Fremd posted a lopsided 61-24 Mid-Suburban West girls basketball win over Palatine on Friday night.

On Friday in Hoffman Estates, the Strauch vs. Strauch Mid-Suburban West girls basketball match takes place again, just one week after Conant coach Todd Strauch and his Cougars edged Schaumburg coach Jacqie Strauch’s Saxons, 42-38.

Host Schaumburg emerged on top with a 50-42 win over Palatine Tuesday in Mid-Suburban West girls basketball action.

One of the Northwest suburbs’ girls basketball teams currently on the biggest roll is Maine South, which has won eight of its last nine games through Monday.

When teams return to Mid-Suburban League girls basketball action on Friday night, Fremd and Prospect will each hold one-game leads in their respective West and East divisions. And the two teams will hardly be void of momentum. They are the only two from the conference who are coming off championship runs at holiday tournaments.

Playing in the same girls basketball tournament where her father coached Hinsdale Central to the championship 20 years ago, Downers Grove North senior Kate Gross hit 2 free throws against Palatine with 7.6 seconds left in overtime to lift her team to a 38-36 triumph and to within a game of playing for the title of the Bill Neibch Falcon Classic at Wheaton North High School.

Girls basketball teams from the Northwest suburbs will be looking for championships at three holiday tournaments that begin on Monday of next week.

The Fremd freshman has been making big shots all season. But none were bigger than the one Ella Todd hit with one second left on Friday night in the Palatine gymnasium. The ninth grader, playing in only her 13th varsity game, took a pass just inside the 3-point line from senior guard Anna Schmitt. Todd dribbled forward about three times and then launched a 14-foot pull-up jumper from the elbow that fell through, lifting Fremd to a dramatic 29-27 triumph over the Pirates, who led nearly every step of the way in the Mid-Suburban League West girls basketball game.

Unlike 12 months ago, the vans carrying girls basketball teams will be back on the roads again this winter. Area teams are back in action for holiday tournaments after missing out last December due to COVID-19.

When senior guard Sam Locasio fired home a 3-pointer to give Conant a 31-24 lead with 6:10 left in Friday night’s Mid-Suburban League girls basketball game, Palatine didn’t blink an eye. Not only did the Pirates pull it out with a game-ending 12-0 run, Megan Kim pulled off her career-high 13 points and had a splendid all-around game to help lift the visitors to a 36-31 decision.

When Glenbrook North won the Maine East Thanksgiving tourney last week, among the smiling faces for the Spartans was assistant coach Steve Weissenstein. Yes, Weissenstein the former hall of fame Glenbrook South girls basketball coach.

Here’s a look at the girls basketball season in the Mid-Suburban West.