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Grant steps it up in second half

A pep talk wasn't required at halftime. Matt Lukemeyer needn't even utter a peep.

His players knew all too well what had been happening in the second halves of their games this week.

"The girls were bringing it up - 'Come on. We got to have a good third quarter. We got to step up. We got to play good defense,' " said Lukemeyer, Grant's girls basketball coach. "It was good to see."

Lukemeyer loved what he saw in the third quarter. Up six points at halftime, Grant closed the third with a 14-0 run en route to a 57-44 win over Carmel Catholic in Mundelein's Thanksgiving tournament Friday night.

"The past two games our third quarters have been really sluggish," Lukemeyer said after his Bulldogs snapped a two-game losing streak to improve to 2-2 in the tourney. "That's kind of what lost us both games. It's something we stressed and talked about."

Wednesday night against Mundelein, Grant led 22-16 at halftime but got outscored 19-9 in the third and lost by six points. The previous night against Glenbrook South, Grant trailed 19-18 at the half, got outscored 19-4 in the third and suffered a 17-point defeat.

When 5-foot-5 junior guard McKaylie Krey put in an offensive rebound to beat the buzzer against Carmel, it finished a 22-9 third-quarter edge and hiked the Grant lead to 47-28.

"We knew (the third quarter) was our weakness," said Grant senior forward Andrea Weaver, who came off the bench to score a team-high 12 points and grab 7 rebounds. "We had our lead and we just focused on pulling away and securing it."

Down 33-22 with less than five minutes left in the third, Carmel got within five points when Emma Rappe chased down a long rebound and hit a 10-footer. But Grant center Taylor Drake scored in the post and a sank a foul line jumper, Weaver put back a miss and Jenna Pecorini drained a pullup jumper. Krey then hit a pair of free throws, before Weaver sank a layup.

"I felt like our defense really stepped up," Lukemeyer said. "We started going inside more, getting a little more in transition and taking it to the basket."

The 6-3 Drake finished with 10 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocked shots. Jasmine Sangster added 11 points and 3 steals, and Pecorini contributed 9 points coming off the bench.

Drake made it difficult for Rappe, Carmel's only returning starter, to score inside.

"She's a sweet girl, but at the same time she plays tough," Weaver said of her teammate. "She's really a rock on defense and on offense, too. Her post moves are always on fire."

Rappe scored 17 of her game-high 19 points in the second half. The 6-foot senior hit three 3-pointers.

"I just went outside because I knew (Drake) couldn't guard me out there, and at that point we needed outside shots," Rappe said.

Center Emily Casale added 8 points and Alexa Amato hit a pair of 3s for Carmel (1-3).

"I think we just need more practice," Rappe said. "It's going to take some time to jell as a team because we're so young. But I think we'll get there eventually. I'm hoping by conference time we'll be all right."

  Carmel's Emma Rappe, left, drives on Grant's Taylor Drake during their game at Mundelein High School Friday. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Carmel's Karoline Yacono, right, has her shot blocked by Grant's Taylor Drake during their game at Mundelein High School Friday. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Grant's Keyana Linbo shoots during their game against Carmel at Mundelein High School Friday. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Carmel's Daija Pruitt, left, drives on Grant's Andrea Weaver during their game at Mundelein High School Friday. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
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