Weiss shoots Shepard past Oak Lawn

Updated: March 23, 2011 9:42AM

Shepard girls basketball coach Rick Mundo is a big fan of Yogi Berra.

"Absolutely," he said Tuesday. "I have his book at home. It's on the night stand."

His favorite Yogi-ism?

"It ain't over till it's over," a smiling Mundo said.

He wasn't the only disciple after the Astros defeated visiting Oak Lawn 41-34 in the first head-to-head South Suburban Red matchup of the season.

Despite having gone 1-6 in crossover games against the South Suburban Blue, Shepard was only two games behind the three leaders (Oak Lawn, Argo, Richards) at the top of the Red. If the Astros run the table against the Red, they could still win the conference title.

If?

"We're going to win our next ones," sophomore Amanda Weiss vowed. "We're going to beat Argo. We're going to win."

If Weiss shoots three-pointers like she did Tuesday the Astros certainly will be contenders.

The 5-foot-7 guard fired in four from beyond the arc and totaled 17 points. She also added eight rebounds. Jamila McClinton chipped in 10 points, Kayla McKinney seven points and seven rebounds and Raynisha Dent five points and seven boards as the Astros improved to 6-14 overall. Oak Lawn (10-10, 3-5) was led by Bridget Niemiec (15 points, six rebounds).

It was a season-high effort for Weiss, who doesn't shoot many three-pointers.

"I don't really shoot (at all)," she said, smiling. "I just felt good tonight. I was getting open a lot, and I've been practicing them. So I went for it."

Niemiec was effective inside for Oak Lawn most of the night and it helped the Spartans lead for most of the first half. It was 16-14 in the final minute of the second period when Shepard scored twice on a three-pointer by Weiss and two free throws by McClinton.

The Astros led 30-22 going into the fourth period, and still were up by six with just over three minutes remaining when Oak Lawn went on a 6-0 flurry via field goals by Kim Braasch, Kelly Foley and Brooke Annerino to create a 34-all tie.

The Spartans wouldn't score again, however. Dent put in what would be the game-winner for Shepard on a layup with 1:55 showing.

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