Rolling Meadows clinches in MSL East
After playing in only one Mid-Suburban League girls basketball championship game in 30 years, Rolling Meadows is now going to the showcase game for the second season in a row.
With an 85-29 victory over visiting Wheeling, the Mustangs (23-1) clinched the MSL East on Tuesday with a 9-0 record and one game left on Friday.
Meadows will host Fremd (21-7, 7-2) for the MSL crown a week from today.
Junior Alexis Glasgow scored a game-high 20 points followed by junior Ashley Montanez (15), junior Jenny Vliet (11), junior Jackie Kemph (11) and junior Chloe Prodanovic (10).
Montanez and Prodanovic each had career-highs.
Montanez also had a career-high 9 rebounds.
“Ashley played the best game of her career,” said Mustangs coach Ryan Kirkorsky. “Jenny Vliet (4 rebounds) was outstanding on both end of the floor. Chloe played great minutes down the stretch.”
Morgan Keller, the only 12th grader on Kirkorsky’s roster, was honored before the game for senior night.
The Illinois State track and field recruit scored 6 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in a starting role.
Jackie Kemph dished out 9 assists while Glasgow had 6 steals.
The third quarter (outscored the visitors 21-2) may have been our best quarter of the season,” Kirkorsky added. “We had great defensive intensity and shared the ball well.”
Sophomore guard Deanna Kuzmanic led Wheeling (7-17, 1-8) with 14 points.
Schaumburg 52, Palatine 51: Sophomore Jada Blackwell scored 25 points and grabbed 8 rebounds as visiting Schaumburg improved to 14-11 and 5-4 in the MSL West.
Schaumburg trailed 34-21 at halftime.
“Palatine was on fire in the first half,” said Saxons coach Ashley Berggren. “We came out a different team in the second half. The girls put their heart and soul into it and it paid off.
“Jada really proved this game that she is not only one of the best sophomores in the area but in the state.”
Senior guard Amanda Kelly added 17 points for Schaumburg while teammate Carly Brossard had 6 rebounds and 5 points.
Saxons senior Riley Williams made 1-of-2 free throws with 20 seconds left for the 52-51 lead and Palatine missed one final shot in the final seconds.
The Pirates (19-7, 5-4) were led by McKenzie Wiedemann (14 points), Erin Mayer (11) and Nia Pappas (9).
Prospect 48, Buffalo Grove 39: Trailing by 10 points going into the fourth quarter, host Prospect outscored BG 28-9 in the final quarter of the MSL East game.
Sophomore Taylor Will scored 13 of her game-high 26 points in the final eight minutes.
“We always talk about when our backs are to the wall, we have to fight back,” said Knights coach Ashley Graham. “ And that’s what the girls did in the final quarter. We had a couple of big defensive plays that we turned into baskets.”
Catherine Sherwood added 13 points for Prospect (12-12, 2-7) followed by Trisha Benson (8) and Michele Molini (7).
“Kristen Frasco had a big shot for us in the fourth quarter,” Graham added.
Bailey North (17 points) and Amanda Salzman (14) led BG (7-15, 3-6).
Barrington 52, Hoffman Estates 48: Junior Angie Kirchoff led the visiting Fillies (14-13, 4-5) with 16 points while classmate Aoife Callanan had 8 and sophomore Bailee McDonald 7 in the MSL West game.
“Angie made some real nice things happen for us,” said Barrington coach Babbi Barreiro. “Aoife gives us some good minutes and Bailee did a real nice job off the bench.”
Senior Destinee Young led Hoffman (9-13, 3-6) with 29 points and 10 rebounds while classmate Becca Stoczynski collected 13 points and 6 rebounds.
Christian Liberty 50, Northshore Country Day 25: Chargers junior Shelbi Hernandez had a double-double with 14 points, 12 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 block.
Other top performers for the host CLA (15-7) were junior Megan Sullivan (14 points, 6 assists, 3 steals), sophomore Jessica Moriarty (12 points, 6 rebounds, 6 steals, 4 blocks, sophomore Jenn West (4 points, 3 assists) and freshman Samantha Amedin (4 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists).