With six three-pointers in her final two games at the Dundee-Crown tournament, Burlington Central’s long distance ace Shelby Holt believes she’s seeing progress after what she deemed a slow start.
“It will come back eventually,” the sophomore said. “I’ve just got to keep shooting. I haven’t been shooting as much this year.
“I feel the rules are kind of changing and the team feels different. We’re still kind of working things out.”
The Rockets own a 12-3 record after their loss in the consolation championship to Maine South, but if Holt has shot fewer three-pointers this year than last year it is by design as much as happenstance.
Nothing stays the same from one year to the next, even with a young basketball team. After making a run at state with almost all freshmen and sophomores last year, the Rockets are coping with the changing tides within their team structure. The payoff could come by season’s end.
Part of the Rockets’ philosophy this year is sharing responsibilities. With Sam Pryor and Kayla Ross shooting more from the outside, Central has options. Another part is better shot selection.
“They always talk about if you move it from one side to the other side, to the other side, your offensive efficiency goes up by threefold,” Burlington Central coach Mark Smith said. “Anybody can come down the floor and make one pass and take a quick shot. We think that if you’ve got a quick shot with one pass, if you take three or four passes you’re going to have an even better shot.
After a Christmas tournament against larger schools, the Chargers are ready to make a run now at repeating as Big Northern East champs in January. They start Friday at home in a key game against Richmond-Burton.
“Everyone is finding their niche and hopefully we keep getting better at them,” Colby said.
Davidson rolling
Only champion New Trier was able to control St. Charles North scoring machine Nichole Davidson at the Dundee-Crown tournament. After scoring 23 points against Elgin and 25 against Larkin in Upstate Eight games, Davidson went on to get 25 against Resurrection, 29 against Burlington Central and 22 in a tourney-ending win over Naperville Central.
“She’s a load because she can go in the post, she can jump out of the gym,” St. Charles North coach Sean Masoncup said. “I think some colleges have started noticing and have started picking up on it. She’s 5-10 and can play any position on the court.”
Coping Wave
With 6-3 center Cece Rapp out with a broken collarbone, St. Edward is taking an all-hands approach, especially on defense.
“Myself and two other seniors Clarissa (Ramos) and Maria (Von Ahnen), we’ve all been trying to take in the post to get the height back up there, but it’s taking us down a little with Cece,” Green Wave senior Katie Swanson.
St. Edward made the championship game at the Lisle Holiday Cage Classic before falling to unbeaten Coal City late Monday night, 52-44. Swanson made the all-tournament team while Ramos led the Green Wave with 13 points in the title game. Madelyn Spagnola and Swanson had 16 each to get St. Edward into the title game with a 51-50 win over Antioch.
