Girls Basketball: Westmont upsets top-seeded Tilden

Updated: February 9, 2012 8:13PM

Westmont point guard Jackie Elzakhem is not afraid to attempt even the toughest of passes.

The 5-6 senior has an uncanny knack for seeing openings where none appear to exist and getting her teammates the ball.

Elzakhem did it repeatedly Thursday night in leading the Sentinels to a 56-36 upset of top-seeded Tilden in the Class 2A Lisle Regional semifinals. She finished with 14 points and eight assists and probably could have had at least 10 more assists if Westmont had made all of its layups.

“She’s a big leader on the court,” said Westmont center Susie Sternard, who was the recipient of many of Elzakhem’s passes. “I know a lot of the younger girls look up to her. I don’t know what we’d do without her.”

Elzakhem was particularly effective in transition, where she would often take a couple of dribbles before firing aggressively up the court to Sternard or forward Amanda Anderson for layup attempts. That allowed Westmont (18-11) to negate Tilden’s speed.

“She has an amazing ability, especially cross-court, where with her eyes she will suck the defense over to the side of the ball and throw it cross-court,” Westmont coach Mike McCord said of Elzakhem. “She does it extremely well. It’s not coached.”

Tilden (18-5) led 9-7 late in the first quarter when Elzakhem notched her first assist, setting up Anderson for a layup to tie the game. She added four more assists in the second quarter as the Sentinels outscored the Blue Devils 18-9 to take a 27-18 halftime lead.

“Coach always tells us on the rebound, ‘Everyone just bust out and if it’s open, it’s open,’” Elzakhem said. “If our posts are going to run the floor I’m going to try my best to get them the ball, so I got lucky a couple times. I like giving assists.”

The Sentinels had never played Tilden before but were gradually able to take control as Sternard, who had 16 points and 17 rebounds, dominated the glass at both ends and Elzakhem found the seams in the defense.

“Coming into the game we didn’t know much [about them] but as the game progressed Coach gave us a great game plan, kind of told us what to look out for and it’s our job to listen to him,” Elzakhem said. “All credit goes to him.”

After Sternard scored the final four points of the first half, the Sentinels started the second half on an 8-0 run to stretch the lead to 35-18. Elzakhem even had one of her two blocks during that sequence, stuffing a breakaway layup attempt by D.J. Hamilton.

Tilden, which set a school record for wins this season, tried to rally behind Keisha O’Neal, who scored the next five points, but Elzakhem answered with a steal and two free throws and Anderson tallied six of her 17 points in the fourth quarter as fifth-seeded Westmont pulled away.

“Westmont was well-prepared and they played hard,” said first-year Tilden coach Andre Rogers. “We’re a young team. We really overachieved this year so I’m really proud of the girls.”

O’Neal led Tilden with 19 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals, while Hamilton added nine points and nine boards and Shequilla Cowley had four points, six blocks and five rebounds.

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