Girls basketball insider
Athlete of the week
Melissa Dixon
Johnsburg, G, So.
Dixon scored 23 points in a 49-44 victory against Cary-Grove on Saturday and scored 22 against McHenry earlier in the week. Her confidence this season is soaring, coach Mike Toussaint said, and her shot selection has been impeccable. “She’s averaging around 19 points, but it’s a quiet 19 points,” Toussaint said. “She’s unselfish, and when you watch her play, you don’t feel like she’s scoring as much as she is, but she takes really good shots and she doesn’t miss them often.”
Noteworthy
On the mend: Johnsburg forward Brittany McNish, who tore her ACL during volleyball season, played a few minutes Saturday against Cary-Grove.
Toussaint said during the preseason that he wasn’t sure when McNish, a senior, would return, but that she was hoping to be able to tape the injury and avoid surgery.
McNish wore a brace against the Trojans on Saturday and scored one point in a 49-44 Johnsburg victory.
Other key performances: Harvard forward Emily Scott is pacing the Hornets, putting up big numbers consistently.
Scott, a junior, scored 17 against Rockford Lutheran in a Big Northern Conference crossover on Saturday, which followed a 12-point performance against North Boone last Thursday.
Grayslake North’s Lauren Erikson has also averaged double-digits, scoring 14 in a non-conference loss to Waukegan last week and another 19 against Dundee-Crown on Saturday.
Rescheduled game: Marengo will face BNC East Division opponent Hampshire at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 3 at Hampshire.
The game was postponed Tuesday because of inclement weather.
Can’t-miss games
Jacobs at Prairie Ridge
7 p.m. Saturday
Jacobs seems to be rolling now, picking up a couple of wins in a row, while the Wolves are trying to regain ground after starting the season strong and skidding during FVC crossover play.
Grayslake Central at McHenry
7 p.m. Tuesday
The Rams have struggled during their few FVC crossovers but are quick and athletic. Meanwhile, McHenry is developing its inside game nicely, making it one of the only teams in the area with a true post presence in Alyssa Hayer and Katlyn Halstead.
SFlbHuntley at Woodstock
7 p.m. Wednesday
This is an intriguing matchup. Huntley is well-balanced from top to bottom, and Woodstock, although often carried by senior Mollie Whiting, has some depth on its bench, as well.
-Maureen Lynch