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Big third quarter lifts Montini past Hersey

Montini wasn't trying to prove anything to anyone else in its opening game at the Montini Christmas Tournament on Wednesday afternoon.

The Broncos advanced to the tournament winners bracket with a 68-41 victory against Hersey. The Broncos will meet Marist at 4:45 p.m. Thursday.

"That was kind of for us," Montini junior guard Sydney Prochaska said.

Montini made its intentions known early, jumping out to a 19-8 lead after one quarter.

"It was really important for us," said Prochaska, a Southern Illinois University recruit. "I feel like our team is better when we get off to that lead and we get off to that start and then we just keep pushing and keep going through that."

"It's the first time we've done that in a long, long time, because we've been really sloppy coming out of the gates. So it was nice to see," added Montini coach Jason Nichols.

Hersey seemed to get comfortable in the second quarter, making 6 of 10 shots to cut the Montini lead to 27-21 at halftime. The Broncos put the game away with a 28-point third quarter, making 11 of 18 shots.

"Normally, we come out a little slower in the third quarter," Prochaska said, "and this third quarter we were like, we are going to come out hard and fast and make sure we come out and we dominate that third quarter."

Senior Zoe MacKay Zacker, playing in her first holiday tournament after a series of knee injuries, was 4 of 5 from 3-point range in the third.

"They were very big," Prochaska said. "She is coming back strong and hard and better than ever, and it is great for our team and I am really happy that she is back."

MacKay Zacker and freshman Tatiana Thomas scored 12 points apiece for the Broncos (15-1), and Sophie Sullivan and Prochaska each scored 11. The Broncos made a dozen 3-point shots in the game.

"We had a nice finish to the second quarter," Hersey coach Mary Fendley said. "I think they're a really good team, but I think we had such a bad showing in the third quarter, I think we're better than what we showed today, in the second half anyway."

Hersey will play Batavia at 8 a.m. Thursday.

"I guess that's the good thing about a tournament is you get to come back and get the bad taste out of your mouth after you don't feel like you played to your potential," Fendley said.

Senior Emily Collins led Hersey (9-6) with 10 points, and sophomore Mary McGrath scored 9.

"Mary McGrath to me was the kid that didn't seem intimidated, came right back. Every possession she just went after it," Fendley said. "I think to her it doesn't matter if we felt we were outmatched or if she felt (hopeless), she just played hard the whole game, both ends of the court. She wasn't intimidated and I like that."

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