Murillo, Antioch roll to win No. 20
One of the marks of a good team is when every player knows their role.
And Antioch junior back-up center Maddy Murillo certainly understands hers.
Especially on the defensive side of the ball, Murillo provides a much-needed lift when starters are tired and or are in foul trouble.
"She's a great sixth man and gives us a crucial 8 to 10 minutes a game. It's so nice to have a 6-footer coming off the bench too," Sequoits head coach Tim Borries said after his team put the finishing touches on host Lake Forest 58-35 Monday afternoon to claim the first-place hardware in the Martin Luther King tournament.
"She (Maddy) is tough to stop when she uses her height. But she's getting more experience with every game and she's learning how to use her height to her advantage. Whether she comes in for a two-minute or a four-minute span - doesn't matter. She's always ready to play and contribute."
Murillo did her usual thing on Monday, in chipping in 4 points and grabbing 6 rebounds in 12 minutes. It was her defensive presence that helped keep Lake Forest in check and preserve the Sequoit lead.
"I know when I come in I need to keep pace and stay strong," said Murillo, who's no stranger to the hardwood having played since the third grade. "I always try to be confident. We have great chemistry on this team and I just try not to let my teammates down."
There's hardly been any letting down in what is turning out to be a historic season thus far for Antioch. With the win Monday, the Sequoits improved to 20-2 overall and extended their win streak to 18.
Senior guard Shannon Zogran and junior forward Kelly Johnson each popped in 6 points in the opening quarter to help Antioch race to a 20-9 lead. Antioch increased its lead to 32-16 at halftime thanks to a defense that forced 11 Scouts turnovers in the first half. Murillo scored her 4 points in the second period when she came in for senior center Carly McCameron. Sophomore guard Ashley Reiser also chipped in with 4 points in the second to go along with a career-high 12 assists.
"We started a little slow and think we were just tired, having played four games in three days," said Borries. "But we did a great job of showing patience and moving the ball around, especially in the second half."
The Sequoits started putting more space between them and Lake Forest in the third when sophomore guard Amy Reiser netted 5 of her game-high 15 points. The defense did its usual thing in holding Lake Forest to 5-for-13 field goal shooting while also forcing 8 turnovers in the period.
Amy Reiser tossed in her final 7 points in the fourth with the game well at hand. Her 3 with just under five minutes remaining gave Antioch its biggest lead at 55-37.
Ashley Reiser added 14 points and Zogran had 9 on three treys. McCameron and Johnson finished with 9 apiece.
The Sequoits get a day off before returning to action Wednesday when they travel to Wauconda for an NSC Prairie tilt at 7 p.m.