Girls Basketball: Jewell Loyd leads Niles West past Evanston

Updated: November 19, 2011 10:02PM

Tony Konsewicz constantly pinches himself to make sure he’s the one who coaches Jewell Loyd.

Saturday was another reminder of how good Konsewicz has it at Niles West after Loyd scored a season-high 38 points in the team’s 56-36 win over Evanston at Deerfield’s tournament.

“I’ve never amazed at what she does,” he said of the Notre Dame-bound senior, who’s averaging 30.7 points a game as the No. 25-ranked Wolves improved to 3-0.

Loyd scored 15 points in the second quarter to help Niles West to a 27-17 lead at the half. Her back-to-back three-pointers early in the fourth quarter put the game away for good. She finished with six threes on the night.

Still short-handed, Evanston dropped to 0-2 with the loss. The Wildkits are without two probable starters in Searra Clayborn and Sinclair Cunningham. Clayborn is out until at least January with a knee injury, while Cunningham’s transfer papers from Young are in transition.

“Those two are difference-makers,” said first-year Evanston coach Elliot Whitefield said.

Whitefield was happier with how his looked team Saturday than in the season-opening loss to Zion-Benton.

“I saw a little more positives,” he said. “We got more contributions from a few players. We were more confident and more mentally prepared.”

Erin Boothe and Sierra Clayborn each scored a team-high seven points. Alecia Cooley followed with five points.

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