Girls Basketball: Waubonsie Valley survives South Elgin

If you’re going to struggle, it’s best to get it out of the way when you’re still 5-0.

That’s the way Waubonsie Valley’s girls basketball team feels after a 62-49 win over South Elgin in the Upstate Eight Valley Conference opener Wednesday.

The Warriors were up and down, leading 26-4 early in the second quarter, only to see the Storm cut the lead to four points with 4:28 left in the fourth quarter. But they survived and remained unbeaten.

“That was probably our best quarter of basketball,” Waubonsie coach Kim Connell said of the dominant first quarter. “But it’s the same old story, it’s being consistent. We did what we needed to win. That’s the positive.”

Even a 22-point lead isn’t always enough when facing a player like South Elgin guard Becca Smith. With Waubonsie stars like Gratia Brooks, Erica Jordan and Tami Morice in foul trouble much of the game, Smith took advantage.

She scored 26 points before fouling out with 2:40 left in the game. She scored 14 of those points in the second quarter as the Storm (5-2 overall, 0-1 UEC Valley) cut the lead to a more manageable 37-25 at the half.

“I told the girls at the half, Becca Smith is a good enough player where she can take over a game single-handedly,” Connell said.

Smith scored eight points out of a 10-2 South Elgin run that cut the Warriors’ lead to 49-42 early in the fourth quarter. A three-pointer from Lania Robinson, her lone bucket of the game, cut the lead to 51-47 with 4:28 left. But Waubonsie stabilized things with an 11-0 run, during which Smith fouled out, to survive.

“We dug ourselves a big hole,” South Elgin coach Tim Prendergast said. “When you’re down 22-4 (after the first quarter), it’s tough to win a game, especially against a good team.”

Helping Waubonsie maintain things all night was its enormous rebounding edge. The Warriors outrebounded the Storm 55-27. Rachael Ross hauled down 21 of those rebounds and Brooks grabbed 15 to go with her 14 points.

“We knew we were undersized and overmatched going into, but that was just ridiculous,” Prendergast said.

Waubonsie received some good news this week, as well. Point guard Becky Williford, recovering from a torn ACL, is getting her new knee brace Thursday and may see some action in Saturday’s game at Naperville Central.

“It will give us a big lift,” Brooks said. “She brings us together. She’s a great captain.”

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