Gorecki, Fremd measure up

Fremd's highly-ranked girls basketball team went north across the Illinois border on Friday and got exactly what it wanted.

The Vikings received a great test from Divine Savior Holy Angels High School of Milwaukee.

Not to mention they also got a victory that left them at 6-0 for the season.

In a match-up between a couple of the country's premier players - Fremd senior Haley Gorecki (Duke recruit) and Holy Angels' senior Arike Ogunbowale (Notre Dame recruit) - the Vikings prevailed 65-63 in overtime at Brookfield Central High School.

"This is exactly why we made the two-hour trek," said Fremd coach Dave Yates "We wanted to play in a tough environment against the best. Arike Ogunbowale (ranked No. 5 among top players in the nation by Prospects Nation) was a load."

The 5-foot-9 Ogunbowale, who had 36 points in the Dashers' season-opener one week earlier, scored 28 on Friday while the 6-foot Gorecki matched her stride for stride with a game-high 33.

"It was pretty amazing watching Haley and Arike go back and forth," said Yates, whose club made 28-of-37 free throws. "It was definitely worth the price of admission.

"Believe it or not holding her (Ogunbowale) to 28 in OT was a pretty good job on our part."

Fremd trailed 31-28 and 45-39 after three quarters.

The Vikes, who were without starter Erin Lenahan (illness) trailed 57-52 with under a minute left in regulation.

A 3-pointer by junior guard Brianna Lewis cut the deficit to 2 points.

After a Fremd stop, Gorecki was fouled on a drive and hit both free throws to tie the game at 57.

In the overtime, Gorecki hit 4 free throws to give Fremd a 64-60 lead.

Ogunbowale countered with a long 3-pointer to make it 64-63 but Vikes' junior Lauren Glaser made a free throw for the 65-63 lead with six seconds left.

Ogunbowale missed a jumper, and then her putback was just after buzzer sounded to give Fremd the dramatic win.

Gorecki also pulled down 10 rebounds.

"Haley not only scored 33 for us but also guarded Arike for a good portion of the game," Yates said. "Brianna Lewis (16 points with 7-of-8 free throws) also did a nice job switching up and taking her as well.

"The rest of our team did a nice job helping on her drives."

Gorecki has scored at least 21 points in the Vikings' last four games.

"Haley was amazing," Yates said. "If the girl (Ogunbowale) we played tonight is a top five player in the country, and she is, then Haley Gorecki should be in the same conversation.

"Credit the rest of their team Holy Angels). They hit some big 3-pointers and open jump shots to get the lead on us."

But the Vikings made bigs play whens it counted.

"We made big plays down the stretch," Yates said. "Lewis's 3-pointer was huge. We had some great possessions in the fourth quarter and overtime.

"I was very proud of our ability to manage and handle some very pressure-packed moments late in the game."

Junior Bryana Hopkins produced 10 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals while sophomore Grace Tworek pulled down 6 rebounds.

"Lauren (Glaser) hit some big free throws in the fourth quarter and overtime," Yates said. "She really stepped up in Erin's (Lenahan) absence."

The Vikings' 6 wins have come in nine days.

"We need to get back on the practice floor and iron some wrinkles out," said Yates, whose club visits Hersey (4-0) on Tuesday for a 7:30 p.m. Mid-Suburban League crossover.

Hersey 48, Mother McAuley 34: Hersey ran its record to 4-0 in the Buffalo Grove Bison Classic and will face the host Bison for the championship today at 2:30 p.m.

Leading the Huskies' charge on Friday were Maggie Berigan (14 points), Claire Gritt (9), Juliette Vainisi (9) Kelly Weyhrich (8) and Annie Korff (8).

Weyhrich had a pair of 3-pointers while Gritt and Vainisi each had one.

The Huskies, who led 15-8 after one quarter, held their opponent to single figures in every quarter but the fourth when the Mighty Macs scored 10.

Buffalo Grove 61, Libertyville 45: Junior Sammy Stejskal scored 14 of her game-high 18 points in the fourth quarter as BG improved to 4-0 in its own Bison Classic.

Stejskal also grabbed 6 rebounds with 2 steals while junior teammate Maddie Welter collected 14 points, 6 rebounds, 7 steals and 2 steals.

Senior Maddy Callahan chipped in 8 points and senior Julie Jambrone 7 for the Bison, who meet Hersey (4-0) for the tourney championship at 2:30 p.m. today.

Barrington 52, Grayslake Central 42: Junior Megan Talbot (12 points, 16 rebounds, 3 blocked shots), senior Bailee McDonald (11 points), junior Abigail Elo (10 points) and junior Kelly Katis (10 points, 5 assists, 2 steals) led the way for Barrington which improved to 2-2 in the Bison Classic at Buffalo Grove High School.

"I think for us to be successful we are going to need a lot of different kids scoring," said Barrington coach Babbi Barreiro. "So it was nice to have four kids in double figures.

"It was a good team effort and Megan (Talbot) was dominant on the boards. And Kelly Katis did a nice job running things for us."

Wheeling 65, Fenwick 63; Alabama-Birmingham recruit Deanna Kuzmanic tossed home a game-high 26 points and classmate Hailey Dammeier added 18 as the Wildcats improved to 3-1 in the Niles North Thanksgiving Tournament and 4-1 overall.

Hannah Dobrowski chipped in 7 and Michaela Vasey 6 for the Wildcats, who wrap up the tourney with an 11 a.m. game against Antioch today in Skokie.

Proviso West 47, Maine West 29: Freshmen Catherine Johnson (10 points), Allison Pearson (9) and Jessica Riedl (6) led the Warriors (0-4) on the penultimate day of action at the Hoffman Estates tournament.

Warriors junior guard Monica Liwag had 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 2 points.

Hampshire 47, Hoffman Estates 45: In a game devoid of much offense, Hampshire junior forward Emma Benoit dominated.

Filling the stat sheet with 26 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocked shots and 3 assists, Benoit's effort propelled the Whip-Purs to a 47-45 win over Hoffman Estates in fourth-round action of the second annual Hoffman Estates Thanksgiving tournament.

"Emma was outstanding," said Hampshire coach Mike Featherly. "She attacked the basket from the beginning and made sure we got off to a good start. She had a good overall game."

Benoit scored the Whip-Purs' first 7 points as Hampshire (3-1) jumped out to a 9-0 lead.

"My teammates got the ball to me in good spots to score," Benoit said. "I wanted to attack the basket early on. We played 40 games this summer and are really starting to play well together."

Hoffman Estates (1-3), who spotted Hampshire a 9-0 lead while missing its first 8 shots, finally got on the scoreboard on a 10-footer by Mynk Richardson-Clerk with 1:30 left in the quarter to make the score 9-2, which was e score after one quarter.

Hoffman Estates sliced into the lead and got to within 2 of Hampshire, 11-9 on a put back by Mary Saitta with 4:42 left in the first half.

But Hampshire led by 7 points from Benoit ended the first half on a 11-2 run and led 22-11 at halftime.

The Whip-Purs continued its steady play in the third quarter and led 42-26 heading into the fourth quarter.

The pesky Hawks made a valiant comeback which started with a 8-0 run to start the fourth quarter.

Six points by sophomore Monraia Wilson and a basket from Erin Hanson helped the Hawks climb within 8, 42-34 with 4:40 remaining.

Hoffman Estates, which out scored Hampshire 19-5 in the final 8 minutes, inched to within 47-45 on a 3-pointer by Hanson with 18.4 seconds left.

But Hoffman Estates couldn't get any closer.

Saitta paced the Hawks with 15 points which included 2 3-pointers while Wilson scored 14, 8 in the fourth quarter and Hanson netted 10 (two 3-pointers), all in the second half.

"It is difficult to come back when you spot a good team like Hampshire a 9-0 lead to start the game," said Hoffman Estates first-year coach Mike Koester. "We did a good job limiting touches for Benoit (Emma) in the second half. Despite the bad start, I like the way we fought back."

- Dave Hess