Hot shooting, shutdown defense lead Cary-Grove past Hampshire

HAMPSHIRE – Hampshire worked hard to erase a seven-point deficit in the first quarter against Cary-Grove and cut it to one on a runner by sophomore guard Peyton McCarthy.

Then the Trojans got hot.

Cary-Grove junior point guard Kennedy Manning drilled a 3-pointer three feet behind the line on the left wing, the first of three straight 3s to end the quarter for the Trojans. Junior Malaina Kurth made the next one, followed by senior Alivia Nielsen.

Then in the second quarter, C-G’s defense took over. The Trojans held the Whip-Purs scoreless in the quarter and went on to win 53-30 on Monday in Fox Valley Conference play.

Manning, who had two assists and a steal in the first quarter, didn’t attempt a shot until her long 3.

“I think it was helpful because we really needed some more energy to get us going,” said Manning, a three-year varsity player. “Once you get that first 3, the rest of the team is set, ready to go, and we got into our offense real quick.”

Manning (four assists, four steals, four rebounds) was one of four Trojans to score in double figures with a team-high 11 points. Senior forward Ellie Mjaanes (six rebounds), a Division I Lehigh commit, also scored 11, while Kurth (five rebounds) and Nielsen (five rebounds) each had 10.

Senior Sam Skerl had all six of her points in the first quarter, scoring two field goals directly off steals, while sophomore Avery Hoffman came off the bench and finished with five points.

Hoffman, a first-year varsity player, entered the game when Skerl got into foul trouble early. C-G coach Tony Moretti said Hoffman has provided a nice spark off the bench.

“She’s a young kid, and she’s still learning,” Moretti said. “She’s super athletic. She wants to learn and she just gets better every game. I’m really proud of the job she did because we did get into a little bit of foul trouble, and once we did we were able to bring her in and she really steadied the ship for us defensively and took No. 11 [Hampshire junior Mikala Amegasse] out of what she wanted to do.”

Cary-Grove (6-2, 2-1 FVC) held Hampshire (1-6, 1-2) to 0-of-6 shooting in the second quarter and only gave up only three points in the fourth. The Trojans defense forced 28 turnovers.

Cary-Grove implemented a full-court press to start because it felt it had an advantage with more speed on the court. That helped the Trojans jump out to an 8-1 lead less than three minutes into the game.

“I saw us fighting. We weren’t allowing them to do what they wanted to do,” Moretti said of his team’s defense.

Hoffman scored all five of her points, including a 3, in a second quarter. C-G led 31-13 at halftime.

Hoffman said her transition to varsity has been fun.

“The team has been really welcoming,” Hoffman said. “Last year I was on JV2 with all of my friends that are all my age, and it’s been a lot of fun to play with all the older girls this year. It’s a pretty big difference. It’s fun to be challenged. It’s a pretty big jump.”

Manning, who is in the same history class as Hoffman, said the sophomore has provided the team with a lot of big plays already.

“She’s crazy athletic,” Manning said. “I don’t know if I’ve every met anyone more athletic than her. She’s all over the floor. Great teammate, brings energy all practice long and a great friend. We talk a lot outside of basketball, as well.”

Amegasse (six rebounds, three steals) led all scorers with 13 points, and Chloe Van Horn added eight for the Whips.

Hampshire, which is coming off back-to-back 20-win seasons, had a long heart-to-heart talk after the game.

“When we play help-side defense, when we try to rebound, when we sprint the floor and just try to play together, I think we have the ability to be better than we’re showing right now,” Whips coach Eric Samuelson said. “This team has talent. We’ve just got to play together.”