Rogers makes season debut in Lake Park triumph
If a basketball team's opponent is making a lot of 3-point baskets, that's OK as long as the team is doing the same. But if the opponent is making all the 3s, its grip on the game gets very tight.
That was the case Thursday night at Waubonsie Valley as the Warriors played host to Lake Park in the DuPage Valley Conference opener for both teams. The Lancers (5-1, 1-0) sank five 3-pointers to the Warriors' one in the third quarter and pulled away to an 81-57 win.
The game featured the return of Lake Park sophomore Darrione Rogers. Rogers was playing her first game of the season after recovering from a torn ACL that limited her freshman playing time to just 4½ minutes.
Her season-opening performance was a game-high 23 points, including four 3-pointers.
"It was a great feeling (to be back). My teammates gave me all the confidence to compete," Rogers said.
She said that rehabbing the knee was a big challenge.
"It's a mental thing, night in and night out. You have to work hard and do the extra things," said Rogers, who is being recruited nationally.
Coach Brian Rupp said some athletes can't make the recovery from such an injury, but he believes Rogers had what it took to return to the team.
"It shows how tough mentally she is. She's the hardest worker I've known since I have been coach," he said.
Rogers was one of four Lancers to score in double digits. Carson Vance hit for 20 points, including a game-high five 3-pointers. Kinsey Tweedy scored 13 and Paige Westfall contributed 11.
"I think the key is we believe in ourselves, we move the ball around, make the extra pass. We are very unselfish," Rogers said.
Waubonsie (2-4, 0-1) led 19-15 on 7-of-13 shooting from the field in the first eight minutes. It became a battle of 3-pointers in the second quarter as the Lancers led the Warriors in that category 4-3, which led to a 23-point output and a 38-32 halftime lead.
With 3:50 left in the third quarter, Waubonsie's Gina Palasz, who led her team with 16 points, sank a pair of free throws to put the Warriors to within 48-45.
Lake Park responded with an 8-0 run that included a field goal from Daina Riser and a 3-pointer and also a 3-pointer from Tweedy.
Waubonsie coach Brett Love called a timeout with 1:55 left to try and cool things off. Coming out of that timeout, Westfall hit a free throw and then the Warriors' Keeshya Bellows made good on a putback to make it 57-47. Rogers closed the quarter by making good on her own 3-point shot.
The Lancers didn't let up in the fourth quarter with a 21-point showing.
"I don't think we'll hit for 81 every night. But if we stay balanced, we will be tough to beat," Rupp said.
As for Waubonsie, Love said it came down to defense.
"We focused on defense this summer, this fall. The defense needed a dramatic improvement. I see some improvement, but it's not were we need to be," he said.