Maine South's 3-point barrage does in Prospect

With two sets of twins on its roster, Maine South's girls basketball team may have its opponents seeing double this season.

In Saturday's matinee match with visiting Prospect, the fans were seeing lots of triples.

The host Hawks connected for a season-high 12 3-pointers - from six different players - en route to a 64-47 nonconference triumph in Park Ridge.

Junior twins Nicole Gardiner (13 points) and Niamh Gardiner (9 points) each had three 3-pointers to lead the long-range barrage.

Three of the 3-pointers came in the game's first four minutes to help the Hawks (8-4) build a 13-2 lead from which Prospect (5-4) never recovered.

The Hawks also received a pair of 3-point baskets from Abby Ciprian, who had a season-high 8 points. Niki Manolis, Caroline Barker, Shannon Winkler and Amy Strotman each had one 3-pointer.

Junior Ellie Ronan came off the bench to put in a season-high 7 points.

Strotman's twin sister Libby was a key rebounder and got fouled inside twice, converting 3-of-4 free throws.

On top of the Gardiner and Strotman twins, three other Hawks have twin brothers.

"Shooting 3-pointers is something we're pretty well known for," Libby Strotman said. "We're very good behind the arc. We have been the last few years.

"We were just trying to make sure we had inside touches so we could get the 3-point line open. We tried to get the ball to the post or even getting our guards to drive inside and then kick the ball back out to the perimeter."

Back-to-back 3-pointers from the Gardiner sisters gave the hosts a 34-13 lead with 4:32 left in the first half.

The closest Prospect got the rest of the game was 35-24 when junior guard Eliot Dojutek connected from behind the arc with 1:52 left in the half.

Amy Strotman answered with her 3-pointer, giving the Hawks nine 3-pointers in the first half.

Maine South converted its final three 3-pointers in the third quarter.

"That's the thing we like to do," said Hawks coach Jeff Hamann, whose brother Jim, a hall of fame golf coach at Prospect, was in the stands. "We do like to shoot the basketball. We're very proud o have six different girls have at least one.

"At the beginning of the season we weren't shooting them that well. We told the girls they just needed to keep shooting them and when we did start making them, we'd be dangerous."

Hamann said getting inside touches is crucial.

"We feel we have the post presence so that is an emphasis of ours," he said, "We said at halftime that they were going to be running out on our 3s so let's get it inside.

"We have a lot of respect for Prospect. Andie Will and Eliot Dojutrek are really nice players."

Will led Prospect with 16 points while Dojutek added 14.

"And we had some other people get some opportunities, like Jolene Neuhalfsen (senior guard), who came in and did a great job," said Prospect coach Marie Baker. "We just have to work at getting our confidence back and knowing we can make the easy putbacks and bank shots. That will give us a little momentum going the way we want it to go."

Baker started the Knights in a zone defense.

"We definitely can't fault our defensive effort," she said. "We usually don't play zone. A loss like this is not worth anything if we don't take from it and learn. At this point in December, it's our time to work on our own game and get ready for the Mid-Suburban East because that's where the fun is."

South was coming off a tough 54-52 loss to Evanston the night before.

"For our girls to come back and respond the way they did, I'm very proud of them." Hamann said. "We had 11 kids score and that's always a good thing when everyone gets involved."