Schaumburg Christian falls to Newark
Newark High School senior forward Kellie Snyder has had aproclivity in terms of rebounding the basketball during her prep career and especially this season averaging 13 rebounds per contest.
Some folks call her the Dennis Rodman of Newark, referencing the former NBA star.
With all deference to Mr. Rodman, Snyder put on a performance certainly worthy of that kind of respect on the high school level and added some amazing offense, scoring a team-best 20 points on perfect 14-of-14 shooting from the field and one free-throw. She also hauled down 20 rebounds to record the ultrarare 20-20 double-double as Newark bested Schaumburg Christian 71-54 during Tuesday evening's Class 1A Hinckley-Big Rock sectional girls basketball semifinal matchup.
"All I wanted to do tonight was come in and advance and I got a ton of great assists from the rest of my team," Snyder said. "Actually after the game I said I was retiring and ending my career on a big note but I guess I can't do that."
Not yet. Because courtesy of Snyder's epic night, Newark (21-8) will now advance to Thursday's sectional championship game against Little Ten Conference foe Serena (31-2), which had to sweat out a 5-five point victory over the hosts from H-BR in the night's first sectional semi.
Senior post player K.J. Friestad also contributed with a remarkable double-double of her own tossing in 16 points and corralling 14 rebounds as Newark outrebounded Schaumburg Christian by the huge margin of 51-16.
The Conquerors (18-9) finished off a program-best campaign by watching senior Summer Reid pour in a game-high 33 points including 5 3-pointers as well as 17 points off the hands of sophomore Carynton Hobson as the pair accounted for all but four of the Schaumburg Christian point total.
"There was nothing we could really do with Newark tonight and they were the better team especially with their big girls really controlling the game," Conquerors coach LeaRon Reid said. "They got a ton of points in the paint, played great defense so hats off to them. But I'm proud of my girls who worked hard to get here."