Prospect posts another impressive win

Prospect's girls basketball team is starting the season with six games in eight days.

"We'll learn a lot about our team in a short period," said Gabrielle Lovin.

The first-year Knights coach learned on Wednesday that she can have confidence in her team's post play.

Senior forward Angela Roman scored 11 of her game and career-high 16 points in the fourth quarter to help Prospect to a 44-28 victory over Conant in each team's second game of the fifth annual York Girls Thanksgiving Tournament in Elmhurst.

As Conant began cutting into a 15-point Prospect lead in the second half, Lovin had to make a decision.

"They were sticking with us and hitting some 3-pointers," Lovin said. "Do you want to trade height for speed? We went with the posts and they were the big difference."

Roman's 5 baskets in the final in a span of six minutes in the final quarter prevented the Cougars from getting close than 7 points.

Senior Clare O'Carroll also made a big sweeping move inside to score her second basket of the game and lift the Knights' lead to 35-24 with 4:10 left.

"Clare and I had a lot of high and low stuff going on," Roman said. "We realized they didn't have a lot of tall posts so we used that to our advantage.

"We got a little sloppy in the second half of our first game, too (a 61-44 win over Oswego). We've got to keep working hard to the end."

Unfortunately for Conant (0-2), the Cougars will have to work extra hard after learning on Wednesday that two-time all-area guard Nireet Dhillon will be lost for the season with a fractured patella. The three-year starting guard will undergo surgery today at Rush Presbyterian Hospital in Chicago.

"I can't tell you how proud I was of the kids' attitude and effort in this game," said Conant second-year coach Deirdre Naughton. "That's what we need to come out with every night. It's fun to watch.

"These girls played with a lot of emotion without Nireet. Not only was it emotional losing her as a teammate on the floor but as a friend as well. This was not easy for team."

Junior guard Jorie Wachal did a splendid job trying to pick up the slack for the injured Dhillon, who'd scored 14 points in Conant's season opener on Monday.

Wachal scored almost half of the Cougars' points, getting 13 with a pair of 3-pointers in the third quarter.

Conant senior Karlie Heneghan (8 points) and junior Michelle Bensen (5) also contributed 3-pointers in the second half.

"We've got some kids still learning the speed of the varsity game," Naughton said. "Once they get used to it, and keep playing with the attitude and effort they did this game, we will be seeing some positive things."

Lovin saw her team build a 17-9 lead at half with five different players in scoring column.

Also reaching double figures for the Knights (2-0) was senior guard Nikki Matters (12 points) while classmates Brenda Kendziera added 7 and Angelina Villasin 5.

Villasin has helped direct the offense which junior Haley Will, an all-area selection last season, is expected to handle. Will is currently sidelined with illness.

"Angelina does a really nice job," Lovin said. "She worked real hard in the off-season to get where she is at. So far we have stated with good senior leadership."

Lovin (Manhattan College) and Naughton (DePaul) were both D-I women's basketball players.

"They (Conant) are well-coached," Lovin said."Deirdre does a nice job. It was nice to coach against someone who I played with and against."