Freshman Sagadraca comes through for Streamwood in victory over Hoffman Estates

When the game was on the line, Streamwood girls basketball coach George Rosner didn't mind one bit having his freshman on the line.

With the score tied at 37 and 16.9 seconds left, Angelina Sagadraca looked like a poised senior.

The 5-foot-3 guard calmly sank both free throws to give her team a 39-37 lead.

Moments later, the Sabres were able to celebrate a 40-38 nonconference win completed by senior Sayuri Ishikawa's free throw with 1.8 seconds left.

"We definitely wanted Angelina on the line," said the retiring Rosner, who won his 468th game in his 41st and final season. "She is ice. And Sayuri is pretty tough at the line, too."

Ishikawa finished with a team-high 15 points, while Hoffman's Ashley Oliver celebrated her Senior Night with a game-high 30 points, one shy of her career high.

"It was crazy, oh my God," said Ishikawa, who owns a career-best of 31 points and plans to play at Harper College in Palatine. "Honestly, I think it was defense that got us going at the end. Nicole (Barcenas) had a big steal and then Karina (Vidales) took a charge. And No. 3 (Oliver) was our main focus."

"I thought the defense of Mary Kate Gonzalez was fabulous," Rosner said. "She did a great job on Oliver, making her work for those points."

Trailing 37-32, Oliver made a steal and layup with 27 seconds left and then fired home her third 3-pointer with 18 seconds left to tie the game at 37-37.

"We kind of go as Ashley goes," said Hoffman Estates coach Brad Reibel. "So it was nice to see her get going in the second and third quarters, and obviously hitting some big shots to keep us in the game at the end."

At the start, back-to-back 3-pointers by Sariah Dixon and Sagadraca (11 points) put the Sabres (3-24) in front 10-4 with 2:16 left in the first quarter.

A free throw by Ishikawa and a driving layup by Jamia Gatlin (6 points) off an assist from Barcenas (5 points) completed a 9-0 run to end the first quarter with the visitors in front 13-4.

Defense got the Hawks back in the game. A 3-point play by Oliver started a 9-0 run by the Hawks which ended with baskets off steals. Freshman Ella Steele's swipe and assist led to a fastbreak layup by Oliver. Oliver then produced a steal and layup to get the hosts to within 15-14 with 4:14 left in the half.

"Honestly it was really scary at first," Ishikawa said. "We were up by a lot and then they started catching up which kind of got us a little nervous. But we finished together as a team all together as a team and that was nice,"

A rebound layup by Oliver tied the game at 16-16 at intermission.

Ishikawa's 3-pointer with three seconds left gave Streamwood a 29-27 lead after three quarters.

Aly Asuncion and Diya Patel each had 3 points for Hoffman (1-21).

"We didn't quit," Reibel said. "It was definitely a struggle with our Senior Night (Oliver, Asuncion and Arlette Cotonieto were honored) going on. Not to make excuses but we came out flat and never got our footing throughout the game.

"I thought we competed and played a lot harder against Palatine (Wednesday night). But at the end of the day, that's how it goes. Some nights you don't have it. But we fought."

Rosner's final home game of his career will be Monday night against Bartlett.

"That's three wins for the season so I'm excited for the kids," he said. "It's nice for them and they're happy. It would have been a tough loss."