Depth and versatility have been strong points for the Riverside-Brookfield girls basketball team all season. The Bulldogs showed off both indispensable attributes – particularly in the first half – in their 52-44 win over visiting Illiana Christian last week.
RB head coach Dallas Till used all 15 of his players against the Vikings during the aforementioned stellar first half, which saw the Bulldogs take a commanding 33-13 lead. For the game, nine RB players scored. Defensively, RB (12-7, 5-2 Metro Suburban Conference) also excelled with consistent pressure that produced an astonishing 24 steals. Despite injuries to a few key post players, the Bulldogs are blessed with several players who can defend multiple positions.
“I think it was our best half of basketball this season,” Till said. “If we can play at that level with some type of consistency, I think we have a chance to compete with anyone on any given night.”
In the second half, Illiana Christian whittled away at the Bulldogs’ sizeable lead, eventually pulling to within four points at the two-minute mark of the fourth quarter. However, RB sealed the conference victory at the charity stripe, making 4-of-5 free throws.
Senior forward Elena Duve scored a game-high 15 points to go along with seven assists and six steals, while the Bulldogs’ terrific tandem of juniors Brittney JnoBaptiste and Hannah Claywell scored eight points apiece. Meghan Orgler turned in her typically solid all-court performance with six points, eight rebounds and five steals. Senior guard Danielle Peco added a pair of three-pointers.
In their other game last week, the Bulldogs lost to St. Viator 52-44 at Hersey in the Fenton Season End Tournament. The Lions seized an early 12-5 lead after one quarter, but Duve scored all six of her points in the second quarter to draw RB within 23-18 at halftime. The nonconference opponents played to an 11-all tie in the third quarter making the score 34-29. The Bulldogs opened the fourth quarter on a 5-0 spurt to knot the game at 34-34, but the Lions responded in emphatic fashion with a 14-0 run to pull away for the win.
Claywell paced RB offensively with 12 points, followed by Peco (9 points), JnoBaptise (8 points), Duve (6 points) and Kiley Rusen (5 points). The Bulldogs had a tough shooting night, making just 15-of-51 field goal attempts (29.4 percent) against St. Viator.
RB hosts Ridgewood on Thursday (7 p.m.) in a Metro Suburban Conference matchup. The Bulldogs close their busy week by traveling to Westmont on Saturday for a 2:30 p.m. tip off against the host Sentinels.
