Dream start carries Montini into state final
NORMAL — As Montini's kids laid down to sleep on the eve of state, they might have dreamed what the best possible start would look like.
Reality was so better.
The No. 1-ranked and defending champion Broncos ran out to a 19-0 lead, shut out No. 2 Springfield in the first quarter and went on to a 55-39 win in Friday's Class 3A semifinal at Redbird Arena.
Montini (35-1) will play Hillcrest, a 65-43 winner over Marshall, in a rematch of last year's final at 2 p.m. Saturday.
“We came out with a lot of energy,” Montini senior Kasey Reaber said. “We knew that we had to come out strong, because they're a good team. We knew what to expect.”
Montini beat Springfield 57-40 in last year's semifinal.
Kiki Wilson scored 18 points and Whitney Holloway 15 for Montini, which beat its eighth in-state ranked opponent.
Montini has had starts of 27-0 against St. Francis and 28-1 versus Wheaton Academy this year. Those weren't against an opponent with a 22-game win streak coming in.
Montini led 17-0 after a quarter behind Wilson's 8 points. Springfield (31-3) missed its first 11 shots, until all-state guard Zahna Medley hit a corner 3 to make it 19-3 30 seconds into the second quarter.
“Obviously, that wasn't the start we wanted,” Springfield coach Brad Scheffler said. “We were ready to play — we just didn't make shots. It helps when you make shots early.”
Montini held Medley to 12 points in last year's semifinal. Same story this time. Medley, averaging 24.4 points per game during the playoffs, scored just 13 and attempted just 10 shots.
“Every time I got the ball I felt like two people were on me,” Medley said. “I'm used to taking a lot more shots. But I didn't want to force things.”
“Our whole thing was to stay between her and the basket,” Montini coach Jason Nichols said. “We had quick help with length on the bottom of our zone which sometimes hurts smaller guards.”
Springfield, down 29-17 at half, twice got within 7 in the third quarter. Holloway answered by driving past Medley for a three-point play, and the next time down Holloway got by her again and hit a contested layup high up off the glass.
“We knew they were going to come back, because they're a good team,” Holloway said. “I saw a lot of holes in the defense. I just had to attack.”
Shaky Montini ballhandling helped pull Springfield within 44-38 with 2:35 left in the game, but a pull-up baseline jumper by Whitney Adams and 4 straight Montini free throws stemmed the tide.
Adams had 7 points and 10 rebounds, Tianna Brown 8 points and Holloway 5 assists and 4 steals for Montini, which today can match its football and wrestling teams as repeat state champions.
“Any time you get to a championship game you are happy,” Nichols said. “We found a way to win today, and I don't think we played our best.”