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Glenbard South adds another win against ICCP

Word is that the Glenbard South girls basketball team is on quite a winning streak.

"We don't want to talk about it," said sophomore center Maggie Bair. "We don't really think about it because we don't want to say anything. We're all just forgetting about it and working hard every day."

Don't tell the Raiders, but it's now nine straight after their 56-27 victory over IC Catholic Prep in front a Pack the Place crowd in Glen Ellyn. They remain undefeated in the Metro Suburban Blue.

Another balanced night carried Glenbard South (16-4, 8-0) offensively. Sarah Cohen had 12 points, Bair 11, Ally Daca and Mady Carli 9 each and Ashley Dodge 7.

Senior Tess Reardon had 11 points for the Knights (10-10, 4-5) with three 3-pointers.

The Raiders led 13-7 after one quarter and opened the second quarter with an 11-0 run that included 3s by Carli and Daca. By halftime they led 31-14 behind five of their six 3s.

"We're really focusing on defense, but I think our offense is coming and we're moving the ball and taking control," said Cohen, also downplaying the streak.

"I think we just go into every game thinking, 'They're good.' We just play as we should - to our best ability - just treat every team like they're better than us. (We) just play hard."

Since the streak began at Wheaton North's Falcon Classic with back-to-back victories by a combined four points, the Raiders have won six of their last seven by double digits, the seventh being Tuesday's 49-42 victory at Illiana Christian.

This is the fourth time during the streak and eighth time this season the opponent scored fewer than 30 points. The Raiders previously beat ICCP 50-18 Dec. 6 in Elmhurst.

"Oh no, we never talk about (the streak)," Glenbard South coach Morgan Kasperek. "We talk about playing basketball and who we're facing. Our focus is defense. How many points are you guys going to let up?

"(ICCP is) a very physical team and that threw us off to start (Friday). Then we got a little bit tougher and that made a big difference. We gave up a few too many offensive rebounds, but we kept our turnovers low and controlled the boards after the first little bit. We played a nice basketball game."

The Raiders' half-court style stymied the Knights' hopes of transition scoring. Junior Claire Gibler drove and scored on ICCP's first possession but soon was guarded by Cohen, regarded as the hawk of the Raiders' man-to-man defense.

After the Knights took a 5-4 lead, the Raiders answered with 3s by freshman reserve Raquel LaPonte and Cohen and Dodge's three-point play.

Gibler finished with 4 points and 9 rebounds. Senior Katie Hendricks added 8 points and 4 rebounds.

"Pretty similar (to last time). They slow the ball up and work their offense and that's tough for us because we end up wanting to run the ball a little bit more," ICCP coach Kelsey James said. "They play halfcourt, get back on defense, do all of those little things that frustrate teams."

Carli and Dodge scored all of their points in the first half. Bair had 9 in the second half.

Despite a scoreless second quarter, Bair was vital with 5 steals, 3 assists and 3 rebounds in the period. She finished with 12 rebounds, 7 steals and 3 blocks.

"(Assistant coach Steve Gross) talks about it, and my parents have told me if you're not making shots on offense, you have to get it back on defense," Bair said.

Friday's Pack the Place atmosphere added to the Raiders' enjoyment.

"It was very different than normal. It was a big crowd tonight. We normally don't have that," Carli said.

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