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Crow, Libertyville soar at Buffalo Grove

This must have been an exhausting three quarters of basketball as the Bison Classic opened on Thursday night. That because both Libertyville and Buffalo Grove each scored just 4 points in the final quarter.

It's the first three quarters that made this game interesting. Libertyville sharpshooter Lydia Crow didn't score in the even quarters (second and fourth). The sophomore instead made her stand in the odd quarters. As in three 3-pointers in the first and four more in the third quarter on her way to a game-high 23 points.

Libertyville led start to finish and beat the host, Buffalo Grove, 53-41 in the nightcap of the tournament play.

"My teammates did a great job of finding me open," Crow said.

It's clear from the rosters on both these squads that these teams are on the young side. Libertyville has just two seniors. Buffalo Grove has just one 12th-grader. One of those rare seniors, Morgan Manski, opened the three-point shooting for her team.

"I play the one or the two," Manski explained. "I like getting the ball to people who are open."

And she watched as Crow seemingly took this game over with her long-range shooting.

"Lydia is a great shooter and a great teammate," Manski said.

Also joining in the fun from long distance was Buffalo Grove junior Alyssa Floro. She had 2 of her three 3s in the game's first two minutes. However, when the first quarter closed, Crow and the Bison were tied at 11. The Cats had opened up a 21-11 first-quarter lead.

"Most of our team graduated," said Libertyville coach Greg Pedersen. "But this group is quicker and more athletic. This group can also score. We just need to mature and get more experience."

Buffalo Grove guard Jackie Bickhaus (10 points) began to drive to the hoop in the second quarter as the young Bison tried to fight back.

"We play hard," said Buffalo Grove coach Steve Kolodziej. "This is a great group of kids. We just have the one senior but we will get some experience this year. This was a good opening-day test for us."

The odd-numbered third quarter opened and Ms. Crow began firing up three-pointers again. Her final one upped Libertyville's lead to 49-37.

"My mom and brother played high school basketball,'' Crow said. "I think it was the sixth grade when I started to hit my shots."

Manski landed a 3-pointer in the high-flying third quarter.

"We have a lot of younger players this year,'' Manski said. "We have a good diversity of players. It's a good opportunity."

Again, there wasn't much scoring in the fourth quarter. Libertyville freshman Lauren Huber, scored early in the final quarter. Teammate Emma Manolovic (5 points), tallied for the Cats more than six minutes later.

Floro delivered a 3-pointer in the final quarter.

Buffalo Grove sophomore, Kendra Lee checked in with 6 points and added 7 rebounds.

  Libertyville's Lydia Crow battles Buffalo Grove's Alyssa Ramos for possession on Thursday at Buffalo Grove. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Libertyville forward Maggie Evers shoots over Buffalo Grove forward Sam Hansen on Thursday at Buffalo Grove. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Buffalo Grove forward Kendra Lee, left, dribbles around Libertyville guard Morgan Manski on Thursday at Buffalo Grove. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Libertyville guard Lydia Crow blocks the shot by Jackie Bickhaus on Thursday. Gilbert R. Boucher II/ gboucher@dailyherald.com
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