Wheaton North keeps it close
Senior Emari Jones and her Wheaton North girls basketball teammates shook off the effects of a tough loss from their previous game the only way they knew how.
Jones opened the scoring with a 3-pointer as the Falcons greeted Bogan with 8 unanswered points in their Saturday morning meeting at the 25th annual McDonald's Shootout at Willowbrook.
"Just knowing that they're a good team and athletic, (our focus was) just coming out and getting better than we were Thursday," Jones said.
"We just wanted to focus on working as a team as much as anything, pass the ball, make that extra pass and get our offense going and our defense going as well."
The Falcons actually spent most of the game playing catchup, but the spirit displayed during their 55-49 loss is something coach Dave Eaton believes can help his overall inexperienced lineup progress.
Wheaton North (8-9) trailed throughout the second half but wouldn't relent, closing from 49-40 to 51-49 on senior Kelly Thornton's 3-pointer with 29.6 seconds left. The Bengals (12-5) then sank 4 of 6 free throws.
On Thursday the Falcons lost at Naperville Central 59-56 on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer after leading by 17 points in the third quarter.
"I was proud of how they answered back. I felt that we got better today and played a team that was very athletic and does a lot of really nice things," Eaton said.
"There were a couple of times where we were starting to build momentum and then we'd have a turnover or give up a bad defensive possession. I thought we were right there for most of the game. We just needed that one or two more plays."
Thornton had 23 points and five of the team's eight 3-pointers. Jones and freshman Hannah Swider each had one 3.
Seniors Jamee Denman and Illinois-Chicago recruit Brittany Boyd led Bogan, with Denman scoring 20 points and Boyd 17. The Bengals were minus senior standout Deja Dickens (knee) and received all of their scoring from four starters.
The Falcons committed 25 turnovers, 15 in the second half.
"A lot of that is to their credit. They're so athletic. They're very well-coached and disciplined," Eaton said. "For them to not have their best player, they're a great team. I'm glad our kids competed the way they did."
Thornton scored 14 of the Falcons' first 19 points and 9 in the fourth quarter. She scored the first two baskets of the fourth quarter to bring the Falcons to within 2 points, but then they had just one point over the next four minutes and fell behind 44-36.
Junior Maggie Will, among many reserves to contribute Saturday, nailed a big 3-pointer with 1:24 left and scored again inside to cut the gap to 51-45. After a free throw by senior Sarah Cassel, Will rebounded the missed second attempt and Thornton's 3 brought the Falcons to within 2.
"Our team's got a lot of fight in them and that's one thing I like. We never give up," Thornton said. "Even down the stretch, when were down 8 or so, it was cool because we kept fighting back."
Bogan coach Gary Bell was just as ecstatic that his team withstood the determined Falcons.
The Bengals made 13 of 20 free throws in the fourth quarter to finish 17 of 27 overall. This was their third game minus Dickens, who is expected to return next week.
"The girls really stepped up and played very hard. One of the things I saw was growth today," Bell said. "They found how to close games out. Early in the season, we were in every game, even in two overtimes, and we'd lose at the end."