With little hesitation, junior guard Avery Mezan remembers her important three-point field goal for the Lyons Township High School girls basketball as a freshman — a key fourth-quarter basket for a critical victory at York.
“That was my favorite shot probably,” Mezan said. “[It also] was probably my biggest shot overall because that was a close game.”
Mezan’s three-pointer Thursday at Glenbard West came close. This one fueled a third-quarter comeback that carried the Lions to a 47-42 victory in the battle of West Suburban Conference Silver Division leaders in Glen Ellyn.
“That was good. [The ball] was fumbling around and I just took a step back and shot it,” Mezan said. Both victories had similar implications for the powerful Lions (22-1, 7-0 in Silver), key steps toward winning Silver titles, which is something they’ve accomplished three times over the past four seasons.
LT now leads by two games over the second-place Hilltoppers (14-8, 7-2) with five games left. They meet again Feb. 7 in La Grange for both teams’ Silver finale. After back-to-back 12-0 titles, the Lions slipped last season to a third-place tie with York at 8-4. Stanford recruit Nora Ezike was part of the 2022 title and Ezike, junior Emma O’Brien and Mezan contributed to the 2023 title.
“It’s something we definitely take pride in so it definitely means a lot to us just to win conference,” O’Brien said. “We definitely bring it up [as a team], just to make sure everyone is aware. It definitely adds fuel to the fire.”
Mezan’s three with 5:06 left in the third quarter began a 12-2 finish to the period that turned a four-point deficit into a 32-26 lead. The defense also limited Glenbard West to three points with eight turnovers over 13 possessions between the end of the third and start of the fourth quarter.
“That was a fire three there in the corner (by Mezan). That was huge because I was about to call a timeout and I saw that three and I was like just shut it,” LTHS coach Meghan Hutchens said.
Scoring 18 points each were Ezike (5 rebounds, 4 steals) and O’Brien (6 rebounds, 4 assists), followed by junior Gwen Smith (4 points, 5 rebounds) and Mezan (5 points, 3 assists).
Ezike scored 12 of the Lions’ final 17 points after O’Brien had 15 over the first three quarters. The Lions overcame 23 turnovers, 17 on their first 31 possessions.
“We’re getting everyone’s best game and that’s good because we need that,” Hutchens said. “Our conference is not easy. (Glenbard West will) compete until the very end. Credit to them and credit to our girls for not playing their best but still finding a way to win.”
The Lions defeated Wheaton Warrenville South 70-52 at the Batavia Invitational Monday. Ezike had 26 points and seven assists and O’Brien had 25 points and four blocks.
O’Brien unleashed an incredible 23-point first half in which she made 9 of 11 shots, including 5 for 5 on threes.
“That’s probably my best first half [shooting] for sure,” O’Brien said.
At the Kipp’s Hoopfest Saturday at Nazareth, the Lions made nine threes for a 72-62 victory over DuKane Conference leader St. Charles East (16-6). Ezike (24 points) and Smith (15 points) each had two threes and O’Brien (22 points) had four. Four came in a 24-point third quarter that opened a 53-36 lead.
Ezike was named the Lions’ Player of the Game. O’Brien was LTHS Player of the Game Jan. 4 after 23 points and eight rebounds in the 71-63 Grove the Game victory over Wisconsin’s The Prairie School at St. Ignatius.
RBHS girls basketball
Riverside Brookfield sophomore Gaby Graupera first had the tough adjustment this school year being a foreign exchange student from Barcelona, Spain.
“I spoke a little bit of English and I understood it, but in classes, whenever I spaced out, I wouldn’t hear anything so I’d get lost,” Graupera said. “Now I just understand it. My mind is set in English right now.”
On the basketball court, Graupera continues to prosper. She had a team-best 16 points Friday as the Bulldogs defeated Elmwood Park 61-43 for an Upstate Eight East and Pack the Place victory.
Riverside-Brookfield’s Isabella Perez (4) puts up a shot against Elmwood Park during a Upstate Eight Conference game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 in Riverside, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Riverside-Brookfield’s Maya Tennicott (21) puts up a basket past Elmwood Park’s Cariana Atiles (32) during a Upstate Eight Conference game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 in Riverside, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Riverside-Brookfield’s Abigail Weinert (22) and Elmwood Park’s Megan Nettelhorst (33) vie for control of the ball during a Upstate Eight Conference game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 in Riverside, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Riverside-Brookfield’s Gabriella Graupera Moner (23) drives to the basket against Elmwood Park’s Moussokoro Sissoko (14) during a Upstate Eight Conference game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 in Riverside. (Steve Johnston) 
Riverside-Brookfield’s Abbey Tyler (1) pulls in a rebound against Elmwood Park during a Upstate Eight Conference game Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 in Riverside, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark)
Bella Perez (14 points with 2 threes) and Maya Tennicott (11 points) also reached double figures for the Bulldogs (6-20, 5-5 in UEC East), followed by Addie Vaia (9 points) and Abby Weinert (6 points).
Graupera first visited the United States for one month about three years ago, a beautiful time in San Diego with a host family to see if she’d want to someday be an exchange student.
“I wish we could keep her. Wherever she is, she’s going to be a pretty good ball player for sure,” RBHS coach Jordan Mack said. “She’s been scoring a lot of points lately, great defense. A lot of (officials) anticipate she’s going to foul when she’s not because she does a great job of staying vertical and has long arms.”
The Bulldogs also lost to UEC East leader Glenbard South 57-21 Jan. 14 and nonconference games to Hinsdale Central 56-20 Jan. 16 and Glenbrook North 53-29 Saturday.
Graupera (10 points, 9 rebounds), Perez (6 points, 4 rebounds) and Weinert (5 rebounds) led RBHS against Hinsdale Central. Abbey Tyler (6 points), Graupera (5 points, 6 rebounds) and Vaia (5 points) were top scorers against Glenbard South.
“I have a really good relationship with all of the girls. Even when we lose, it’s just fun to be here and with them,” Graupera said. “Coach Mack is teaching me a lot, how to shoot because that’s my weakness. He’s also teaching me defense, how to guard, and I’m liking it a lot.”
While Graupera has pretty much recovered from various injuries, the Bulldogs went most of last week minus two starters, senior standout Alyssa Morris and freshman Claire Evans.
Morris returned Saturday after being out due to concussion protocol after being hurt during practice, Jan. 13. Evans sprained the MCL in her knee during the second half against Glenbard South.
Graupera has tried to help pick up the slack but the strong rebounder has learned to judge her performances beyond scoring.
“I’ve had my moments where I thought I’ve done worse,” Graupera said. “Sometimes I think my games are based on how many points I get, but after I watch the film, I realize I’ve done better than what I thought.”
Morris had nine points and against Glenbrook North. Perez had eight points with two threes.and Graupera and Tali Herrera each had five rebounds.