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New Trier hangs on against Geneva

With its season slipping away in the third quarter of the Class 4A Conant supersectional Monday night, Geneva girls basketball coach Sarah Meadows called timeout to rally her troups.

New Trier was on a 17-3 run spanning the second and third quarters to erase an early 7-point Geneva lead and put the Vikings in a 9-point hole.

"It was gut-check time," Meadows said. "I said you have to decide what you want out of this game. You want to lose by 15 or do you want to be in it?"

That's a question you don't need to ask seniors like Abby Novak and Janie McCloughan. Geneva fought back, getting as close as 49-48 at one point with four minutes left.

The Vikings had shots in the air that could have tied the game or put them in the lead, but they could never quite get over the hump. New Trier pulled away with free throws late for a 57-49 victory.

"Our kids responded," Meadows said. "They are fighters, they are competitors. A lot of people doubted us in this game and they didn't care one bit."

New Trier (30-1) will play Fremd on Friday night in the state semifinals.

The Vikings did everything they could to get there, outrebounding a New Trier team with a 6-foot-3, 6-2, 5-11, 5-10, 5-10 starting lineup, 36-25. That height made it difficult for the Vikings to convert at their usual clip, and they finished at 31.5 percent from the field (18 of 57) to New Trier's 22-for-44.

Geneva (23-7), playing its fifth supersectional the last seven years, also hit 8 of 15 free throws while the Trevians sank 11 of 14.

"This team has the most heart I have ever seen," Novak said. "I knew we could get back like we did. These girls are so competitive and they want to win not just for themselves but for each other."

Geneva started fast and led most of the first half, scoring the first 7 points. Novak opened the scoring on a high-low pass from Grace Loberg. McCloughan converted a 3-point play on a third-chance putback, and then she scored again on a drive.

New Trier missed its first 8 shots but recovered with an 8-2 run to close the first quarter down 9-8. Geneva led 20-15 after a 3-pointer from Margaret Whitley and McCloughan's layup. But the Trevians outscored Geneva 12-3 to end the half up 27-23, sparked mainly by the play of Haley Greer with a variety of spin moves and drives.

When the Trevians opened the third quarter with 5 straight they led 32-23. Geneva rallied behind the play of Novak, who repeatedly penetrated New Trier's 2-3 zone and found Loberg and McCloughan down low.

Freshmen guards Whitley and Stephanie Hart also keyed the comeback with their 3-point shooting. Whitley's third of the game, from well beyond the arc, brought Geneva within 47-43.

Whitley then drove and found Loberg making it 49-45. Novak assisted Hart for a 3-pointer, getting Geneva within 49-48 with 4:09 left.

"They have ice in their veins," Meadows said. "To play like that as freshmen in the supersectional game? Pretty cool."

Geneva only managed a McCloughan free throw over the final four minutes. Jackie Welch's layup gave New Trier a 51-48 lead. While Geneva couldn't get another shot to fall the Trevians sealed the game making 6 of 8 free throws.

"We held our composure," Trevians coach Teri Rodgers said. "I thought that was the key."

Greer led New Trier with 18 points and Jeannie Boehm had 14 points and 12 rebounds while having her hands full with Loberg (9 points, 14 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocked shots).

"It was definitely difficult," Boehm said. "Sometimes I would box out and go up for a rebound and it would not go into my hands. It was very different."

McCloughan (13 points), Novak (11 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals), Whitley (10 points, 5 rebounds) and Hart (6 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocked shots) all battled for Geneva.

"I think we are the definition of a team," Meadows said. "We don't stand on one person. Everybody matters. They play together, they work together, they win together, they lose together. This senior group is special. They are just good, good solid role model example kids and we're going to miss them a lot."

Images: Geneva vs. New Trier, girls basketball

  Geneva players, including Margaret Whitley, left, and Stephanie Hart, right, leave the court after a Class 4A supersectional loss to New Trier at Conant High School in Hoffman Estates on Monday night. Patrick Kunzer/pkunzer@dailyherald.com
  Geneva's Margaret Whitley, right, tries to get past New Trier's Jeannie Boehm, left, during Class 4A supersectional play at Conant High School in Hoffman Estates Monday night. Patrick Kunzer/pkunzer@dailyherald.com
  Geneva's Grace Loberg, right, takes the ball to the hoop against New Trier during Class 4A supersectional play at Conant High School in Hoffman Estates on Monday night. Patrick Kunzer/pkunzer@dailyherald.com
  Geneva's Abby Novak, left, and New Trier's Jeannie Boehm, right, reach for a rebound during Class 4A supersectional play at Conant High School in Hoffman Estates on Monday night. Patrick Kunzer/pkunzer@dailyherald.com
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