Girls Basketball: Young topples Morgan Park for Windy City title

Updated: May 9, 2012 10:13AM

Very few people thought Morgan Park — which started two seniors, a sophomore and two freshmen — had any business hanging around with Young Saturday in the Windy City title game at Chicago State.

But there the Mustangs were, trailing 35-34 following two Kendyll Nunn free throws with 1:48 remaining in the third quarter.

That’s when Young’s Janee Thompson decided she had seen enough.

Thompson scored six points during a 10-0 run that pushed the lead to 45-34 with 5:31 left in the game, and the No. 1 Dolphins held on for a 61-48 victory.

“It really didn’t surprise me,” Thompson said. “Morgan Park always plays super hard and super intense. It was somewhat of an emotional game. We know them. We’ve been playing them for years. We play on the same AAU team with a lot of those girls.’’

Tied at 12-12 with 6:21 left in the first half after a short jumper by Nunn in the lane, Young (26-0) closed the second quarter on a 15-7 run capped by Sydney Snower’s three-pointer from the corner with under 45 seconds remaining.

The Dolphins extended their lead to 31-21 early in the third quarter when Morgan Park’s 5-foot-7 sophomore Shami Goodman ignited a 13-4 spurt with several drives.

“I tried to play hard,” Goodman said. “I just gave my all. We knew we had to play tough defense and make our free throws. I got a little nervous when we got behind 8-2 early, but we picked it up in the second quarter.”

Thompson led Young with 17 points and six assists, Linnae Harper added 16 points and nine rebounds and Alexis Lloyd had 12 points and six rebounds. Six-foot-6 sophomore Khaalia Hillsman contributed 10 rebounds and a block.

“We were waiting for [Thompson] to take it on her shoulders and take over, and she did,” Young coach Corry Irvin said. “A lot of emotions go on anytime we play each other. It’s always going to be a close game.”

Goodman paced Morgan Park (19-8) with 19 points and four steals, and Nunn added 12 points and six rebounds.

“The girls didn’t quit,” Morgan Park coach TJ Johnson said.

“I knew a lot of people gave up on us early because we lost our inside presence (injured 6-1 senior Gabrielle Richmond),” he added. “But I’m very proud of our two freshmen, Tammy Russell and Marsha Howard, they did a great job. Our senior leadership stepped up for us and Shami’s only a sophomore.”

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