By Drake Skleba
For the Bugle
For sixth year, Lisle High School girls’ varsity basketball coach Nick Balaban there were seasons he would be fortunate to play 6 or 7 girls in his rotation.
Not this year.
For the 7-1 Lions, this season sending 10-girl waves at their opponents has been the secret to success for Balaban.
On Monday night in the Lions’ Interstate 8 Conference battle with Manteno, the Panther girls were just worn down by the Lions’ tremendous depth. Getting 32 points from the bench, the Lions routed Manteno 72-41.
After a tightly contested first half where Lisle (7-1, 2-0) led only 29-26, the third quarter proved decisive and lead to the fourth quarter avalanche.
Lisle was led by a pair of sophomores, Abby Casmer (13 points, four rebounds, six steals) and Cassidy Allen (10 points, two steals) off the bench. The duo helped the Lions to force 14 third quarter Panther turnovers and open up a 43-31 Lion lead after three quarters.
“Abby and Cassidy have been doing this all season, for us,” Balaban added “The two have provided instant-energy for us all season.”
Forcing 16 more, fourth quarter Panther turnovers, in the fourth quarter, the Lions would romp to the 72-41 final.
Of course the young Lions could not haven taken Manteno apart without their senior, McKenzie Weaver. All Weaver did was score 17 points, haul down six rebounds and pick up seven steals.
“This was a great win for us,” Weaver said. “We started the game a little slow but with our great defense we rolled to this easy victory. Abby and Cassidy were amazing in the third quarter. We are all very confident that we can win the Interstate 8 Conference and have a great 2018-19 season.”
In the first half, another sophomore, Emma Rossin (15 points, six rebounds), buried three long-range bombs to keep the Lions in front. Two of the three triples came in the second quarter. Leading only 15-13 after one quarter Rossin and back-to-back buckets from Cassidy provided the 29-26 Lion halftime lead.
“This was a real team win for us tonight,” Rossin said. “I struggled in our early games with my shot but it feels so good now to be knocking down my 3’s every game since. Abby and Cassidy and our entire team were responsible for this big win.”
“We are so young but the girls have so much energy and with our depth, we wear teams out,” Balaban added. “Give Manteno credit for playing a great first half. We wore them down in the second half.”
In the Lions’ Interstate 8 opener at Herscher, Lisle outlasted the Tigers 53-46 in overtime, handing the Herscher girls, their first loss of the season.
After one quarter Herscher led 12-7. The teams were tied at 20 at the half. Herscher led 28-26 after three quarters. Tied at 39 at the end of regulation.
Trailing 43-41, the Lions went on a 5-0 run to grab a 46-43 lead. A free-throw and bucket from sophomore Cassidy Allen (12 points) and a score from senior McKenzie Weaver ( 13 points), gave the Lions a lead, they would never relinquish.
Leading 49-45, Weaver and Allen, would convert four more free-throws for a 53-45 Lion lead. Herscher would add a free throw. Lisle 53 Herscher 46 (OT)
Lisle 51 Hinckley-Big Rock 40
After taking the 70-mile bus ride to Herscher, the Lions took the short, 33 mile ride to Hinckley on Saturday.
The Lions, behind 13 first-half points from sophomore Cassidy Allen led 26-23, over the host Royals at the half.
It was the sophomore Emma Rossin Show, in the second-half. Burying four long-range bombs, giving her six for the game, in the second half, the Royals succumbed 51-40. Rossin, would finish with a game-high 20 points, for Lisle.
Girls Weekend Recap
Top-ranked Lady Redwings fall to Mighty Macs at Loyola
After falling on Saturday, to two-time defending Wisconsin state champion Beaver Dam at Fremd, Benet (8-2) was ambushed by unbeaten Mother McAuley 60-40 at Loyola on Sunday.
Valiant Cougars fall to SPC co-leader Oswego
On Thursday night in Oswego a very-early season Southwest Prairie Conference showdown took place between the Cougars (3-3, 0-1) and the Panthers of Oswego (6-2, 1-0).
Both teams battled to a 13-13 tie after one quarter. Oswego exploded to a 27-18 lead at the half. In the third quarter the teams again played even, with each team scoring 13 points and the Panthers took a 40-31 lead, into the fourth quarter.
Led by the Cougars’ only senior, Shannon Smith’s, long-range shooting performance (four triples), Plainfield South battled to the end before falling 51-46. Smith scored 21 points
Wolves rebound past Lane Tech
After falling to the unbeaten Titans of Glenbrook South (7-0, 1-0) in Niles West’s (5-2, 0-1) Central Suburban South opener Friday, the Wolves rolled past Lane Tech 61-52 on Chicago’s North Side Saturday.
Hawks romp past Vikings in CSL South opener
In Maine South’s (5-3. 1-0) Central Suburban South opener, the Hawks, behind junior Gretta Miller, romped past Niles North 74-28. Miller scored 17 and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the Hawks’ onslaught. Senior Nicole Gardiner scored 14 points and added seven rebounds.
Five-foot-2 Hannah Schilling hauled down six rebounds and scored eight points. Niahm Gardiner added eight points and five rebounds.
Spartans wins SPC opener over Plainfield East
Romeoville (2-3, 1-0) opened the Spartans Southwest Prairie Conference season with a 55-45 victory at Plainfield East (2-5, 0-2)
Angels take care of Regina Dominican
After dropping their East Suburban Catholic-opener to MCC the Angels of JCA (4-3) took out their frustration on Regina Dominican. In a less-than-spectacular first quarter, the Angels led the Panthers 3-2.
A 17-1 Angel onslaught, in the second quarter, gave JCA a 20-3 lead at the half. The lead grew to 32-8 after three quarters. Regina, outscored the Angels 20-3 in the fourth quarter and the Angels, held off the Panther come-back and prevailed, 35-28.
Jenna Hernandez led the Angels will 10 points. Jennifer Krizka added seven points and Kellen McLeod chipped in with six.