Girls Basketball Top Performances: Weeks 11 and 12

By Kaleb Carter

Each week, I’ll be highlighting the best team and individual performances from around the state that stood out in girls basketball. It could be a state record, an amazing highlight or anything in between. Last week,we took a break, so we’ll be highlighting top performances from the past two weeks. 

Stats are critical to highlight these players and teams. Get in touch to submit a girls team or player at any point during the 2021-22 season. I can be reached at KalebCarter4256@gmail.com or on Twitter @Kaleb_M_Carter.

Editor’s note: Records are accurate through Sunday, Feb. 6, unless otherwise noted. Eligible games include Jan. 24 through Feb. 6. Some extras are thrown in this week due to missing Week 11.

Notable Week 11-12 Team Performances

Mother McAuley

Won the Greater Catholic Athletic Conference tournament with a 39-36 win over Montini in the championship game. Defeated Loyola, 36-31, and Saint Ignatius, 45-33, both in the GCAC tourney. Added a win against Lincoln-Way Central, 45-39.

Willows Academy

Was on a roll and won games over Christian Heritage Academy (51-11), Rochelle Zell (49-20), Wolcott (72-36), Yorkville Christian (39-37), Woodlands Academy (57-39) and Prosser (49-12).

South Elgin

Defeated Glenbard South, East Aurora, West Chicago and Bartlett, each by at least 21 points. Stayed unbeaten in conference and clinched Upstate 8 championship.

Joliet West

Wins over Plainfield North (60-51), Plainfield Central (68-47), AP Top 10-ranked Normal Community (70-63), Romeoville (50-48), Plainfield East (77-66) and Minooka (77-66).

Pana

Ended the week of Feb. 6 on a 24-game wining streak. Wins over Neoga, Litchfield, St. Joseph-Ogden, Newton and Greenville, none of which finished within 25 points of the Panthers. 

Hononegah

Kept on rolling with victories over Belvidere North, Freeport, Jefferson, Boylan Catholic and Guilford. Two great finishes with an overtime win over Belvidere North (43-42) and a buzzer-beating win over Guilford (55-54).

Fairfield

Wins over Carmi-White County, Flora (46-39 in double overtime) and Eldorado.

Oak Lawn

Has not lost in South Suburban Conference play. Beat Shepard, Reavis and Eisenhower, each by at least 12.

Stagg

Continued to win, defeating Lincoln-Way West, Bradley-Bourbonnais, Reavis, Andrew, Lincoln-Way Central and Joliet Central. Laila Baraket was on fire, including a career-high 32 points in an SWSC Red-clinching victory.

Brimfield

Fought through a difficult part of the schedule and beat Havana, Canton, Bushnell-Prairie City, Elmwood and Illini Bluffs.

Nazareth

Fell on the road at Benet, but responded by ripping off a win streak that brought the Roadrunners a 58-47 win over Carmel Catholic for the East Suburban Catholic Conference tournament title. Also defeated Marian Catholic, Marian Central Catholic Hoffman Estates, Joliet Cartholic and Marist.

Schaumburg Christian

Won the Northeastern Athletic Conference tournament. Defeated Westminster, Woodlands Academy, Yorkville Christian, Westminster Christian and Christian Life.

Mahomet-Seymour

Picked up victories against Mt. Zion, Charleston, Effingham, Centennial, Urbana and Taylorville to move to 25-4.

Mt. Vernon

Defeated Cahokia, Althoff Catholic and Centralia. Has not lost in the South Seven. Had a 10-game win streak going. 

Marquette Catholic (Alton)

Defeated Jersey, Highland, Carrollton, Greenfield/Northwestern, Gibault Catholic and Hamilton to continue a 12-game win streak.

Notable Week 11-12 Individual Performances

Jerzy Bittle, Marion, Jr.

Scored a career-high 40 points in a Jan. 27 win over Meridian.

Reached 1,000 career points.

Emily Pape, Maine South, Sr.

Scored a school-record 41 points in a Jan. 26 win over Willowbrook. 

Posted 19 points and 6 rebounds in a win over Libertyville. 

Scored 17 points and added 11 rebounds in win against York. 

Janae Kent, Oak Forest, Jr.

Totaled 46 points with 8 rebounds in a win over Hillcrest. 

Had 31 points and 7 rebounds in a victory against Lemont. 

Scored 14 points with 10 assists, 7 rebounds and 3 steals versus TF North. 

Riley Mont, West Aurora, Sr.

Scored 23 and reached 1,000 points against Oswego.

​​Posted 21 points in a victory over Plainfield Central.

Lili Duckmann, Elk Grove, Sr.

Reached 1,000 career points.

Scored a program single-game record 34 points versus Hersey. 

Posted 21 points versus Wheeling. 

Jordan Wood, Carmel Catholic, Jr.

Posted 22 in losing effort to Nazareth in the ESCC tournament title game. 

Scored 25 in a win over Illinois-Basketball.com second-ranked Benet. 

Piled on a career-high 33 points in a defeat of Saint Viator. 

Scored 17 in a win over Joliet Catholic.

Maya Osborn, Marshall, Sr.

Put up a hefty stat line of 27 points, 11 rebounds, 9 steals, 5 blocks and 5 assists in a win over ALAH.

Had 12 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds and 6 steals in a defeat of Arcola.

Posted 12 points, 10 assists, 7 steals and 5 rebounds in a win over Newton.

Eleanor Monyek, Hinsdale Central, Sr.

Scored 23 in a win versus Hinsdale South. Scored 17 in a loss to Glenbard West.

Posted 30 points and reached 1,000 career points in a win over Argo. 

Sydney Harris, Edwardsville, Sr.

Scored 29 with 8 rebounds in Edwardsville’s 13th consecutive victory, a win over Quincy Notre Dame. 

Broke the program record for scoring when she reached 1,807 career points.

Scored 22 in the win over Collinsville.

Posted 19 in a win over Belleville East. 

Kierney McDonald, Rockridge, Sr.

Scored 22 in a loss to Unity.

Posted 26 points and 21 rebounds in a victory over Monmouth-Roseville. 

Joy Bergstrom, St. Viator, Sr.

Became Saint Viator’s all-time leading scorer and recently went over 1,700 career points. 

Posted scoring totals of 15, 17, 18, 21, 9 and 21.

Taylor Nowaskie, Olympia, Sr.

Became Olympia’s all-time leading scorer and signed with Lincoln Land Community College.

Had scoring totals of 32 and 31 versus Illinois Valley Central and Bloomington Central Catholic, respectively.

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