Corona, Glenbard North time it well against West Chicago
Olivia Corona kept hearing the countdown near the end of the third quarter on Monday night.
But the Glenbard North guard didn't let the loud West Chicago student section convince her to attempt a shot earlier than she wanted.
"I heard them counting down, but I kept my eye on the clock," Corona said. "I saw the time."
Corona maintained her poise, drilling a 3-pointer at the buzzer to spark the Panthers to a 51-33 victory over West Chicago.
The Panthers (6-19) turned a close game into a rout thanks to Corona's late second-half shooting, relying on a 15-1 run to seize a 40-23 lead midway through the fourth. Corona hit two 3-pointers in a three-possession segment late in the third to turn a 3-point lead into a 31-22 advantage.
Corona, a junior guard, finished with 12 points and made four 3-pointers. Sophomore guard Kayla Rushford tossed in 13 points and hit three 3s.
"It felt really good to pick up our lead more because we really wanted this win," Corona said. "We really put it on the line to give our best to try and get the win ... This is a good confidence boost to get this win. Hopefully, it will help us push forward this week."
Glenbard North coach Steve Wit said it was a special victory due to many players from both sides sharing friendships to go along with a loud and spirited crowd, plus a band that turned the matchup in a memorable game.
"I'm proud of the girls, just from them being old friends on both sides," he said. "I think they had fun. Olivia is a good shooter, that's what she brings to us. When she's open and balanced and comfortable, I'll put her with just anybody as far as shooting. This was a great environment for her. She really stepped up."
Rushford buried several key shots in the fourth to stretch the lead. She canned two 3-pointers and scored on a drive for 8 points.
The Wildcats (5-20) struggled shooting the ball in the first half, amassing just 9 points in the first 14 minutes. West Chicago junior guard Shailee Patel nearly fueled a comeback with her long-range shooting, She drilled a step back 3 to cut the deficit to 25-22 with 2:13 left in the third quarter but Corona put the game out of reach with her hot shooting.
Patel scored a team-high 13 points and made two 3s.
"This was a big game for a lot of these kids," West Chicago coach Mark Fitzgerald said. "(Olivia Corona) made those two big 3s. I liked the effort, they are getting better. (Patel) was big for us. She's really skilled, doesn't talk a lot or showboat. She just plays her game. She's someone to build a program on. This was a tough (loss) for us. I liked playing them. I would like this game to be a regular thing."