Neuqua Valley scores come-from-behind win
It wasn't quite as simple as Megan Callahan described it, but Sandburg did send Neuqua Valley to the free-throw line an awful lot and the Wildcats converted enough to pull out a thrilling 63-57 win on Thursday.
The Wildcats junior guard, who went 10-for-10 from the line, made it sound as if the Eagles just kept letting Neuqua Valley step to free-throw line and so they had no choice but to knock them down. In reality Neuqua Valley earned many of the foul shots with strong cuts and drives to the basket on one end of the floor, and a pressing defense that was creating turnovers on the other end.
Even so, the Eagles (0-1) led the Hinsdale South Hornet Tip Off contest throughout. They never trailed until the fourth quarter after Callahan knocked down a 3-pointer to close to within 46-45. Moments later she sank two free throws for a 47-46 lead with 6:08 left to play.
Sandburg answered with a four-point play from Kennedy Sabutis and eventually built its lead back up to 55-49, but the Wildcats finished with a strong effort on both ends of the floor and pulled out their first victory of the season.
"They just led us to the line and all we could do was make them," said Callahan, who finished with a game-high 21 points after scoring just 4 in the first half. "It was one heck of a game and quite the finish. We had a game Tuesday and we didn't really show our best. This game shows what we're made of."
Neuqua Valley (1-1) dropped its season opener two nights earlier against Batavia and looked in jeopardy of falling to 0-2 before Callahan and Megan Keefer hit timely 3s in the third quarter and the team stayed hot from the foul line. The Eagles led 27-21 at the half with the Wildcats making just two field goals and scoring 17 of their points from the line.
"We had too many fouls. We fouled 30 times in that game," said Eagles coach Nick Fotopoulos, who had three players foul out. "They scored 17 points in the first half on free throws and it had to be something like the same in the second half.
"That was the game. Neuqua's a good team, but we could have beaten them. We just had too many fouls and we had some costly turnovers at the end."
Late in the fourth quarter the Wildcats defense stepped up - eventually forcing 14 second-half turnovers - and continued to work its way to the free-throw line. For the game the Wildcats made 35 of 45 foul shots, compared to 19 points scored by Sandburg from the line.
"We really needed this win. It's the start of the season and it's always nice at the start of the season to have a win on your shoulder," said Wildcats senior Makinzie DeHaan, whose basket underneath tied the game at 55-55 with two minutes to play. "We're trying to rebuild a little this season so we needed this."
Keefer had 12 points and 3 steals for Neuqua, and Rachel Tait had 11 points and 6 rebounds before exiting in the fourth quarter with five fouls. Morgan McAuliffe hot a trio of 3s and led the Eagles with 14 points.