Trojans hold off Naperville North

With offers from NCAA women's basketball powers, Stanford and Oregon State (No.7), Naperville North's 6-foot junior Greta Kampschroederwas a concern for Downers Grove North coach Stephan Bolt and his Trojans.

With 6:11 remaining in the the Trojan-Huskie battle on Thursday night, Kampshroeder (16 points), made one of two free-throws to give the Huskies a 28-27 lead.

Led by senior Ellie Gross and the smothering, in your-face, defensive-minded Trojans, Kampshroeder and the Huskies would not score another point.

Two layups from Trojan 6-foot sophomore Eleanor Harris (nine points, six rebounds, steal), on dimes from Gross and Maggie Fleming gave the Trojans a 31-28 lead with 16.2 seconds. Five-foot-10 sophomore Ryan Wendt (four points, four rebounds, steal) stole a Huskie pass and get fouled. Wendt, buried a pair of free-throws to conclude the game's scoring.

The Trojan defense would have made Trojan baseball coach Kyle Briscoe and softball coach Eric Landshoot proud, tossing a six-minute, 11 second shutout at the Huskies (13-5) for the 33-28 win.

The Trojans behind Gross, grabbed an 11-4 first-quarter advantage.

Kampschroder and the Huskies hit the Trojans with a haymaker in the second quarter outscoring them 12-2 for a 16-13 lead.

The third quarter belonged to Trojan sophomore Kate Gross.

When you are the daughters of IHSBCA Hall of Fame girls' basketball head coach Steve Gross, from the time they could dribble a basketball, Ellie and Kate, were getting the best basketball teaching one could hope for.

Steve Gross, who won 345 games in 15 years at Hinsdale Central with the 2002 IHSA AA State basketball championship, could be seen high in the rafters at Naperville North on Thursday.

The Trojan offense started the third quarter sluggish, trailing 18-13 with five minutes remaining in the quarter.

"Naperville North came out and took away everything we wanted to do on offense," Bolt said. "Kate really gave us a lift when she hit three three-pointers in succession."

The first two gave the Trojans a 19-18 lead. Her third long-range bomb gave DGN a 25-23 lead with two minutes remaining in the third quarter. The Trojans held a slim 27-25 lead after three quarters.

"We ran our offense to perfection and my teammates were able to get me the ball with open looks at the basket," Kate Gross said. "Happily, I was able to knock the shots down."

For Harris, her performance tonight was a tremendous confidence-boost for the up-and-coming sophomore.

"Eleanor was outstanding for us tonight, scoring and grabbing rebounds," Bolt added. "Just a sophomore, I am really looking forward to how good she is going to be for us. The sky is the limit for her potential."

"This was a great win for us tonight," Harris said. "Ellie and Maggie gave me great passes for me to complete my two late baskets that helped win the game. I have to be more aggressive, going to the basket. I have to be more consistent."

For the Trojan senior leader, Ellie Gross, she scored all five of her points in the second quarter.

Gross picked up five steals and three huge assists to help the Trojans get a huge bounce-back win.

After going to Elmhurst on Friday night and stunning. West Suburban Silver leader, York, 37-29, the Trojans traveled to La Grange on Tuesday and fell 40-34 in overtime to Lyons Township (11-7, 6-2).

The loss dropped the Trojans (17-5, 5-2) into third place in the WSC Silver behind York (16-5, 7-1) and LT. Both Trojan WSC Silver losses are to LT.

"Once again we were not shooting the ball very well tonight," Ellie Gross said. "Kate and Eleanor really gave us a big lift tonight. We really stepped up our defense, in the fourth quarter, to come away with this bounce-back win. Lyons Township does not have our number. We beat ourselves in both games. We hope to meet them again in the sectionals."

"I couldn't be more proud of our defensive effort tonight," Bolt concluded. "This was a great win for the girls after Tuesday's tough loss, at LT."

SOUTHWEST SUBURBAN BLUE

Bolingbrook 63 Lockport 40

The Lady Raiders (15-5, 2-0) romped past the Porters (15-9, 1-2) in Lockport on Thursday night. With the win the Lady Raiders pull into a first-place tie with Homewood-Flossmoor (15-4, 2-0) atop the SWSC Blue.

Both SWSC Blue co-leaders will meet Sandburg in SWSC play. On Friday, H-F will host the Eagles. On Tuesday, the Eagles, travel to the 'Brook to meet the Lady Raiders.

On Thursday, January 23, H-F will invade Bolingbrook for an expected battle for SWSC Blue supremacy.

ILLINOIS CENTRAL 8

Lisle 43 Coal City 27

With second-place Peotone (16-5, 7-2) and Reed-Custer (15-9, 7-2), winning on Thursday, the IC-8 leaders from Lisle (19-3, 9-0) put fourth a great defensive effort to keep their two-game IC-8 lead over the Blue Devils and Comets.

In a defensive first half, coach Nick Balaban's Lions led 6-5 after one quarter and 18-10 at the half.

The Lions extended their lead to 32-19 after three quarters and rolled to the 16-point victory.