Girls Basketball: Young Glenbard South downs Robeson

Updated: February 15, 2012 10:09PM

Sydney Bauman is one of Glenbard South’s six freshmen, none of whom knew what to expect in their first playoff game Wednesday night.

What they got was a victory, with the 6-2 Bauman playing a key role as the Raiders knocked off Robeson 49-25 at the Class 3A Nazareth Regional semifinals.

Bauman scored seven of her nine points in the first 3:25 and Glenbard South jumped out to a 19-3 lead by the final minute of the first quarter. She also recorded all five of her rebounds in the opening period.

“I just wanted to show them that we could do it right off the bat,” Bauman said. “I just wanted to bust it open.”

Bauman tallied six of the Raiders’ first eight points as Robeson couldn’t keep her out of the paint and her teammates found her with precision passes.

“We want to do that every game if we can,” Glenbard South coach Julie Fonda said. “That’s idea but we don’t do it all the time.

“[Bauman] did a nice job of being around the basket and getting rebounds and putbacks and she did a nice job with her footwork, so she’s definitely going to be a force if we can get the ball to her.”

Bauman was far from her team’s only force, nor does she want to be. Nine different players scored in the first half as Raiders, who are seeded third at the Fenton Sectional, stretched their lead to 34-11 at halftime. Bauman and several other starters played sparingly after intermission as Fonda played 13 girls.

“I just wanted the team to win,” Bauman said. “I’m not in it for my points. I’m not looking out for me. I’m looking out for the team.”

The team’s best days lay in the future, as the freshmen combined to score 22 points and Glenbard South’s two sophomores added 10 more.

Sophomore Tomei Ball scored seven points, while junior Madison Rankin had six points and six rebounds and freshman Ivana Markovic added five points and two assists. The Raiders also forced 36 turnovers, including 23 in the first half when junior Theresa Scheet recorded all five of her steals.

“We have a really bright future and I’m excited about it but we’re going to finish this year out strong and do our best to get as much experience as we can,” said Fonda, whose team will face No. 6 seed Nazareth, which beat St. Francis 42-32, in Friday’s title game.

Bauman is pleased with the experience she’s amassed so far.

“I’m really happy,” Bauman said. “I was surprised at how young we were and how much success we actually had [in the regular season]. It [shows] how much work that I put into basketball [and] it finally paid off.”

N’Kieta Garlington led No. 14 seed Robeson (9-10) with nine points, four rebounds, three steals and two blocks.

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