THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2006

Warriors Continue To Gel, Maintain Lead

By ANDY COLE

Journal Reporter

Maine West's girls basketball team has put a target on its back ... and it couldn't be happier about it.

The Warriors maintained a one-game lead in the Central Suburban League North with a 45-39 win at Deerfield Friday night. Not only did West exorcise some demons from a loss at Deerfield that cost the Warriors the conference title late last season, coach Derril Kipp's young team was able to complete a clean sweep through the first round of CSL North play (5-0).

The road from an 0-4 start to the season to an 11-7 record and the inside track to a league crown has been paved with young players growing up, according to their coach.

"We had a lot of girls at the start of the season who had never played varsity basketball before," Kipp said. "They've been growing into it. They grew up a bit (against Deerfield).

"Our movement off the ball has improvement, and we're more consistent running the offense and playing strong defense than we were (at the beginning of the season)."

Deerfield, which was gunning to tie Maine West and Niles North at the top of the league standings, led 13-10 at the end of the first quarter before being outscored 16-10 in the second and scoring just five points in the third quarter.

Caitlin Rehder scored 20 points and drained six of her eight free throws to lead the way for the winners. Point guard Anna Randazzo also finished in double figures.

"The game really didn't have much of a flow to it," Kipp said. "It was a very physical game, but I felt we dealt with that well.

"Ever since those first four games, we've done a very nice job defensively. That showed again (Friday)."

West played a CSL crossover Tuesday evening, hosting a 15-3 New Trier team. Next up for the Warriors in the CSL North is a Friday trip to Glenbrook North. A pair of double-weekends look on the horizon, with Highland Park and Maine South on Jan. 20-21 and Niles North and Mother McAuley Jan. 27-28.

Before the Deerfield game, Maine West's defense had stood out in a 39-21 win at Lake Zurich. Rehder scored 15 points and Randazzo chipped in six for West, which outscored the Bears 14-2 in the second quarter to take control.