Girls Basketbal: Bolingbrook falls to Marian Catholic
By Matt LeCren For Sun-Times Media January 21, 2013 11:08PM
Bolingbrook's Aysia Bugg is fouled by Marian Catholic's Melanie Ransom. | Judy Fidkowski~For Sun-Times Media
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Updated: February 23, 2013 6:38AM
Teniya Page didn’t look nervous Monday.
She didn’t play like she was nervous, either.
That’s the thing about the Marian Catholic sophomore point guard — she stays calm no matter what the situation.
And this situation was bigger than most. Page made only 1-of-10 shots from the floor but went 6-of-6 from the free-throw line Monday night and committed just four turnovers as Marian Catholic knocked off Bolingbrook 58-50 at the McDonald’s Shootout at Willowbrook.
It was the first time the Spartans (20-1) have beaten Bolingbrook.
“Teniya is a competitor,” Marian Catholic coach Annie Byrne said. “I thought (Monday), for her to have that much pressure on her for 32 minutes, I was extremely proud of her and proud of all the kids.”
Page scored just eight points but she dished out seven assists, including three during a crucial third quarter that saw the Spartans outscore the Raiders 16-5 to break a 27-all halftime tie.
“It means a lot, especially since it was our 20th win of the season,” Page said. “Before this game we came out looking to make a statement.
“I wasn’t nervous at all. All I had to do was play and I know that if I play I will do well.”
With their outside shots not falling, the Spartans became more aggressive on offense in the third quarter, with Page and fellow guard Ashton Millender taking the initiative.
Forward Kauai Bradley heeded that advice as she attacked and scored on a drive at the 6:03 mark of the period to give the Spartans a 31-30 lead. More important, she drew the fourth foul on Bolingbrook’s Amarah Coleman.
“The ref called Amarah for a foul and we were in trouble,” Bolingbrook coach Anthony Smith said. “I think maybe it was a tie ballgame and she got her fourth foul and they went on an 8-1 run.
“When she got back in the ballgame, we crept back but we could never get (the lead) back. If she doesn’t pick up that fourth foul, I think we’re all right.”
Instead, the Spartans increased their lead to 45-32 on a rebound bucket by Melanie Ransom early in the fourth quarter.
The Raiders (14-5) used a 9-0 run to pull to within 48-47 after Aysia Bugg scored four straight points, but the Spartans made eight straight free throws — four each by Page and Millender — to put the game out of reach.
Millender led Marian with 14 points, while Megan Walsh had 13 points, seven rebounds and four blocks. Ransom added 10 points.
Coleman led Bolingbrook with 18 points while Bugg had 16. No other Raider had more than six.
