Jacobs rallies to down Hampshire
With the quest for a Fox Valley Conference girls basketball championship expected to be wide open, every game will be of the utmost importance.
Jacobs, outscoring Hampshire 18-8 in the fourth quarter, rallied for a 46-41 win over the visiting Whip-Purs in the FVC opener for both teams in Algonquin Tuesday night.
"There doesn't look like a dominant team in the conference this season, so every game is important," said Jacobs coach Joe Benoit. "Every team has a chance to win the conference. This was a huge win at home against a very good Hampshire team. Our pressure was consistent for 32 minutes and we made big shots."
The Whip-Purs, who were hindered by 27 turnovers, entered the fourth quarter with a 33-28 advantage.
The Golden Eagles (2-3, 1-0), who started the final 8 minutes on a 10-0 run, took the lead for good 36-33 on a 3-pointer from Kerri Healy with 5:46 remaining in the game.
Healy completed the 10-point surge with a 12-footer in the lane to make the score 38-33 with 4:10 left.
The Whip-Purs' (3-3, 0-1) fourth-quarter drought ended when Meagan Heine connected on 2 free throws to make the score 38-35. Heine scored Hampshire's first basket of the quarter on a layup with 2:33 left to cut Jacobs' lead to 38-37.
Two free throws each by Healy and Grace O'Malley in the last minute, preserved the win for Jacobs.
Healy, with two 3-pointers, paced Jacobs with 14 points.
"I think anybody on our team would have stepped up and made shots in the fourth quarter," said Healy, a junior and 3-year starter. "I had the shots and was able to make them. I have always been the younger player on the team. Even though we have six seniors on the team I consider myself a leader. This was a good win. Hampshire is a tough, physical team."
Benoit likes Healy's improvement every year.
"Kerri missed some shots early but she didn't get frustrated," said the Jacobs coach. "She played with a lot of confidence in the fourth quarter when we needed her."
Carly Sidor added 9 for the winners.
Heine scored 16 and Dumoulin 14 to combine for 30 of the Whip-Purs' 41 points.
"Rachel and Meagan had very good games," said Hampshire coach Mike Featherly. "We need other kids to score. Jacobs came out with a lot of pressure and got us off kilter. We never matched their intensity. We committed 27 turnovers and gave up 13 offensive rebounds which is very uncharacteristic for us. It is just one conference game. We just need to get better."