Glenbrook South downs Schaumburg to win Wheaton North crown
Juniors Jada Branch and Madi Dolecki and their Schaumburg girls basketball teammates answered the challenge from coach Jacqie Strauch as they entered Wheaton North's Bill Neibch Holiday Classic on a three-game losing streak against tough opponents.
"We just came out with a we have to go get it attitude," Dolecki said. "I feel like losing to the tougher teams made us tougher because we stuck with them. This tournament we knew we could be here (playing for the title) even though we were a lower seed."
The No. 6 seeded Saxons nearly won the 16-team title for the first time since 2015 but No. 1 seed Glenbrook South pulled out the title game 58-51 Thursday.
Branch and Dolecki were named to the all-tournament team. Schaumburg (10-8) reached the finals with a 62-60 overtime semifinal victory over third-place Waubonsie Valley (13-2).
"I think we did what we came to do. We were the No. 6 seed and played hard in this championship. Of course we want the win but I am not unhappy with our effort," Strauch said.
"I asked them before the tournament are you a .500 team or an above-. 500 team and I think we deserve to be an above- .500 team with the talent we have. I think tonight they showed that they belonged here."
The Saxons' Grace Schluckbier had 17 points with two threes and seven fourth quarter points. Dolecki had 14 points and 11 rebounds, Branch had 11 points and three assists.
Schaumburg took its only lead at 25-24 on its first possession of the third quarter only trailed 38-36 with 6:14 left before the Titans (15-2) scored the next six points.
The closest Schaumburg came the rest of the way was on Dolecki's three with 11.5 seconds before the Titans scored a layup against the press for the final basket.
"We were told by (Strauch) that we needed two (consecutive) stops to get it going," Branch said.
"I think we all wanted to come in with a chip on our shoulder. We all knew we had to come out and we wanted to play. Even though we lost, we all contributed in some way."
Glenbrook South returned four starters from last year's Holiday Classic championship lineup with three of them all-tournament - MVP Sydney Rogers, Gina Davorija and Anna Rosenberger.
Davorija had 16 points and the six unanswered points in the fourth quarter for the 44-36 GBS lead. Rosenberger had 10 points, eight rebounds and five blocks.
Rogers, the Washington University recruit who reached 1,000 career points Tuesday, had 14 points with two threes and scored her team's first five points but was hounded defensively by Audrey Schluckbier. Schaumburg reserve Emma Jevtic contributed seven rebounds and kept Dolecki from foul troubles after receiving two first-quarter fouls.
"They play very hard. They have nice parts, work well together," GBS coach Scott Nemecek said. "Other than the first minute of the game - maybe - it didn't feel like it was comfortable until the end. We were sort of fortunate to get a couple of possessions ahead."
In the third-place game, Waubonsie bounced defeated Downers Grove North 50-44. Wheaton North finished fifth. Waubonsie senior Khaliah Reid and freshman Danyella Mporokoso, Downers
North senior Maggie Fleming and Wheaton North sophomore Sara Abdul were all-tournament.
"We knew we had to learn from what we did last game and just take the win today," Reid said. "We just had to look at the future and what we could do better and differently."