Crystal Lake South handles Cary-Grove

Crystal Lake South could not have pictured a more perfect start as it scored the first 16 points against Fox Valley Conference rival Cary-Grove-Grove in Friday night's Class 4A Grant girls basketball regional championship game.

The outcome was not so clear when Cary-Grove got within 2 points with less than 5 ½ minutes to play. But the Gators, the top seed in the regional, regained their focus to get the photo finish they wanted in a 43-34 victory in Fox Lake.

Now, the Gators (22-8) get their team picture on the wall at school for winning a regional championship - the sixth in their history and first since 2009.

"Before every game it was always a reminder to us of the goal that was set for us since the beginning of the season," said South junior Chanel Fanter, who scored all but 1 of her 19 points in the first half and had 7 rebounds. "Every game and practice we had got us to this point."

Sophomore Annika Sevcik had 12 points and 8 rebounds, senior Kianna Clark had 11 rebounds and 4 assists and seniors Hailee Massie and Gaby DeJesus combined to hit all 6 of their fourth-quarter free throws as South beat third-seed Cary-Grove (13-16) for the third time this season. Now it will try to avenge two losses to Huntley (26-4) at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Rockford Guilford sectional semifinal.

"It feels great, it really does," said first-year South coach Mark Mucha of his team with nine seniors. "The kids worked hard. One of their goals from day one was they wanted to get their picture on the wall."

Fanter had 10 points and South hit 7 of its first 10 shots to lead 16-0 on Sevcik's layup off Clark's feed 12 seconds into the second quarter. The only basket in the opening run without an assist was Fanter's steal and layup.

"We really worked together well and we were all on the same page at first," Sevcik said. "Communication was really important in the first half. We knew our defense was working really hard and offensively we were executing really well."

Cary-Grove missed its first 12 shots against South's zone before Ohio-bound Katie Barker (10 points on 4-for-16 shooting), in her fourth game back from a knee injury, hit a 3-pointer to start an 8-point run. A pair of 3s by Fanter and Sevcik's layup off a Clark assist gave South a 30-12 lead 35 seconds into the second half.

"We all kind of clicked," Fanter said of South's 12-for-22 shooting at that point. "When the whole team clicks it's kind of hard to stop the momentum."

Cary-Grove did by picking up its defensive intensity with Candace Cunningham shutting down Fanter and junior Olivia Miller providing a spark off the bench. Barker's turnaround from just outside the free-throw line cut the deficit to 33-31 with 5:27 left.

"It wasn't like we weren't getting open looks," said Cary-Grove coach Rod Saffert. "Fanter had a phenomenal first half and we did a good job on her in the second half.

"What can you tell them (at halftime) but think how cool it's going to be if we come back and win this thing."

But Cary-Grove went cold again en route to 25.5 percent shooting from the field (13-for-51). The only free throw South missed in 9 attempts in the final 5:13 came after Sevcik was fouled while hitting a baseline drive.

"We got a little nervous," Sevcik said, "but we know in basketball you have to play and complete possessions and make free throws and that's what kept us in the game."

South lost 46-29 and 53-33 to Huntley, which has won 18 in a row and 23 of its last 24, and Illinois-bound junior Ali Andrews.

"We're definitely excited to see what happens," Fanter said.