Fremd, Tworek take Turkey Thriller triumph
The last few years, all-area guard/forward Grace Tworek was an underclassman playing primarily with the same starters each season.
But now, as a senior, she is the lone returning starter for Fremd which was second in the Class 4A state girls basketball tournament the last two seasons.
"It will take time," she said. "But I think we will get the hang of it with one another."
It didn't take a lot of time for Fremd to assert itself on Friday night in its second-round game of the Lake Zurich Turkey Thriller in Palatine.
Three-point baskets by Tworek (game-high 21 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals) and classmate Midori Williams (9 points) gave the Vikings a quick 6-0 lead and they never looked back in a 61-29 triumph over visiting Deerfield.
While also getting baskets from freshman Olivia Hill, freshman Emily Klaczek and junior Danielle Lovelace, the Vikes led 25-5 after one quarter.
Fremd coach Dave Yates got all 13 of his available players on the floor in the first half.
Tworek scored all eight of the Vikes' points in the second quarter and they took a 33-16 lead into intermission.
They came back and outscored the Warriors 15-6 in the third quarter with Missy Adrian and Hayley Williams also contributing to the offense.
Klaczek (14 points) also hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the period.
"Although we made it downstate the last couple of years, it's still nice to play with some new faces," Tworek said. "Even with the new people we still have the same goals. It's just different people trying to achieve them."
There are already signs of the chemistry forming.
With two minutes left in the first quarter, Tworek was part of nifty play.
Hayley Williams came running out of the paint toward Tworek, who had just caught a pass near the 3-point line.
Tworek faked a handoff to Williams and was left all alone to step back behind the line and sink one of her four-3 pointers.
"She is definitely one of the best players around," said Deerfield coach Mike Muldrow of the 6-foot-2 Tworek. "Because she shoots 3s, she is a real tough matchup. She's sort of nightmare matchup, not only for us but everyone."
Hill (6 points) added 7 rebounds for the Vikings (2-0) while Klaczek had 4 steals and 3 assists. Both were in eighth grade a year ago.
"I thought our second line came in and showed it could to keep up the starters' tempo, which is incredible," said Adrian, also a talented soccer player. "Overall, the whole team was trying to make great passes, and the team chemistry was great."
The Elkes' twins sure had the 3-point chemistry going for Deerfield.
Juniors Rachel (11 points) and Olivia (9) each hit three from long range as they provided the Warriors (1-1) with more than half of their offensive points.
"Fremd is a very good team," Muldrow said. "I don't think we came out and played well but we settled down a little in the second quarter and played better.
"They drive and dish very well. We didn't sink in as well as we should have and they got some wide open looks.
"Any time we'd get some momentum, Tworek would go to the basket with a spin layup or make 3-pointer on us. She played well."
Deerfield's motto this season is W.I.N., which stands for 'what is next?'
"We just want to play well on the next play and not hang our heads," Muldrow said. "If you do that, only good things are going to happen.''
Fremd hopes better things continue to happen as the season moves forward.
"As I've said, we are a work in progress," Yates said. "We showed some good moments where we took control of the game. It's early in the year and we've got things to work on.
"Other than our top four players, we don't have a lot of kids with varsity experience. So there will be many learning points."