D-C fends off Raiders’ rally

Dundee-Crown’s Ali Sanders looks for room to pass during the final seconds of the Chargers’ 44-41 victory against Huntley in Carpentersville. Sanders scored 16 points, including six in the fourth quarter. (Jenny Kane - jkane@shawmedia.com)

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CARPENTERSVILLE – In her Dundee-Crown basketball career, Ali Sanders never has experienced a season with a winning record, let alone a conference championship.

But with the Chargers’ 44-41 victory over Huntley on Tuesday night, the senior guard has put D-C in prime position for a chance at both.

Despite an off shooting night, Sanders scored 16 points, including six in the fourth quarter, to help the Chargers (9-6, 4-0 Fox Valley Conference Valley Division) hold off the Red Raiders’ furious second-half rally and remain undefeated in conference play.

“Sometimes we have lapses,
but all of this season has been positive,” Sanders said. “We know that the teams we are playing, we can beat them. We’re just really positive and we got back up and took the win.”

Huntley (9-5, 3-1 FVC Valley) got out to an early 6-2 lead, but starters Abbey Shaw and Haley Ream each picked up two quick fouls in the first quarter and D-C took advantage. D-C senior Diamond Williams came off the bench to score eight points in the first half, and her dish to Sanders for a layup capped a 17-0 run that put D-C up, 24-8, late in the second quarter.

Huntley clawed back in the second half by getting the ball inside to Sam Andrews. The 5-foot-10 sophomore scored 16 points after halftime -- including 13 in the third quarter alone -- and her two free-throws gave the Red Raiders a 36-34 lead with less than six minutes to play.

“I was pleased with the way we came back in the second half,” Huntley coach Steve Raethz said. “But it’s really disappointing not to see us put together a full game with what the stakes were for this game.”

It was Sanders who made the big plays for D-C down the stretch. She scored six of the team’s next eight points, including a baseline jumper to put the Chargers up four with less than two minutes to go, and D-C held on for the home victory.

Williams finished with 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for D-C. Andrews had a game-high 24 points for the Red Raiders.

Dundee-Crown’s victory sets up a showdown between the Chargers and Cary-Grove – the Valley Division’s only two remaining undefeated teams -- on Jan. 11 at C-G.

And Sanders already knows what’s at stake.

“This is huge for us; we knew that Huntley and Cary-Grove were the teams we were looking at for conference victories,” Sanders said. “We’re going to look out for Cary-Grove next … every win is important.”