CAPENTERSVILLE – Clutch free throws and a critical blocked shot.
Those ingredients provided a hard fought 47-45 win for Hampshire over Lake Park in first-round action of the Dundee-Crown High School 39th annual Komaromy Classic on Monday.
The Whip-Purs (10-4) will play Maine South in quarterfinal action at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Lake Park (8-5}, in the consolation bracket, will tangle with South Elgin at 11 a.m.
Nursing a slim 41-39 lead, Whitney Thompson calmly sank four free throws to give the Whip-Purs a 45-39 advantage.
Thompson, with a pair of 3-pointers, led the winners with 12 points.
“Coach (Eric Samuelson) always talks about closing out games,” Thompson said. “It was a good win against a quality team. We played with a lot of energy and rebounded.”
Gabriella Burgess followed with a 3 to pull the Lancers (8-5) within 45-42 with 45 seconds remaining.
Burgess attempted a 3-pointer with 15 seconds left to tie the game, but Hampshire’s Lia Saunders blocked the shot.
“I didn’t even know I blocked the shot,” Saunders said. “Coach always talk about defense translating to offense.”
Saunders backed up Thompson with nine points.
Despite a tough first half, Hampshire trailed only 17-16 at intermission. The Whips made only 6 of 25 from the floor for 24% and were 2 of 10 from 3-point range.
Hampshire, which committed 10 turnovers, missed eight layups during the first 16 minutes.
Scoring 20 points in the fourth quarter, Hampshire was 7 of 14 from the field and 4 of 10 from beyond the arc in the second half. Hampshire, which didn’t shoot a free throw in the first half, made 14 of 17 in the second half and 12 of 15 in the fourth quarter.
“We shot the ball much better in the second half,” Samuelson said. “This is a game we lose last year. We played with a lot of heart and we’re up to the challenge.”
Grace Cord led Lake Park with 16 points and six rebounds while Michela Barbanette scored 11 points,
“The free-throw line was the game,” Lake Park coach Brian Rupp said. “They shoot 14 of 17 and we shoot 9 of 19. We just need to bounce back against South Elgin.”
https://basketball.dailyherald.com/sports/20221226/saunders-hampshire-block-lake-park/