Glenbard South finds a way to catch Glenbard West
Glenbard South coach Julie Fonda always preaches high-energy, up-tempo basketball.
Two-plus quarters Monday felt like anything but that.
“It was flat,” Fonda said. “That’s a perfect description for it.”
And then, Fonda’s Raiders found their way.
Down 10 midway through the third quarter, still trailing by 6 in the fourth, Glenbard South rallied past Glenbard West 42-39 at the Rachel Bach Memorial Tournament in Lombard.
The Raiders (2-1) ended the game on a 7-0 run, holding Glenbard West (0-2) scoreless the last 4:06.
“I give my kids credit, because they kept on sticking with it,” Fonda said. “We didn’t shoot well so we had to generate our offense via our defense. Glenbard West, it’s always a good game with them.”
Glenbard South was a woeful 12 of 26 from the free-throw line but stuck some big ones late.
Ivana Markovic split a pair to tie it 39-39, and after a Sydney Bauman steal Jenna Brambora swished two with 1:11 left to give Glenbard South its first lead since 2-0.
At the other end a lob for Glenbard West’s Caitlin Soane was tipped and stolen by Brambora.
“We just had to pick up our intensity,” said Brambora, who scored 8 points. “Coach told us at half that we weren’t shooting free throws very well. I knew I had to step up and make those for the team.”
Both teams were playing short-handed. Glenbard West was without injured starters Natalie Noland and Claire Graham, while Glenbard South’s Stefi Bazigos dressed but didn’t play because of a knee injury suffered in gym class.
Glenbard West, up 24-17 at the half, took its biggest lead at 29-19 with 5:29 left in the third quarter on a Tracy Flood jumper. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Brambora and Tomei Ball were part of a 10-2 Raiders run to end the quarter.
The Hilltoppers seemed to stem the tide midway through the fourth, the 6-foot-3 Soane scoring three straight baskets. Soane, who scored 12 points, made it 39-35 with a jumper with 4:06 left. But Glenbard West went scoreless from there, turning it over six times in the fourth quarter.
“We controlled our own destiny and then we just fell apart. It’s frustrating,” Hilltoppers coach Mike Hofland said. “We don’t have patience. There were open spots, whether against their press or zone in the middle of the floor. But nobody wanted to come get the ball. They were all running from it. When you got two starters out, somebody has to step up and fill that void.”
The Hilltoppers also gave up 13 offensive rebounds, the last when Markovic slipped in to grab Brambora’s missed three throw with five seconds left. Markovic dribbled out the clock before Glenbard West could foul.
“I love my kids’ effort,” Fonda said. “They’re always in it because of their effort. That’s something you can’t take away.”
Breanna Venson had 12 points and 8 rebounds for Glenbard West. Ball and Megan Smith scored 8 points and Bauman had 4 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocked shots for Glenbard South.