Naperville Central can't get shots to fall
From its injury-riddled start to its end in Wednesday's Class 4A Lockport regional semifinals, Naperville Central didn't catch many breaks this girls basketball season.
The No. 8-seeded Redhawks lost to No. 9 Oswego East 52-42. The Wolves will play No. 17 seed Yorkville in the regional final. Yorkville upset No. 1 seed Minooka 44-38 in the first semifinal.
Forced to become a 3-point shooting team after losing 6-foot-1 senior center Lucy Schmid - an All-Area player last season and "the heart and soul of this team," said sophomore guard Gabi Melby - to a knee injury in November, the Redhawks (12-20) made just 3 of 27 shots from behind the arc. They made 14 of 53 overall.
"I think we all got good looks," said Melby, who missed the first couple of weeks of the season with a wrist injury. "Couldn't execute. Couldn't find our rhythm."
The only place the Redhawks could get their shots to drop was the free-throw line, where they made 11 of 13.
"I never questioned our effort and our heart, but we're a better team than we showed," Redhawks coach Andy Nussbaum added. "That's the disappointing thing. There's part of me that says, well, you've got to give them some credit. Maybe they're just a little quicker or just a little taller. We could've made better shots. We could've made better decisions about shots to take. ...
"This is a real frustrating end because our effort all year, despite injuries, despite everything that happened."
Oswego East (16-12) jumped out to an 11-2 lead to start the game, but the Redhawks fought back. They went on a 12-0 run that ended in the second quarter, and they led 22-18 at halftime despite not making a 3-pointer.
Things were looking up for the Redhawks when Karly Maida opened the second half by banking in a 3-pointer, but that 7-point lead was as good as it got for Naperville Central.
"I was a little concerned at halftime because we hadn't made a 3," Nussbaum said. "And then when Karly makes one to start the half, even though it was a banker, well, that will kind of break the ice. And then it just never (happened)."
Oswego East answered by scoring 16 straight points to take the lead for good. Melby's 3-pointer at the 6:55 mark of the fourth quarter ended the drought, cutting the Wolves' advantage to 37-30. The Redhawks got no closer than 5 points.
"I think the first couple of minutes we kind of psyched ourselves out," Melby said. "We couldn't find our rhythm again. They played hard (defense). That's one thing. We couldn't find our looks. They played really tough 'D' the second half, and they're a really good team. Kudos to them because they played great defense on us and guarding the 3-point line. I wish them the best of luck during the regional championship and however far they go."
Oswego East went 12 of 21 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
Melby led the Redhawks with 17 points, and Emily Spisak added 9. Maida had 6 points and 11 rebounds, and Lauren Umbright scored 5 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
"I'm very proud of every single one of those girls," Melby said. "They're my best friends."