Brooke Carlson was expecting high defensive pressure as the clock ticked closer to zero.Down three with seven seconds left in regulation, the Batavia sophomore somehow found herself open for a three-point attempt.She swished it to force overtime, and hit two free throws in the extra period to finish off a sensational 22-point, 11-rebound game in Batavia’s 54-47 overtime win over St. Charles North.

Emory Klatt may be “just” a sophomore, but she played like a veteran for Stevenson’s girls basketball team on Tuesday. Klatt scored 18 points and grabbed 19 rebounds to lead the Patriots past St. Charles North, 55-39, in the quarterfinals of the Komaromy Classic at Dundee-Crown.

After hitting 50 percent of its shots from beyond the arc in the first half Monday, St. Charles North’s 3-point shooting went cold in the second half of the North Stars’ opening round game of the 38th Annual Komaromy Classic at Dundee-Crown. St. Charles North (8-5) only drained three of 15 3-point shots in the last 16 minutes of the contest with Moline but the third one came at critical moment. With 12.9 seconds left on the clock and the North Stars trailing by two, junior guard Alyssa Hughes let one fly from the left wing that found nothing but net to put North Stars up, 55-54.

Eden Pearson is evidently not afraid of being knocked over in the paint.Pearson, Wheaton North junior’s guard, said “it’s all about hustle” when considering her role defensively.“All our players are out there just anticipating every pass. Just being able to put our bodies on the line every play is just a way we’re successful,” Pearson said following the Falcons’ 50-42 victory over St. Charles North on Monday.Pearson had 10 rebounds to complement her eight points. She also made her presence felt defensively, taking a charge in the third quarter.“The feeling of getting a charge and having all four teammates there to lift you up, it was just the best feeling in the world,” Pearson said. “You just do it for them. It’s awesome.”

Here’s a look at where Fox area schools are headed for girls basketball holiday tournaments, including St. Charles East, Huntley and Burlington Central playing at Montini, and Dundee-Crown hosting its annual Komaromy Classic.

Torrie Kortan’s shot hasn’t been falling at its usual rate lately, but she said her teammates keep her going.Kortan, St. Charles East’s four-year varsity player, had only one point at the half of Friday’s game with St. Charles North.But she hit one of the game’s biggest shots in the Saints’ eventual 46-38 win, their second over the North Stars this season.

Missing starters Lauren Slagle and Rilee Hasegawa, Geneva’s depth — Chrystiana Pagonis, Caitlin Cassidy and Kinsey Gracey — played a key role in the Vikings’ 65-60 DuKane Conference victory. The Vikings improved to 6-3, 3-0.

Here’s a look at some of the highlights of the first few weeks of the girls basketball season in the Fox area, including a 6-0 start for South Elgin and updates at Geneva, Batavia, Huntley and more.

Lake Zurich senior point guard Alayna Soukup saw a slight opening to take advantage of a small window on Saturday. Soukup used her strength to get some space, driving past a group of St. Charles North defenders to score on a strong drive to the basket early in the fourth quarter. From that moment, Lake Zurich’s girls basketball team regained control of the game, pulling out a 50-41 victory in the Chicagoland Invitational Showcase at Fremd.

Erin Stack knew St. Charles North needed a momentum boost entering the locker room down 3 points at the half.

With a 52-41 victory over St. Charles North, St. Charles East claimed the York Thanksgiving tournament title on Friday. “I feel like we’ve all matured a lot more. We just kind of all have trust in each other [that] we can come back no matter what, as long as we work together,” said Saints senior Torrie Kortan who had 19 points and four rebounds. “Honestly, this game wasn‘t even a very good one. We didn’t execute as well as we should’ve. We’re just very fortunate that we were able to pull it out.”

St. Charles North coach Mike Tomczak said it’s Alyssa Hughes’ show this winter and the rest of the North Stars are following her lead. On Thursday night, the junior point guard proved she is more than capable of handling that responsibility. Pouring in a game-high 25 points, Hughes led her team into the championship of the York Thanksgiving Tournament with a 53-44 win over the host Dukes.

Here’s a look at the girls basketball season in the DuKane

With eight consecutive winning seasons, the St. Charles North girls basketball program has put together a nice little string of success. Behind a strong core of players returning to the court this winter, the North Stars are expecting nothing less than continuing that. They started off on the right foot Monday in their season opener, knocking down 11-three pointers in a 58-39 win over Downers Grove South as part of the York Thanksgiving Tournament in Elmhurst.