By Drake Skleba
For the Bugle
After Trinity (1-2) rallied past Prospect (1-2), 55-52 in Thursday night’s 8th Annual York Thanksgiving Tournament game, the championship game door was opened for Niles West. Niles West, entered it’s game with Oswego East (2-0), with a 1-1 record, after having lost to Prospect 59-45 Monday and defeating Trinity 41-31 Tuesday.
Now the battle of the Wolves, would decide a winner-take all trip to Friday night’s championship game against Green Division Champ Downers Grove South (3-0).
The Mustangs outlasted the hosts from York 51-48 in overtime in the tournaments’ other championship semifinal game.
A Niles West win would give both schools a 2-1 records in the White Division and Niles West would advance to the championship by winning the first tie-breaker, which is the head-to-head winner.
Led by its defense, Niles West (2-1) smothered Oswego East 56-45.
The Wolves, put this one in the win column in the last three minutes of the third quarter.
Oswego East junior guard Christine Corpuz (14 points, two 3’s) went on a personal 8-0 run, to cut the Niles West lead to 38-36 with 2:36 left in third quarter.
Niles West sophomore guard Angelica Cirineo (11 points, two steals) would hit a pair of free throws to give Niles West a 40-36 lead.
Senior Sam Galanopoulis (20 points, 9 rebounds) would nail another jumper and Cirineo would follow with a steal and perfect pass to senior Jennifer Orbello (13 points, three rebounds, two steals) who’s lay-up extended the Niles West lead, to 44-36 with 40 seconds left in the quarter.
Galanopoulis scored with a few seconds left in the quarter to give the Wolves a 46-36 lead after three quarters.
The death of Oswego East came in the first minute of the final stanza.
Oswego East had closed to within 46-39 with seven minutes left in the game.
Galanopoulis scored to make it 48-39 Niles West. Orbello followed with a steal and score to push the lead back up to 50-39 with 4:31 left in the contest.
Game over.
“We played as one unit and that really helped us to win this game,” Orbello said. “We played with a lot of energy throughout, which made us hard to beat. Coach just told us that we earned the right to play for the championship and we will have to put out the same energy to win the game”
“I played well tonight but our ability to play as a team really was what won the game for us,” Cirineo said. “We have to compete even harder to win the game and take home the championship.”
With Oswego East in desperation mode Galanopoulis would sink six consecutive free throws in the last 1:29 of the contest to put the East to bed.
“Our defense really won the game for us,” Galanopoulis said. “Our guards applied a lot of pressure on top. Down low we really controlled the boards. Offensively we ran our offense very well, with a lot of passes, each possession. All the keys we need to win this tournament championship, we have met. Our confidence level is sky high and we are really confident we can win the championship tomorrow night.”
“In both of Oswego East’s wins in the tournament they overcame 15-point opponent leads to win,” Niles West head coach Kyle Braheny said. “I told the girls that we just must continue, to do what we do well and we played outstanding in the fourth quarter.
“Jen is our Cross-Country star at Niles West and I asked her if she could run for us in the fourth quarter. She played outstanding tonight. Angelica is just a sophomore but she certainly doesn’t play, like one. And Sam had an outstanding game as always and finished off the victory with those six consecutive clutch free throws.”
“Downers Grove South is a great team,” Braheny added. “But we earned the right to play in the championship game. I believe it will be a great championship game on Friday night”