Schaumburg states its case by stopping Hoffman Estates
It was Schaumburg's turn Friday night to deliver a statement in Mid-Suburban West girls basketball.
And the Saxon girls did just that in an impressive 57-32 win at Hoffman Estates, against a Hawks squad that had upset Fremd just a week earlier.
They raced out of the gate with a 9-0 spurt to open the game, reinforced the lead to double digits by halftime and pretty much blunted every Hoffman comeback attempt in a convincing win that raised them to 4-21 overall but 3-4 in the division.
Saxons coach Jacqui Storm was very pleased that her team rose to the occasion by playing solid defense, hitting the boards, forcing turnovers and hitting their open looks.
On offense, it was a matter of discipline. "They have to be patient," to generate the shots they need, she said, and they were.
Point guard Kayla Patterson used her quickness to not only get open but get to the line en route to 10 points, part of a balanced Saxons scoring effort.
Forward Ariana Doroskin found her spots against Hoffman's zone, hitting a pair of 3-pointers en route to a 12-point night. Vicky Aguirre matched her inside, scoring 12 with a lot of patience around the basket and blocking a couple of shots at the other end.
Kendall Fredrickson had 11 points and took turns with Doroskin feeding each other on the fastbreak while everyone chipped in on defense.
They had to. Hoffman's Tayler Williams (10 points) and Nora Thomas can kill it from the perimeter, and while Williams showed some flash getting herself open for rainbow 3-pointers, she had to work hard for her team-high 10 points. Aguirre, with help, limited Raven Wilson to 6.
"We were out of our game for sure," said Hoffman Estates coach Mike Koester. "Give (Schaumburg) credit. They took us out of our offense."
Hoffman Estates made one last run at the Saxons, reducing the lead to 8 in the third. But Schaumburg went on a 10-point tear and eventually opened the lead to a more-comfortable 43-26 on baskets by sophomore guard Talia Torosian, Fredrickson on a Torosian feed, Patterson on a pair of free throws off a driving attempt, 2 free throws by Aguirre and Dorosian's basket on the break from Fredrickson.