Streamwood struggles but gets past Elgin
There was a lot to overcome for the Streamwood girls basketball team on Monday night. Not only were the Sabres without their star post player Jenejha Williams, who was ineligible after picking up 2 technical fouls in the regular season finale, but the Sabres also had to survive a disastrous shooting night from the field and at the free throw line, plus a decided disadvantage on the boards.
Despite all that Streamwood still managed to fight its way to a 48-29 win over Elgin in first round action of the Class 4A Larkin regional behind the strength of a game-high 17 points from freshman point guard Mandy Mien. The Sabres advance to play Cary-Grove, a team they lost to by 6 points earlier in the year.
Streamwood (14-13) shot just 14 of 63 (22 percent) from the field and 20 of 46 (43 percent) from the free-throw line. The Sabggleres were also outrebounded 53-40.
The Sabres led just 22-18 at halftime after making just 5 of 27 shots from the field and 12 of 28 from the line, but outscored the Maroons 16-3 in the third quarter to pull away to a 38-21 lead.
"We knew how bad we played in the first half," Streamwood coach George Rosner said. "Sometimes I didn't even recognize our team out there. We knew there was going to be an adjustment without J and the girls had prepared to be without her. I thought they did a good job of getting shots and getting to the line, but we just couldn't hit a basket."
The one thing the Sabres did do well all night was play defense especially in the third quarter when they forced 13 turnovers and held the Maroons without a field goal.
"We were using our trap press," Rosner said. "In the first half they were breaking it with a single pass. In the second half we focused on taking that pass to the middle away from them."
Mien had 8 points in the third to fuel the Sabres offense.
"Mandy just took over the game with her passing and driving," Rosner said. "I was proud of the way we hung in there. Really in the playoffs you are just looking for any way to win and tonight we found a way."
Mien added 5 more points in the fourth quarter.
"The first half we didn't play very well," Mien said. "But we just kept our composure and we knew we had to pick up the energy."
The Maroons (5-21) managed to stay close in the first half, but fell on hard times after the break. Elgin shot just 3-of-21 from the field in the second half.
Ali Reynolds had a team-high 13 points for Elgin. Dajha Cooper added 10 points and 12 rebounds.