Schaumburg accelerates past Leyden

In describing his team's 68-40 win over visiting Leyden on Tuesday night, Schaumburg girls basketball coach Curtis Goodwin said his Saxons got off to a slow start and then picked up their energy.

He could have been describing the overall season.

After beginning 4-7, the surging Saxons have won six of their last eight games and three straight to climb above .500 at 10-9.

Senior Jada Blackwell's scoring average continued to climb as well as she tossed in a team-high 17 points followed by a 19-point outburst against Barrington and 22 against McHenry on Monday night.

"We have to keep playing as a team," said Blackwell, an all-area volleyball player this fall. "The more we talk and communicate on the floor, the better we do."

Also reaching double figures for the Saxons were sophomore Laura O'Connell (15 points) and senior Taylor Helton (12).

"Laura played well," Goodwin said. "She was aggressive, got to the basket and found her teammates."

Helton scored all her points in the second half.

"She was aggressive," Goodwin said."And she finished well."

The start of the game saw both team even at 9 after one quarter.

Leyden sophomore guard Artasia Gusman helped keep the Eagles (7-12) close early in the game, scoring 11 of their first 13 points and finishing with 17.

"She was awesome," said Eagle first year coach Stephanie Kuzmanic. "She's a point guard and she held everything in place for us when things weren't going so well. To show that poise and leadership as a sophomore is pretty impressive."

Gusman's 11th point, a driving bank shot, got Carmel to within 15-13 of Schaumburg with 4:20 left in the half.

But then Came the Saxons' charge.

In the final four minutes, the hosts outscored the visitors 17-2, getting 3-pointers from Kelsey Hill, Lily Chavarria and Mallory Gerber during the streak.

"I thought the group we had in at the end of the second quarter did a real nice job," Goodwin said. "They had a lot of energy and we had a strong finish to the game. Hopefully we can carry that momentum over to our next game."

Senior Alondra Chavarria added 12 points for the Eagles, connecting for a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter.

Rebecca Johnson, Cherish Sepulveda and Rebecca Miranda also made it into the scoring column for Leyden

"It was a combination of Schaumburg doing a good job running their offense, and getting open looks and making them," Kuzmanic said.

Paige Alt (7 points, one 3-pointer) and Brittany Reinhart (6 points) each made three baskets for the Saxons, who host Palatine on Friday night. Leyden visits Downers Grove South on Saturday.