Senior forward Hallie Crane leads Batavia to comeback win over Butler Prep at Chicagoland Showcase

PALATINE – On paper, Batavia and Butler Prep looked to be a one-sided game at Saturday’s Dave Yates Chicagoland Showcase.

The Bulldogs are still trying to find their identity after the graduation of one of their most prolific scorers and playmakers, Brooke Carlson, in program history.

Besides losing Carlson, the Bulldogs had to fill the void of several other key departures from last season’s iconic 29-team win that captured the DuKane Conference title and claimed the program’s first sectional championship.

But the Bulldogs, even without the do-it-all Carlson running the point, are a team to contend with after an impressive comeback victory.

Batavia senior forward Hallie Crane scored a team-high 18 points and Kaidyn King added 12 points in a 51-48 win over Butler Prep. Samantha Jansey had seven points, while Natalie Warner and Julia Arulandu both added six for the Bulldogs (5-2).

While Batavia is learning to win without Carlson, Butler Prep is a different story.

Butler Prep junior guard Xyanna Walton torched Oswego East for 24 points, 17 rebounds, two assists and two steals on Nov. 19. Walton, who is ranked in the top 60 nationally in her class by ESPN.com, is the headline player on a team filled with Division I prospects.

The Lynx have at least eight players who will play on the college level, and that disparity between the rebuilding Bulldogs was evident in the opening minutes at Fremd High School.

Crane, a senior forward, joked that she’s “a little tired” after an emotional and physical game that featured several no-calls, which led to a helter-skelter game.

“We had each other’s backs and picked each other up today,” Crane said. “I think our defensive pressure was very good. We worked very hard on it during practice. This win feels really good.”

Warner, a senior guard, said the Bulldogs learned several positives about themselves in the thrilling comeback.

“It was such a fun game,” Warner said. “The energy was so high and seeing teammates fall on the ground made us push harder for the win. This is a great confidence boost for us that we will definitely bring to other games.”

Batavia coach Kevin Jensen said his new-look team is filled with gamers capable of overcoming deficits due to their effort level and toughness.

“It might be because some people know more about their players,” Jensen said. “We have some great players, but it’s hard after you have Brooke Carlson. Natalie Warner and Hallie Crane have both been all-conference players. Julia Arulandu has been a gamer who just hasn’t gotten a lot of time yet. Our girls just play so hard. That’s what gets us our great looks on offense. In the first quarter, Butler got the looks it wanted, but when it was up and down, that’s in favor of us. Everything we do is dictated on how hard we play defensively.”

The early results Saturday were ugly, but the Bulldogs showed they are a team to watch this season with an inspiring second-quarter comeback.

The Lynx almost ran away with the win, building leads of 14-7 and 26-18 in the first half, but Batavia’s pressure defense caused fits and led to a 180-degree change in the game.

Batavia’s King canned an open 3-pointer to spark the comeback. The Bulldogs had two chances to take the lead late in the second quarter, both times missing a 3-pointer, and had to settle for a 28-28 tie at halftime.

Walton, who had 11 points in the loss, struggled finding a rhythm in the game, even missing a Euro-step layup in the final seconds that would have given Butler a lead. Batavia had to battle back after Butler took a brief lead in the fourth quarter, but King hit a big 3-pointer with just under three minutes left for a 49-46 edge.

Crane buried a free throw with 1.2 seconds left after snaring a key steal off an in-bounds play just seconds before.

“We took some time to get together, but this is adding another level of belief that we’re a good team again,” Jensen said. “We need different things from different players than we needed in the past. We have a bunch of kids that are not afraid.”