Ady Fanta finds her shot, hits 2 big ones to send Downers Grove North past Plainfield North for regional title

PLAINFIELD – Ady Fanta admits that she has not shot the ball as well as she’d like to this season. Downers Grove North coach Stephan Bolt, though, insists that she’s a knockdown shooter.

Fanta was clutch when it counted Thursday.

The junior guard stuck two 3-pointers, her only two of the game, in less than a minute’s time midway through the fourth quarter. They allowed Downers Grove North to gain separation from Plainfield North, and the Trojans went on to a 39-31 win in the Class 4A Plainfield North Regional final.

“My teammates tend to find me even though I’m not shooting it great,” Fanta said. “They pick me up, the confidence they have in me. I’ve put in the work. Knowing my teammates have confidence in me is what helps me.”

Campbell Thulin had 15 points, seven rebounds, three steals and three assists and Fanta scored 11 points for Downers Grove North (22-9), which won despite making just 11 of 24 free throw attempts.

The Trojans, who graduated four key seniors from a team that won a program record 30 games last year, still won the program’s fourth regional championship in the last five postseasons. Downers Grove North advances to face top-seeded Benet on Tuesday at Bolingbrook.

Downers Grove North’s defense that gives up fewer than 30 points per game held Plainfield North to a season-low point total.

“I’m really proud of this group,” Bolt said. “All season we had peaks and valleys going on, and then we’re fighting some adversity. But this group came to practice and believed in each other. Defensively, we have a chance. We’re a really solid defensive team.”

Downers Grove North was clinging to a 27-23 lead early in the fourth quarter when Thulin found Fanta alone in the left corner with a crosscourt pass.

Fanta lined it up, and knocked it down. And then she buried another one from the right wing less than a minute later for a 33-25 lead with 3:20 left to put the game almost out of reach.

“I have not shot well this year, not at all. Just not taking my time as much, I’m rushing a little,” Fanta said. “I knew that first one was in. For sure, making that first one gets my momentum going. And we got a couple stops on defense, so I was feeling it.”

Thulin, who earlier assisted a Fanta layup in transition, had total faith in her teammate’s shot-making ability.

”I trust her with everything," Thulin said. “She’s a knockdown shooter in practice every time. She just has the same rhythm, does her thing. When she’s not thinking about it she won’t miss.”

Plainfield North (19-11), which was playing for its first regional title, was led by Lucile Carlos with eight points. Sydney Scott added seven points, seven rebounds and three steals and Anaya Patterson had six points and nine rebounds.

The Tigers went scoreless for nearly five minutes in the second quarter to trail 17-9, but came back to take a 21-20 lead with 3:51 left in the third quarter on a runner by Kaitlyn Sedillo.

It was the last lead for Plainfield North, which also attempted 18 fewer free throws than Downers Grove North.

“We kept responding to their runs, we played aggressive on defense, it’s just down the stretch they hit a couple more shots than we did,” Plainfield North coach Brittany McWaine said. “We’re usually a shooting team, but tonight we emphasized getting to the basket. Some of our shots just didn’t fall.”

Thulin, Downers Grove North’s standout sophomore, made just 3 of her 14 field goal attempts, none in the second half.

But she impacted the game in other ways with three assists in the fourth quarter, defensive rebounding and steals, and 12 free throw attempts.

“She’s all over the place,” Bolt said. “She’s an incredible competitor and one of the toughest kids I’ve ever coached. If she’s not making shots she won’t let it impact the rest of her game. She’s a coach’s dream.”

It was a marvelous first season for McWaine and her Plainfield North group, their eyes moist as they filed out of the locker room.

“These girls showed up, they played hard, they responded,” McWaine said. “I think every day they came in here and they wanted it, and they showed me. They challenged me and I challenged them. Regardless of the situation they continued to rise.”

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