On Saturday, Feb. 27, at the Redbird Arena, Normal, Ridgewood was challenging Cowden-Herrick-Beecher City (CHBC) for third place in the IHSA Class 1A State Girls’ Basketball Tournament.
Going into the fourth quarter, Ridgewood was trailing by three points, 35-32, because of several blocked shots from CHBC’s 6-foot freshman Micah Jones. But all of that changed shortly after the fourth quarter started when Jones and CHBC senior guard Hillary Shelton both picked up their fifth foul within 22 seconds of each other.
Danyelle English, a Ridgewood post player, delivered a pair of key baskets to help fuel a 16-2 Ridgewood run. English was one of two players to hit double digits, with 12 points.
Amanda Kruger, a Ridgewood forward, sank 7-of -8 free throws down the stretch as she
finished with a double-double, game high 16 points and 13 rebounds. She also had two steals, one block and two assists for the team. English tallied 12 points and nine boards as the Ridgewood Spartans outscored BHBC 22-9 in the final period.
“I knew that we were down and that we had to score, so I got aggressive and went to the hoop, and it worked out,” stated Kruger. “Those two players (Jones and Shelton) are great, and we were having trouble with them. When both of them fouled out, we knew we were going to win.”
Ridgewood finished their first year as a co-op with a 32-3 record.
“This was the best season record for any basketball team in AlWood or Cambridge,” stated Coach Bryan Brooks. “The girls have set the standards high for teams to follow.”
The game started off a little slow for the Ridgewood Spartans, as CHBC scored the opening field goal and hit 1-of-2 from the free throw line during the first minute of action.
Jena Peterson scored Ridgewood’s first field goal of the game on a layup when the clock struck 6:44. Six seconds later, CHBC scored on a layup.
Michelle Williams was the second person to net points for the Spartans on a two-point jumper with 5:35 left in the opening quarter.
CHBC went to the free throw line twice during the four-minute mark, making 2-of-4, but shortly after that Stephanie Williams netted two on a jumper for Ridgewood.
After making a free throw, CHBC lead 8-6 with 3:21 left in the quarter and then Stephanie Williams scored again on a jumper to tie up the score, 8-8.
Shortly after that, CHBC took charge and had two good layups and a three point shot. At the end of the first period, Ridgewood was down 15-8.
CHBC continue to score in the second, while Ridgewood was struggling from blocked shots and missed baskets.
English was the first Ridgewood player to find paydirt in the second quarter on a two-point jumper, leaving the score 19-10 with 4:48 left.
English found the basket again about one minute and thirty seconds later. A two-point jumper by Stephanie Williams had Ridgewood behind, 22-14.
During the last minute of action before halftime, Ridgewood managed to score two free throws, one from Kruger and one from English and, and a field goal by Kruger. CHBC led 24-18 at halftime.
“We were a little timid,” during the opening quarter,” stated Coach Brooks. “I think the girls were still trying to get their legs under them from the very physical game the day before and we were definitely having trouble getting around Jones.”
Peterson opened the third ,nailing a three-pointer from outside the arc with less than a minute into the quarter.
CHBC came back and scored two field goals before Kruger had a good jumper of her own for two points.
BHBC scored three more times before Stephanie Williams found paydirt for two more points with 2:19 left in the quarter.
Ridgewood rallied slightly with English and Kruger, both hitting twos with jumpers and then CHBC made 1-of-2 from the free throw line.
During the last minute and eight seconds of the game, Kruger scored on a jumper and Ella Teel made 2-of-4 from the free throw line.
Stephanie Williams contributed nine points for the winning team. She also pulled down nine rebounds and had two steals.
Jena Peterson finished the day with nine points, one assist, one block and three steals.
Teel led the team in steals and assists, having five and six, respectively, for the afternoon. She also contributed six points.
Michelle Williams rounded out the scoring for Ridgewood, finishing with two points.
Nineteen of 61 shots fell for the Spartans during the game, for 31.2 percent, but only one of 10 from the three-point field for 10 percent.
Ridgewood sank 15-of-31 from the free throw line, for 48.4 percent.
“I was a little disappointed in our shooting today, but it hit when we needed it,” Coach Brooks stated. “We have been shooting better than that and we are usually around 70 percent from the free throw line.”
In conclusion, Coach Brooks said CHBC is a young team, and they were making buckets they didn’t have in Friday’s semi-final loss to Jacksonville Routt which gave them confidence.
“When they started getting into foul trouble, we thought our overall size advantage would wear them out,” stated Brooks. “We thought if we kept at it, things would start getting through for us and it did. Finishing third in state, leaves room for improvement for next year’s team.”
Brooks said he likes dressing 15 players every year, allowing the younger players a chance to learn with the senior players and get the taste of success giving them the desire to be successful when they are leading the way.
