Tall expectations for Drake, Grant

If your wish for your daughter is a Division I basketball scholarship, please listen to the growth history of one Taylor Drake. She's a junior center for Grant High School.

"In the seventh grade, I was maybe 5-foot-7,'' Drake said. "When I was a freshman, I was 5-10. Last season, I was 6-1. And now I'm 6-3."

Wait, she's not finished yet: "The doctors say I might still have 2 inches left to grow."

Sure, it was the opening game of the season for Grant. But, as they say, you can't teach height.

Drake scored all of her 14 points in the opening half of the Mundelein High School Turkey Tournament. The Bulldogs also have quite a speedster in guard Jasmine Sangster. Add another potent scorer in Jordynn Hundley and this Grant team could be a factor in the NSC this year.

Opening night gave the Bulldogs a 60-47 win over a scrappy and hard-working squad from Grayslake North.

"I'm excited about this team,'' said Grant coach Mark Lukemeyer. "Taylor is 6-3 and we need to work on getting her the ball more."

With Drake and Hundley scoring 13 of the team's first 15 points, this game looked to be one-sided early. On a bucket from senior Jasmine Pecorini, the Grant lead was 21-7 early in the second quarter.

"We have improved a lot since last year,'' Drake said. "And we have a lot of chemistry."

North seemed startled early by Grant's size, but the long-range shooting of Maggie Fish (14 points) pulled the Knights back into this game. You have to excuse North in the early going, as first-year head coach Rob Nicoletti didn't see this team until after the summer.

"No. 1, I can't fault the effort,'' Nicoletti said. "But this is a big adjustment for these girls."

Fish's second 3-pointer of the first half cut the Bulldogs' lead to single digits at halftime, 26-17.

Fish had some second half help from fellow senior Sidney Lovitsch, (10 points). She had 8 points in the final three minutes of the third quarter. The Knights closed within 7 points, but that's as close as they got.

The final quarter belonged to veteran guard Sangster. She had 8 of her 13 points as the Bulldogs pulled away.

"I tried not to be selfish,'' Sangster said. "I thought our tempo was great tonight. We have improved a lot. I'm psyched about the rest of the season."

North also got help from 5-11 forward Abby Stinner who nailed a 3-pointer on her way to 10 points. With Drake in some foul trouble in the fourth quarter, Grant got help from its guards to put this game away.

In addition to Sangster's work, Pecorini had a pair of buckets to open the quarter. One of Grant's shortest players, guard McKaylie Krey, showed off her driving ability and scored a pair of baskets to further protect the lead.