this tournament.”