The Kaneland High School freshman/ sophomore girls basketball team secured a 32-26 win over Ottawa Township High School on Thursday, Dec. 4, using late defensive composure and communication to pull away with a win in their first conference game of the season.
Freshman guard Sophia Simmons led the Knights with 12 points and set the tone early with her focus.
“My mindset is always about staying focused,” Simmons said. “I’m usually thinking about the jump ball and who gets first possession because it sets the tone. I’m also thinking about how many points and assists I need to get to help the team.”
Freshman guard Mikayla Jenkins makes a free throw during Kaneland’s conference game against Ottawa Township High School. The shot came during a key stretch as the Knights used strong execution to secure the win.
One of the game’s most crucial moments came when Simmons cut to the basket and received a perfectly timed bounce pass from freshman Allison Foster.
“When I back-cut and Allison threw me a bounce pass through that tall girl’s legs – that was a proud moment,” Simmons said. “It showed our teamwork.”
Despite the strong start, the Knights spent much of the first half trying to find rhythm and chemistry. Freshman guard/forward Lucy Peters brought key defensive plays and late-game composure. She said the team expected more from itself early on.
“The game was important because it was one of our first conference games,” Peters said. “I felt like we should have been beating them by more, but our chemistry wasn’t really there at first, and we weren’t playing our best as a team.”
The Pirates challenged the Knights with a compact playbook that disguised similar plays under different names, forcing the Knights to adjust quickly.
“They only had a few plays, but each one had a different name,” Peters said. “It was hard to predict what they were running, and they relied on a lot of pick-and-roll. That’s always tough to defend, but I think we handled it pretty well.”
Simmons and Peters agreed that communication makes a large difference.
“Communication helps a lot,” Simmons said. “You know when to help and when someone is back-cutting you. It makes our defense run much faster.”
Peters also agreed from a defensive standpoint.
“We’re constantly talking and making sure no one is left unguarded,” Peters said. “We have to be connected.”
That connection showed up strongest in the final moments of the game. With the Knights holding a slight lead, they executed their offense with control.
“The last two minutes felt like our best part of the game,” Peters said. “We had pretty much secured the win, and we stayed in control.”
Assistant coach Thomas Doyle said the win reflected the team’s improvement and ability to stay connected.
“Our goal every game is to keep getting better every time we step on the court,” Doyle said. “When we play together and communicate, you can see the difference.”
Both players said that the win showed areas for growth too. Peters said the team will focus on inbounds plays and improving execution. Simmons added that she’s working on defending cuts more consistently.
The Knights will continue their conference schedule next week as they look to build momentum and refine their plays on both ends of the floor.
