South’s late surge stuns PR

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CRYSTAL LAKE – Crystal Lake South’s girls basketball players easily could have hung their heads and called it a night.

Trailing by as many as 17 points in the third quarter and facing a Prairie Ridge team that had everything going its way, the Gators looked dead in the water.

Yet South’s intensity never wavered. The Gators rallied with a 16-2 run to end the game, and Lauren Del Vecchio made one of two free throws with 7.2 seconds left to cap a wild 49-48 win in the Fox Valley Conference Valley Division.

“The kids believed in what they were going to do,” South coach Kyle McCaughn said. “The kids just decided that they weren’t going to be beat, and it was nothing more than that. They made the decision.”

After South (10-14 overall, 4-5 FVC Valley) cut the lead to three with two minutes remaining, the Wolves’ Marisa Gerstbrein drove for a layup to make it a five-point lead. Those were the last points Prairie Ridge (8-13, 3-7) would score as it was held to only four points in the final five minutes.

After Sara Mickow split a pair of free throws, Prairie Ridge turned the ball over and Mickow got an open layup with 35 seconds left to make it 48-46. On the Wolves’ next possession, a traveling violation gave the ball back to the Gators. Mickow took the ensuing inbound pass and banked home a short jumper to tie the score with 28 seconds left.

Stephanie Melone then stole the ball and lobbed an outlet to Del Vecchio, who was fouled. After missing the first free throw, Del Vecchio sank the second to give South a one-point lead.

“I was trying not to let the pressure dictate what I was doing and stay calm and composed,” Del Vecchio said. “Just do what I normally do.”

Prairie Ridge forward Sarah LeBeau’s last-second three-pointer was partially blocked.

South’s second-half rally started like it ended: at the free-throw line. The Gators were 17 of 31 from the free-throw line in the second half and four Prairie Ridge players fouled out.

South’s full-court press wreaked havoc in the second half, forcing 16 turnovers.

“The turnover monsters bit us in the second [half],” Wolves coach Jeff Boldog said. “Give credit to South, they never gave up and kept battling.”

Prairie Ridge made five three-pointers in the first half, but none after halftime.

Melone led South with 11 points, all in the second half. Gerstbrein had 13 for the Wolves.

The victory capped a big week for South, which also defeated Huntley on the road.

“These kids are starting to believe in what we’re doing and having the success that they’re having with that execution and effort,” McCaughn said. “This is a great time to be playing the way we’re playing.”