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Libertyville stays hot at Warren's expense

It was certainly the big game in town.

Warren's girls basketball team was riding a 12-game winning streak, and visiting Libertyville had won 8 of its last 10.

And no, Libertyville was not shut out in the third quarter. Riley Weis' drive to the hoop came at the 6:50 mark of the third quarter. So the Wildcats scored exactly one basket in that quarter.

And the 12-game winning streak is over for the team from Gurnee. Weis (14 points) hit two 3s in the fourth quarter and freshman Lydia Crow had a pair.

There were eight lead changes in this North Suburban Conference battle. The last basket of the game came from Weis, and that 3 gave the Wildcats an important win in the conference race. Libertyville won 40-37.

"We picked each other up after that third quarter,'' Weis said. "We, too, can go on runs. We are playing well because we are more experienced now. And we are finishing quarters."

Libertyville coach, Greg Pedersen was well aware how important a win this was.

"They (Warren) are so good,'' Pedersen noted. "We missed some shots in the third quarter, but those 3-pointers were big."

As expected in this match of two gifted clubs, it was close the whole way, including a 13-13 tie after the first quarter. On Weis' first 3 of the game, the Wildcats' lead was 9-5.

Warren senior, Rebekah Foley (14 points) matched that 3 and scored her team's first 8 points.

"Libertyville had a good game plan,'' said Warren coach John Stanczykiewicz. "They made their shots. We made adjustments and but we still didn't convert enough shots."

Libertyville (14-9, 5-3) grabbed a 4-point halftime lead (24-20). The Cats' latest 1,000-point scorer, Claire Keefe (11 points, 12 rebounds), had 6 points in that second quarter.

Both Jordyn Hughes (9 points) and Foley out-scored Libertyville in the third quarter, and Warren (19-4, 7-4) took a 31-26 lead to the fourth.

Crow (9 points) opened the quarter with her second 3-pointer of the game. At times, this ninth-grader looks like a splendid pure shooter.

"Warren is really good,'' Crow said. "We knew we had to score some points in the fourth quarter."

Crow's second 3 of the quarter gave the Cats a 35-33 lead halfway through it. Carolyn Frea (7 points, 13 rebounds), pushed in a long jumper and the Libertyville lead of 37-33 looked safe.

But the Blue Devils got a steal and basket from Asha Lake and a rebound and bucket from Nefeli Papadakis and this game was tied up at 37-37.

"We can't wait for the other team to disappear,'' Stanczykiewicz said. "We just weren't good enough to win tonight."

Warren managed 6 points in the fourth quarter. That, however, wasn't enough as the Cats hit those four 3s.

"Libertyville has a good offensive club,'' Stanczykiewicz said. "And Weis is shooting the ball well right now."

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