Maine West's Kent going out in style, and as a winner

When you've helped your team win 76 of its last 79 games, you're going out in style as a girls basketball player.

Rachel Kent's style for the past four years has surely been that of a winner.

But more importantly, the winning is hardly what Kent will take away as her best moments as a Maine West Warrior.

"Wins are great but it's more about the team you play with and the players who make you better," Kent said. "And the coaches like coach D (Kim de Marigny) and when coach (Derril) Kipp (late hall of farmer) was here.

"They're all great. The things I'll probably remember the most is spending all the time together with my teammates, the team bonding, the bus rides and all those things we did together."

The next thing they'll do together is play in Normal this weekend in the Class 4A Final Four, for the second straight year.

And on the floor will be the 2019 Daily Herald Northwest All-Area Captain, Kent, who shared the award a year ago with teammate Alisa Fallon, who is now a freshman playing for Army.

Kent's freshman year at Maine West (15.9 ppg and 8 rebounds) was one of the finest of any ninth grader who played in Des Plaines.

Three years later she has 1,646 points, just 3 shy of becoming the No. 2 all-time leading scorer at Maine West.

She is one of the all-time bests in the tradition-rich program.

But don't tell her that.

"Rachel doesn't think she does anything special," de Marigny said. "This is just what she is supposed to do and she doesn't think it's anything special while those outside looking at her think this is really special."

Kipp knew years ago a special player was in the making.

"By the time she is finished, she could be one of the best we've ever had at Maine West," he said in 2015. "And we've had a lot good ones."

One of those was Nancy Kennelly, the Daily Herald Northwest All-Area Captain who led the Warriors to the undefeated Class AA state crown in 1988.

Jerry Stonequist, who has been an assistant in the program since the early 1980s, believes that Kent is most similar to Kennelly from that state championship team.

"Nancy could do everything," he said. "She could run our point, go inside and we even ran plays for her if she had a defender who was smaller than her inside. And we can do all that stuff with Rachel. So to me, in my time at Maine West, that's the closest person to be like Rachel.

"Rachel is a quiet leader. She never yells at the girls but she is our hardest worker. And when your best player is your hardest worker, you have something really special."

There's that word 'special' again.

For Rachel, her parents Namon and Mary Jo have been the special ones.

"I could not have done anything without their support," she said. "They're amazing. They come to almost every game and my dad works almost an hour and a half away but still makes it to all the games. They've picked me up and driven me to all the practices. They've brought me food and always made sure I had everything I needed. They've always been there for me."

Just like Kent is always there for her teammates.

"I don't want it to end," she said. "I pretend I'm not a senior, and that I'm going to be back here next year because these girls are awesome."

It's been an awesome ride for Kent, who will drive off to St. Louis next fall. She will study physical therapy and play basketball for Saint Louis University.

You know her work ethic will remain the same.

Lance Newman, another Maine West assistant, got to see the work ethic of NBA player Jalen Brunson.

Newman was an assistant coach at Stevenson when Brunson helped the Patriots' boys team to third place in the 2012 Class 4A state tournament and then the state championship in 2013.

Brunson wore No. 15. Yes, the same number as Kent.

"When it comes to work ethic, Rachel reminds me of Brunson," Newman said. "They bring intensity to games and practices, and have that attention to detail.

"And they're go-to players at crunchtime. Rachel did a phenomenal job forcing overtime (against Evanston in the sectional finals) with her last shot in regulation. We looked to Jalen like that at the end of the game, too."

Looking at Kent's stats shows you how much she does on the floor in addition to being one of the top defensive players in the state.

Kent averaged 14.3 ppg, 4.7 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.7 assists this season.

"She does everything," said de Marigny, who was starring in Tennessee high school girls basketball in 1987 when West was beginning its back-to-back undefeated regular seasons in 1988 and 1989.

"When your best player is your hardest worker, good things always happen," de Marigny said "For four years, Rachel has led by example.

"She has had quite a bit of success but it is largely built around her work ethic. It's contagious and that's what we want."

Kent is a Senior Leader at Maine West and mentors sophomores.

"It's really fun," she said. "I get to meet a lot of new kids."

And they get to meet the heart and soul of de Marigny's squad.

"Rachel is irreplaceable," the coach said. "That's the down side. We have only this weekend left with her in the program.

"Everything is great about her. She is a kind human being. Her work ethic is second to none. She is intelligent. She is the epitome of what a high school basketball player should be as an example for younger girls."

It's hardly a surprise Kent would choose a field like physical therapy where she can help others.

"That's just Rachel," de Marigny said. "She is a genuine person who cares about people. I'm just blessed to be part of this legacy at Maine West that Derril had put together."

And Kipp's influence will never be forgotten by Kent.

"Kipp set up a really good program so I kind of expected that we'd have good teams and all the fun we've had these past four years," she said. "It's crazy how fast it went. I had no idea we'd win like we have. I didn't know how it would all turn out but it's been a pretty great four years."