After trailing by as many as 12 in the first half, Fremd had battled all the way back.
With 20 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Vikings clung to a one-point lead against Cardinal Ritter (IN) as they set up their defense. After a series of passes, Lions guard Hannah Wallace drove on the right side of the floor and uncorked a floater that hit the backboard and fell through the net, the game-winning basket as Fremd fell to Cardinal Ritter 53-52 in the Kenner Classic at Young.
“Credit to the kid for the shot — that was a tough shot — for us to claw back is a good sign,” Fremd coach Dave Yates said. “We’re here because we need games like this. We don’t need to be pounding some team we know we’re better then; we need to play a team that’s going to challenge us.”
In the first half, the Vikings looked out of sorts: Fremd turned the ball over and missed open shots as they searched for answers against the Lions’ size advantage. Lions forward Ai’Niyah Williams — named MVP with 20 points and six rebounds — was flat-out dominant in the first half: She scored 10 points, and the Vikings had no answers.
But something clicked for the Vikings near the end of the third quarter. Fremd went on a 17-4 from the final 3:54 of the third quarter to the first two minutes of the fourth to cut the Lions’ deficit to one. Portland commit Brynn Eshoo came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring nine of her 17 points in the final period.
“The second half … that was us,” Fremd coach Dave Yates said. In the first half, we got rattled, we got out of what we normally do.”
The Vikings started to play through Portland commit Brynn Eshoo. After a two-point first half, she scored 15 second-half points. Though the comeback fell short, Yates was encouraged to see his team turn it around.
Whitney Young 55, Mother McAuley 51: Young erased a slow start to defeat the Mighty Macs. Dolphins guard Destiny Jackson shook off a slow scoring night to score 18 points. Midway through the third quarter, the junior guard scored her 1,000th point.
“Coaching her has been amazing,” Young coach Krissy Harper said. “She is truly a phenomenal player and person. Hopefully, we can add another city title under her belt and get her downstate. I know she wanted to do it under better circumstances, but at the end of the day, it is still a feat, so I’m proud of her.”
This was the Dolphins’ second game after opening up the season against La Lumiere. Harper said her team played sped up in the fourth quarter before settling down and leaving with the victory.
“We pulled out the win and it was ugly,” Harper said, “but I think in these kinds of games, we just need to slow down.”
Sophomore center Lysa Jones added eight points and nine rebounds. Junior guard Kiaya Johnson scored 12 points for the Dolphins.
Bishop Noll (IN) 74, Brooks 17: Brooks scored the first point of the game, but an 8-0 run was all Noll needed to seize control. The Warriors controlled the game, applying pressure off made field goals and controlling the glass — 44 rebounds as a team. Freshman guard Adrian Mcgee dazzled: She controlled the pace and relentlessly attacked the basket. She scored a game-high 18 points and grabbed five rebounds.
Junior guard Mackenzie Hamer set the tone defensively: She consistently pressured the ball handler and created turnovers for the Warriors. Sophomore guard Jaiden Hall added 12 points.
Evanston 67, Hillcrest 34: Evanston dominated the game after its 12-0 run to end the first quarter. The game turned once they switched to a 1-3-1 zone. That zone allowed them to force Hillcrest turnovers and leak out in transition for easy baskets. Senior guard Kailey Starks finished with 20 points and seven rebounds. She was a smooth jump shot and hit three three-pointers. Her fellow senior guard, Zuri Ransom, finished with 11 points and five rebounds. She showcased a smooth handle and created havoc at the top of the zone. The Wildkits’ offense was balanced: They shared the ball and played at a blistering pace.
Hillcrest sophomore guard Dajha Johnson paced the Hawks with 17 points: She showed a soft touch as she hit a barrage of floaters.
