Westminster shuts down Hilltoppers

Updated: March 22, 2011 4:46PM

In a sense, Westminster Christian's girls basketball team had to come back to earth Tuesday against Elgin Academy.

Once the Warriors adjusted to trying to play against an opponent without a distinct height advantage, they took control in the third quarter and came away with a nonconference 51-29 victory over the Hilltoppers.

"Every other game we've played our opponent had a center that was about 6-foot-3 or taller," Westminster coach Ken Flickinger said. "Once we realized how to defend against some smaller players, we were fine. We did a good job with it."

The Warriors (4-3) came out defensively flying all over the court in the third quarter, forcing nine turnovers and picking up the intensity with their trapping press.

Two buckets by Hannah Graves to close out the second quarter had pushed Westminster's lead to 23-15, then in the third quarter the Warriors defense helped ignite a 16-4 run that turned the game into a blowout.

Six different Warriors scored in the third quarter, when what had been a 23-17 lead only 10 seconds into the second half became a 42-23 advantage starting the fourth quarter.

"We have a variety of different skill sets on our roster and it's taken us a while to learn how best to use them all," Flickinger said. "We have some who are longer and some who are smaller, quicker players and we've really kind of worked to get things going.

"I think our first team found some rhythm in the second half tonight."

Senior guard Whitney VandenBos had kept the Warriors ahead in the first half by hitting three of her four three-points baskets on the night. She finished with a team-high 12 points.

"She had a good night," Flickinger said. "She's been very accurate when she uses her legs well with her shot and she was doing that."

The Warriors also had to adjust to playing without a 6-3 defender's hand in their faces and the inside players started making short shots in the second half after the team struggled through a 10-for-27 first-half shooting effort.

"We had some good inside play defensively and offensively from our freshman, Claire Speweik (eight points, six in the second half) and from Hannah Graves (eight points)," Flickinger said.

The quick, smaller Hilltoppers (2-9) stayed close earlier through the efforts of junior Ashley Barnes and senior Caitlin Ward. Both scored 12 points. Ward did a good job of driving and drawing fouls, getting to the line eight times to convert five in the second quarter as the Hilltoppers stayed close without scoring a single field goal during those eight minutes.

"We're a very inexperienced team," said Elgin Academy first-year coach Greg Repede. "We've only got one senior who has played before this year."

The Hilltoppers have five freshmen on the roster and two sophomores.

It doesn't help that sophomore Brigitte Keslinke is limited in her playing time. She sat on the sidelines with ice on a sore knee part of the game.

"We're trying to bring her along slowly," Repede said. "She has been hurt and isn't ready yet to go the entire game. It makes it tough on us because she's really the only legitimate post player we have."

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