Thomas the difference for Hinsdale South

Updated: March 23, 2011 9:34AM

Keke Thomas was more than ready when Hinsdale girls basketball coach Jen

Belmonte called on her to fill a different role than usual for the Hornets

during Saturday's West Suburban Gold game at Leyden.

With starting point guard Toni Romiti out of the lineup with the flu,

Thomas, usually Hinsdale South's first reserve to be used in games, was

inserted into the starting lineup.

Thomas responded with 17 points and a solid defensive effort.

"I wasn't nervous," Thomas said. "It was a challenge for me, and I just

tried to do whatever I could to help my team. I concentrated on playing good

defense, but I took my shots when I had them, too."

"Keke did a nice job," Belmonte said. "It was a frustrating game at

times. We had a good first and third quarter, but we ran out of gas in the

second quarter and again for a while in the fourth quarter."

The Hornets (13-9, 8-2) had the best of a 10-6 opening quarter, but

Leyden (5-17, 1-10) held Hinsdale South to five points in the second period

and rallied for a 17-15 halftime advantage.

"One of our big problems when we struggled in the game was that we

stopped taking our shots," Belmonte said. "We have to keep shooting."

Hinsdale South used the halftime break to regroup. The Hornets dominated

the Eagles in the third quarter, 14-2, to take a 29-19 lead after three

quarters.

"It was the same old story for us," Leyden coach Michele Szatko said. "We

played well at times, but we didn't do it for the whole game. That's been

the case for us in almost every loss this year. We're competitive for a

while, but haven't been able to sustain it for the entire game."

Leyden made a late run in the fourth quarter, cutting a six-point deficit

to 38-32 with 1:33 to play, thanks mostly to a pair of

three-point baskets by Moira Quinlan (nine points).

However, the Eagles never got closer, as Hinsdale South extended its lead

down the stretch.

Junior center Uzo Okoro had a game-high 18 points for the Hornets.

Tameshemia McKinney led Leyden with 13 points.

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