LOMBARD – South Elgin certainly had its chances as the clock entered danger territory. The Storm trailed Glenbard East and dearly sought a potential overtime field goal.
But Glenbard East remained undefeated in Upstate Eight Conference girls basketball play by hanging on for dear life in a 45-42 victory Thursday in Lombard.
The Storm had four shots, including two potential game-tying 3-pointers, over the final 21 seconds. Glenbard East improved to 7-2 overall and 5-0 in league play when the quartet of shots all misfired.
“It could have gone either way,” a relieved Nicole Miller, the coach for Glenbard East, said.
Glenbard East’s Lauren Huber, who scored 15 of her game-high 23 points in the first half, personified the tense play of the game with three crucial putbacks from her guard position.
“We were hustling a lot,” Huber said. “That got them into foul trouble.”
Kendall Crackel split a pair at the line to account for the final score for Glenbard East. Emily Ryan had nine points to augment the Huber total for the Rams. Caitlyn Tolentino and Ariana Lopez led the Storm with 12 and 11 points. Ella Winterhalder drained three 3- pointers for South Elgin (5-5, 2-3).
Winterhalder gave South Elgin its only second-half lead midway through the third quarter with the first of her three second-half field goals from beyond the arc.
The Rams, though, who held a precarious 26-25 lead at the break, had an ensuing possession that proved noteworthy.
Huber was fouled attempting the Rams’ fourth shot of the possession.
The senior guard, who converted all but one of her eight free-throw attempts, reversed the Rams’ one-point deficit.
“It wasn’t from a lack of effort or desire,” South Elgin coach Dan Mandernack said of the Rams’ three offensive rebounds on the trip. “We are young and small. We don’t have anyone taller than five-(foot)-seven. (Huber) is a threat at all three phases.”
Ryan scored the Rams’ final three points of the third quarter to give Glenbard East its largest lead of the night at 36-30.
The Storm were seemingly further hampered by Tolentine drawing a fourth foul almost three minutes before the start of the fourth quarter.
Two more Winterhadder fourth-quarter 3-pointers and inspired play by Lopez enabled South Elgin to forge a pair of ties.
Maddie Weltin broke the second deadlock with an inside score for Glenbard East with two minutes and 40 seconds to play.
Huber then doubled theRams’ advantage to 44-40 with 1:36 to play with the last of her seven conventional field goals.
Zoie Lewis’ quick score trumped the Huber bucket 18 seconds later for South Elgin.
The Crackel split trip at the line set the stage for the frenetic final half minute.
South Elgin tried for a quick score, only to seek a Witerhalder equalizer from long range on its second attempt.
The Storm once again attempted a shot from the paint.
With its fourth shot of the possession, Winterhalder had her 23-footer nick the rim and bounce harmlessly to the floor as time expired.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better shot,” Mandernack said.
“We were able to pressure the ball,” Huber said. “That was the difference.”