Three in a row: Young tops Spartans

Updated: March 23, 2011 3:28PM

A typical play during Young's 74-52 victory over Marian Catholic in Monday night's Class 4A St. Xavier Supersectional occurred in the final eight seconds of the first half.

Dolphins senior Chanise Jenkins took an inbounds pass under her own basket, drove the length of the court, sliced through Marian Catholic's defense like a flash and cut a line straight to the basket for a buzzer-beating layup.

It was typical, but far from the only way Young beat Marian Catholic for the third straight super.

The Dolphins built a 20-point lead with speed, brilliant passing, an occasional three and with quick hands on defense.

Then, when the feisty Spartans caught a second-half tailwind and rallied within 10, the Dolphins slowed the pace and successfully ground it out at the free throw line.

It was just a really, really thorough effort.

"Coach (Corry Irvin) told us to go out there strong and hard," Jenkins said. "Everybody wants us. We've got an ‘X' on our backs."

Along with a ticket to Normal, where the Dolphins are to meet Bolingbrook in the semifinals on Friday.

Jenkins led Young (26-2) with 19 points and five rebounds. Kiana Johnson added 16 points, Linnae Harper 13 points and seven rebounds and Alexis Lloyd nine points.

Simone Law and Jasmine Matthews each tallied 21 points for Marian Catholic (30-5).

Answering any Marian challenge was something that the Dolphins seemed able to do all night.

When the Spartans went up 11-10 on a lean-in jumper by Sarafina Handy just seconds from the end of the first period, Jenkins beat them at the other end with a 3-pointer.

Down by a bunch near the end of the half the Spartans tried to steal some momentum with a pair of free throws by Matthews, but Jenkins erased them by racing the length of the court.

It was 37-21 at intermission.

"Whitney Young is a good team," Law said. "We'd try to stop the drive and they'd hit a jump shot. We'd stop the jump shot, and they'd drive or dish into the post."

Law, stuck on two points after scoring the first basket of the game, roared to life in the third period and into the fourth. Matthews scored on a three-point play with 7:18 remaining to cut what had been a 20-point deficit down to 52-42. But Young responded with back-to-back buckets by Harper and Jenkins.

Then came the slowdown.

"Coach told us to be ready for the 1-2 punch in the second half," Jenkins said. "We had to slow the ball up a little and get our offense running and get everybody a feel for the ball so we could control the game again."

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