Girls Basketball: Connors leads Lyons Township past St. Joseph
By George M. Wilcox gwilcox@pioneerlocal.com January 28, 2012 12:34AM
Lyons Township's Victoria Swift drives on St. Joseph's Melissa Hollingshed. | Steve Johnston~for Sun-Times Media
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Updated: March 3, 2012 8:19AM
Colleen Connors heard about St. Joseph’s key injuries as the Chargers entered the gym Friday night for their nonconference game at Lyons.
Without its top two players, St. Joseph could not stay with Lyons Township into the second half. LT won 51-39 while the No. 23 Chargers played without leading scorers Donna Koerber and Briya Wilborn. Both starters were injured in the first half of St. Joseph’s 52-48 loss at Benet Thursday night.
Koerber suffered a severe sprain to her left ankle and will miss the rest of the regular season. Wilborn suffered a concussion and will miss the opening game of the GCAC Red tournament at 7 p.m. Monday against St. Ignatius at Trinity. St. Joseph coach Jim Maley said he hopes Wilborn will be able to return for the Feb. 1 game in the GCAC Red.
Connors, LT’s senior guard, scored 12 of her game-high 16 points in the first half to lead the Lions (14-6), which has won four of its last five games. LT scored the first eight points in the third quarter to take a 36-22 lead and outscored the Chargers 15-4 in the third quarter. Freshman Tiana Little led St. Joseph with nine of her 10 points in the second half. Little and two other freshmen, Emilie Liotine and Aniyah Gray, were called up to the varsity before the game. The three freshmen played previously with the varsity during the Montini Holiday tournament.
“I was happy we got a look at next year,” Maley said. “I liked what I saw.”
Little scored all four of St. Joseph’s points in the third quarter. The Chargers shot 1-of-12 from the floor in the quarter and made a short comeback with a 9-2 run in the fourth quarter.
Ashanti Davis (six rebounds) scored 14 points, eight in the first half for Lyons. St. Joseph’s last lead was 11-9 with 58.9 seconds to go in the first quarter until Lyons went on an 11-2 run. The Chargers came within 20-19 after scoring six consecutive points, but Kayla Morrissey ended St. Joseph’s run with a 12-foot jumper.
“Obviously, our goal is to do the best we can and go as far as we can,” Connors said. “We are trying to beat all the teams we have left to play. I do what I can to help the team win.”
Connors didn’t make a basket in the second half. She scored on four free throws after halftime.
It was a mini reunion for Maley, whose daughters, Kelly and Katie, were former Lyons standouts and teammates with second-year Lyons coach Katie Meyers.
Starter Deja Horn added nine points for St. Joseph, but fouled out with 22 seconds remaining in the game.
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