Boudouris takes positives from Rochester loss at State Farm

NORMAL — Rochester girls basketball coach J.R. Boudouris doesn’t like to lose but he liked some things he saw in Wednesday’s 44-31 loss to Mundelein Carmel in the State Farm Holiday Classic quarterfinals at Normal Community High School.

The Rockets battled back from a 22-12 second-quarter deficit to The Associated Press’ Class 3A second-ranked Corsairs (11-2), who won the 3A state championship with a 43-39 win over LaGrange Park Nazareth earlier this year.

Rochester’s defense couldn’t have played much better in the third period while Emma Dixon showed off a couple of moves to score at the basket. Rochester pulled within 27-25 midway through the third quarter and keep it there until Carmel’s 6-foot-4 Jordan Wood, who has committed to play at Michigan State University, scored the Corsairs’ lone field goal of the period with 45 seconds left.

Ellie Gegen connected on a jumper 23 seconds later to once again get the Rockets (12-3) within two points.

In the fourth, however, Carmel was too strong for Rochester.

“I’m so proud of the effort,” Boudouris said. “That effort probably beats 98% of the teams in the state but that’s why we come to State Farm because I want to see the absolute best and see for better and worse what we do well, what we got to get better at.

“I feel like staying locked in, staying connected, having that even keel for 32 minutes is important and to be able to absorb a knockout punch like a Carmel or one of those top-tier teams.

“I’m super, super proud of my kids tonight; they couldn’t have executed a game plan any more perfectly.”

Dixon had 12 points. Her third bucket consisted of a fake to her left and then a turnaround to her right side to get the shot off and in over the Corsairs’ defense. She had another turnaround to start the second half and then caught the ball near the free-throw line, faked once before driving in for an easy layup.

“The one she had on the low block on (Wood) was literally every post move we’ve ever taught her since her freshman year,’ Boudouris said of Dixon. “I just had a big smile because she faked her once, got (Wood) off her feet, knew (Wood) was already down and coming back for another one and faked again and up-and-undered it.”

Kaylen Reed added 11 for the Rockets. Wood led all scorers with 15 points.

Springfield High drops pair

Springfield High lost two games in the Large School Girls tournament and will try to salvage a seventh-place consolation title on Thursday.

In the consolation quarterfinals, Emma Scheffler scored 12 points in a 43-33 loss to Wheaton Warrenville South.

In the fifth-place consolation semifinals, Megan McMullan led the Senators with 15 points and Ariana Williams added 10 in a 60-49 loss to Rock Island.

Taylorville advances to consolation semis

In the Large School Girls consolation quarterfinals, Kyleigh Heimsness connected on four 3-pointers to lead Taylorville to a 54-45 win over Bloomington. Addison Tarr and Aubrey Kietzman each had 10 points apiece for the Tornadoes.

Taylorville will face Normal West at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday at Bloomington High in the consolation semifinals.

SMALL SCHOOL GIRLS

Cyclones misfire in loss to Central/Southeastern

In the quarterfinals at Bloomington High, the Cyclones couldn’t take advantage of the Panthers’ fourth-quarter foul trouble and failed to close the gap with Lauren Miller and Amanda Stephens on the bench.

Central-Southeastern committed just two turnovers in the third period to erase SHG’s 22-17 halftime lead and take a 31-24 edge. Early in the fourth, Stephens picked up her fourth foul to join Miller on the bench. But SHG wouldn’t score until 4 minutes, 27 seconds were left and wouldn’t get closer than that 31-29 deficit.

SHG’s final points were three free throws from Izzy Hassebrock with 3.3 seconds left in the third, a three-point play from Reese Watson with 1:24 remaining and a Hassebrock 3 with 51 seconds to go.

“We couldn’t score,” SHG coach Steve Klunick said. “We’re limited offensively; we’ve got to get better attacking the basket.”

Stephens led all scorers with 11 points. Maggie Fleischli and Hassebrock led SHG with eight apiece.

LARGE SCHOOL BOYS

Hamilton, Hawkinson carry SHG to semis

Jake Hamilton scored 20 and teammate Zack Hawkinson added 19 as Sacred Heart-Griffin beat Bradley-Bourbonnais 71-46 in the Large School Boys quarterfinals at Normal West.

SHG led 15-7 after the first quarter and 37-18 at halftime.

J’veon Bardwell added 12 for the Cyclones, who will face Wheaton Warrenville South in the semifinals at Illinois Wesleyan University’s Shirk Center on Thursday at 4 p.m.

Senators split, to play for 13^th place

Carlos Day scored 19 points and Brandenn Robinson added 16 as Springfield High beat Machesney Park Harlem 73-44 in the Large School Boys fifth-place semifinals at Normal West.

Paul Hartman added 12 for the Senators’ win.

Earlier in the day, Hartman was the lone scorer in the double figures as SHS lost 51-41 to Oswego. Hartman scored 10 in the loss.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Rochester's valiant effort: Rockets drop game to defending 3A state champs