Girls Basketball: Niles West clinches share of CSL South crown
BY MIKE CAMERON Contributor February 3, 2012 11:10PM
Skokie Friday 2-3-12 Niles West's #44 Jackie Cardenas drives into Evanston's #15 Seara Brown in their game at Niles West High School Friday evening 2-3-12.| Kevin Tanaka~for Sun-Times Media.
STANDINGS
CSL South
Niles West 7-2 19-8
Maine South 6-3 22-6
Glenbrook S. 5-4 20-6
Evanston 4-5 14-11
New Trier 4-4 17-9
Waukegan 0-8 2-20
CSL North
Maine West 8-1 12-15
Niles North 7-2 15-11
Glenbrook N. 5-4 17-7
Highland Park 4-5 12-11
Deerfield 2-6 5-20
Maine East 0-8 4-17
(Records through Sunday)
Article Extras
Updated: March 10, 2012 8:07AM
If Niles West had handed out game balls to every key contributor from Friday’s gritty, 41-35 victory over visiting Evanston that clinched at least a share of the CSL South championship, it would have emptied the rack.
Head coach Tony Konsewicz and assistant Mike Parker won their 100th game in their fifth seasons. Parker designed the inbound plays that sprung loose Jackie Cardenas and Dashae Shumate for two crucial fourth-quarter layups.
Jewell Loyd delivered a game-high 17 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks to celebrate Senior Night. Her four points and three assists countered rallies by Evanston to pull within a point with 6:50 to go and again with 2:40 remaining. The Wolves megastar has been scoring less to make her teammates produce more.
“We are a better team now because everyone is involved and contributing,” said Loyd. “A lot of girls worked hard in the offseason, and it’s starting to pay off. People are stepping up in big games and big moments and playing tough.”
Shumate (13 points, 6 rebounds) continued to thrive at crunch time. The sophomore scored 10 big points in the last 12 minutes, a week after hitting the game-winner against Maine South with one second on the clock.
Cardenas (5 points, 5 rebounds) neutralized 6-foot-2 Alecia Cooley on the inside. The Wolves’ indispensable 5-10 post also picked up 6-1 Sinclair Cunningham on drives after Loyd blanketed her on the outside. Cunningham and Cooley each settled for nine points and 10 rebounds.
Molly Kleppin came up with a huge backcourt steal with 1:14 remaining and her team up by only three. The junior co-captain also shut down Wildkits guard Sierra Clayborn (6 points), especially taking away the southpaw’s strong-side drives. Kleppin was sidelined with an injury when Clayborn penetrated at will for a career-high 23 points in the Wolves’ 61-60 win at Evanston on Dec. 16.
It was Alex Galanopoulos who set the back screens on the two big inbound plays. The sophomore guard’s 15-foot baseline swisher fueled the Wolves’ 10-0 run to open the third quarter. After trailing 17-14 at halftime, Niles West led 28-22 after three periods.
Evanston (14-11, 4-5) shot an atrocious 12-of-56 (21.4 percent) to Niles West’s 14-of-49 (28.6 percent), including Loyd’s 4-of-15. Two quick, hustling defenses caused misfires and mistakes, turning the game into an up-and-down track meet and tests of stamina and willpower. Cardenas showed the same tireless endurance she does on the soccer field.
It also got physical. Loyd strongly objected to Cunningham’s forearm wallop to the chin in the first quarter, which ended with Erin Boothe’s banker for three points and a 10-8 Wildkit lead. Loyd had the last laugh. Niles West is 3-0 against Evanston this season and 10-0 in her four years.
“We knew they would come out with a lot of fire after that last game,” said Konsewicz. “We had the good run in the third quarter and a lot of girls coming through in the fourth to hold off a very good team. The girls feel good about this one and they should because they earned it.”
But Konsewicz immediately gave his team the battle cry for this week: No sharing.
Niles West (19-8, 7-2) can claim the outright conference crown with a road victory to complete the season sweep of Glenbrook South (20-6, 5-4) at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Loyd will be focused on winning and not the 30 points she needs to reach 3,000 for her career.
GBS’s Titan Dome is a challenge for visiting teams with its distant walls and lighting. The Wolves won there last year but fell behind 22-2 and 20-0 at the outset of losses the previous two seasons. Defending champion Maine South (22-6, 6-3) will share the title with a home win over Waukegan (2-21, 0-9) and a Wolves defeat.
Maine South is the top seed and Niles West is No. 2 in the Class 4A New Trier Sectional. Hosting a regional, Niles West will play the Taft-Foreman winner at 6 p.m. on Feb. 14. No. 8 Glenbrook North faces Lincoln Park in the nightcap. The regional title game is Feb. 17.
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