Quincy Senior outmuscles Grayslake Central

One might have thought they were watching a rugby match.

Grayslake Central junior forward Kate Bullman and some of her teammates might have a few bumps and bruises after a game of flying around and hitting the floor diving for numerous loose balls.

Grayslake Central prides itself on quickness and defense, and the Rams had 15 steals to show for it. Only it was Quincy Senior that muscled out a 41-39 victory over the Rams, making both teams 3-1 in the event after the fourth round of the Blue Devil Classic at Warren on Friday afternoon.

"We tried our best. They were just a physical team," said Bullman, who poured in a game-high 19 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 4 steals. "We played really well at the end. We just need to work on starting stronger so we don't dig ourselves a hole."

Trailing 37-27, the Rams (13-5) made a furious charge in the fourth, outscoring the Blue Devils 12-4. After Bullman canned a pair of foul shots, she took a charge, ending up on the floor. She promptly scored the next 5 points to draw the Rams within 39-37 with 26 seconds left in regulation.

Quincy's Sarah Nelson (12 points) answered with a layup before Rams senior point guard Maura Fitzgerald popped in the last bucket with no time left on the clock.

Grayslake Central's loss snapped its eight-game winning streak.

"I was proud of how we played the last few minutes," said coach Steve Ikenn, whose Rams play Lake Forest (4-0 tourney) in the finale at 3 p.m. Saturday. "But give Quincy credit. They were physical and took us out of our rhythm. We need to have the same effort the whole game, like we did in the end when we came back."

Quincy Senior held a 26-18 halftime lead and upped its advantage to 11 on three occasions in the third. Bullman scored 7 points in the frame.

Senior guard Rosie Drevline chipped in 14 points to complement Bullman, and Fitzgerald's quick hands and anticipation to the ball netted her 7 steals to go along with 6 rebounds.

"Everyone played hard and hustled," Ikenn said. "We couldn't dig ourselves out all the way at the end."

Quincy Senior (14-3) also got 10 points from Kaileigh Carothers.