Starting sophomore guard Avery Mezan and her Lyons Township girls basketball teammates wanted every edge to win their rematch with Mother McAuley for the Class 4A LT Regional title Thursday.
While Mezan supplied a personal-best 19 points, the Lions prevailed 61-59 for their third straight regional title with lots of help on and off the court.
“This was probably the best feeling game that we won, especially because it was playoffs and such a close game and the (home) student section was huge,” Mezan said. “Having them there seeing us win definitely added to the feeling after. This was the best turnout that I’ve ever seen. We were advertising the game a lot and a lot of people were telling us they were going to show up.”
Mezan’s big game included two three-pointers and hitting 11 of 12 free throws, including 6 for 6 during a tense fourth quarter.
Sophomore Emma O’Brien (17 points with 2 threes, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks) and junior Nora Ezike (11 points, 12 rebounds), sophomore Gwen Smith (6 points, 4 rebounds) and senior Kennedy Wanless (5 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks) also were key contributors.
As the No. 5 seed in the Mother McAuley Sectional, the Lions (20-11) technically were the underdogs, having lost 64-51 to No. 4 McAuley (24-8) at the Morton College Christmas Tournament Dec. 27. But that was the Lions’ first game throughout the tournament without standout Ezike, who was visiting family in Nigeria.
Her presence Thursday helped the Lions in the rebound battle. They also defended the three-point arc well, holding McAuley to 3 for 17 shooting.
LTHS played No. 1-seeded Nazareth (28-3), the defending 3A state champions, in Tuesday’s sectional semifinals. The winner meets No. 2 Whitney Young (28-5) or No. 3 Kenwood (24-8) for the sectional title Thursday with the winner advancing to the Hinsdale Central Super-Sectional Monday.
“This was the first game in a few years that we’ve been the underdogs going into a regional,” LTHS coach Meghan Hutchens said. “I thought the girls had a great focus. They were motivated and were confident, which as a coach is all you want. We made some big shots, were making free throws (19 for 26), sharing the ball and attacking the basket well. Those are 12 huge rebounds (Ezike gave us).”
The Lions led 43-31 entering the fourth quarter and went up 14 points on O’Brien’s putback basket before the McAuley closed to 59-55 with 47.1 seconds left after back-to-back traditional three-point plays.
One of two free throws by Ezike and then O’Brien with 9.2 seconds gave LT a 61-57 lead. The Mighty Macs scored an uncontested layup just before time ran out.
“If we didn’t have that lead, it would have been really tough in the fourth quarter when they started pressing,” Mezan said.
The Lions lost Ezike briefly in the fourth quarter to a cramp in her calf. Smith scored on a putback and Wanless scored twice inside off O’Brien passes for a 57-47 lead. Two Mezan free throws created a 59-52 advantage.
Mezan, O’Brien and Smith were teammates in the Bearcats feeder program. Mezan and O’Brien currently are offseason traveling teammates for the Lady Lightning.
“It’s really nice having other sophomores for the social aspect and also in the games,” Mezan said. “We play together well because we played together a lot before high school.”
LTHS boys basketball
The Lions (11-16) are as the No. 9 seed in the Riverside Brookfield Sectional. They open Wednesday against No. 8 St. Ignatius at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday with the winner most likely playing No. 1 seed Curie (27-2) for the regional title at 7 p.m. Friday.
LTHS has won two straight regional titles, including over Curie in 2023.
The Lions lost their regular-season finale to Stagg 68-54 Friday. Liam Taylor (17 points), Caleb Greer (13 points, 7 assists, 4 steals), Brady Chambers (8 points, 17 rebounds, 4 assists) and Max Hoffmann (6 points) led LTHS.
On Feb. 13, the Lions defeated Proviso West 79-45 to finish at 6-6 in the West Suburban Conference Silver and share fourth with Glenbard West.
Chambers (15 points, 21 rebounds, 4 assists) and Taylor (22 points, 6 rebounds) had huge games for the Lions, followed by Ian Polonowski (15 points, 5 rebounds), Michael Reilly (12 points), Greer (6 points), Tyler Kuta (5 points) and Jimmy Pajauskas (5 rebounds, 5 assists).
In the Silver, the Lions swept third-place Hinsdale Central (7-5), were swept by first-place Downers Grove North (11-1) and split with their other four opponents.