Game effort, but no win for Grayslake North
Grayslake North's weekend in Washington included four games. And more games.
"They made a game 'American Idol' and 'America's Got Talent,' " freshman guard Brandi Thibeaux said of her teammates. "It was just crazy."
The Knights got singing talent?
Maybe not.
"It wasn't the best," Thibeaux said with a laugh. "It was funny, though."
Winners of four straight games for the first time this season, Grayslake North flashed its basketball talents Saturday against visiting Woodstock. Unfortunately for the Knights, it went as well as their singing in central Illinois last weekend.
Woodstock saw an 11-point lead early in the second half trimmed to one on three occasions, including twice in the fourth quarter, before capturing a 46-38 decision in a Fox Valley Fox Division contest.
Senior forward Selena Juarez scored 22 points and grabbed 6 rebounds for Woodstock (15-8, 5-3), while 5-foot-10 Gabriella Scolio added 12 points and 14 boards. The Blue Streaks also received 7 points and 11 rebounds from Brecken Overly.
Grayslake North (11-11, 5-3) received 11 points and 8 rebounds from the 5-5 Thibeaux and 11 points and 3 steals from Sidney Lovitsch.
"We've been playing with confidence and momentum, but Woodstock just played really well defensively today," said coach Rob Nicoletti, whose Knights beat Prairie Ridge last Wednesday in their first game back from Washington. "The second-half effort was much better than the first-half. We got ourselves right back into it, but when it was a one- or two-point game, we just couldn't get over that hump and really take control of it."
Down 10-6 after one quarter and 23-14 at halftime, the Knights got back in the game thanks to the play of Thibeaux, Lovitsch and Sammie Villwock, who came off the bench to grab 3 rebounds, including two offensive, in the third quarter.
When Lovitsch stole the ball and fed Thibeaux for a layup just before the buzzer, Grayslake North was within 29-28 entering the fourth.
After a drive and bucket by Maggie Fish with 2:24 left, the Knights were still within a point (36-35). But a 3-pointer by Overly was a backbreaker.
Grayslake North missed eight 3-point shots down the stretch, with only Kelley O'Brien (5 points, 7 rebounds) hitting one.
"We just weren't playing together like we normally do," said Fish, who had 7 points and 3 steals. "We started off a little rough. Our second half was much better, but it's just hard to come back when you dig yourself that big of a hole."
At least the Washington trip was positive. The Knights spent three nights in a hotel.
"I knew it was going to be fun," Thibeaux said. "I was very excited before we even went there because I knew hanging out and being in rooms together was going to build our team chemistry up and prepare us for games when we came back."
Thibeaux, whose sister Brittney is a freshman on the basketball team at North Dakota State College of Science, made the all-tourney team.
"She's doing really well," Fish said of her freshman teammate. "She's just like her sister - real tough, she knows how to score for us, and she's a good team player."