Lyons Township High School senior Emma O’Brien took her basketball game to yet another level Dec. 23.
The Cornell recruit scored a career-high 35 points in the Lions’ satisfying 59-49 victory over Prospect in the quarterfinals of the Montini Christmas Tournament.
“It was a pretty close game so I wasn’t really focused on that,” O’Brien said. “(But) it meant a little bit more against a good, competitive team.”
Now it’s up to her and the Lions (13-4) to hit that high note consistently.
The Lions took another step Saturday in their 71-34 victory over Vernon Hills. This was their second full game without starting senior point guard Avery Mezan, who broke a bone in her dominant right hand during the Montini semifinals Dec. 26 and is out at least another two weeks.
“I feel like we were out in transition a little bit more so maybe we didn’t realize it as much not being with her,” O’Brien said.
The Lions were fourth at Montini with a 2-2 record, losing 62-57 to Fremd (13-3) in the third-place game Dec. 27. LTHS lost in the semifinals 82-61 to Marist (15-4) and also beat Merrillville (Ind.) 58-34 to open Dec. 22.
O’Brien, seniors Gwen Smith and Anna Bigenwald and freshman Kennedy Moore were joined by freshman Evie Riopell in the starting lineup against Fremd.
In the fourth quarter, LTHS got as close as 44-41 and 48-45 on O’Brien baskets and 53-47 on Moore’s basket off an O’Brien pass with 2:56 left.
“All of our kids are capable of playing. Losing Avery is hard but it wasn’t a big hiccup for the team,” LTHS coach Meghan Hutchens said. “We can compete with anyone with or without certain players.”
Beating Prospect (10-6) is one of the Lions’ best wins along with the Nov. 18 season-opening 54-53 victory at Benet Academy (13-1), which beat Marist 47-37 in the Montini final.
The tournament named O’Brien as the Lions’ Player of the Game all four outings.
She was 12 for 30 shooting (4 from 11 on threes) and 7 for 7 on free throws against Prospect. Her 13 fourth-quarter points helped LTHS extend its 38-36 lead after three quarters.
“I feel like I was really aggressive and taking what the defense was giving me. I actually was doing a good job reading the floor and what my teammates were helping me do as well,” O’Brien said.
Smith (10 points, 9 rebounds), Bigenwald (5 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists), sophomore Sydney Munson (4 assists) and Moore (5 points, 10 rebounds) also excelled.
O’Brien scored 33 points last season against Lane Tech Nov. 27, 2024 at the Lions’ annual Thanksgiving Tournament. She had 31 points as a sophomore against Wheaton North and in the 60-52 loss to Glenbard West Dec. 19.
O’Brien also had 29 points with four threes and 10 rebounds against Fremd and 24 points against Marist.
Gannon commit Smith had 19 points and 13 rebounds against Marist. The RedHawks’ 16-6 run to start the fourth quarter opened a 70-51 lead.
“We were just able to move past (the Marist loss) pretty quickly and continue to learn,” Hutchens said. “A lot of this season has been extreme highs and lows. We still have all of January to find that consistency.”
Mezan first had her hand examined in the first quarter with LTHS trailing 12-5. Mezan returned briefly in the second quarter but did not play the second half.
“(Watching is) just what I have to do for now,” Mezan said. “I’m still going to the gym and running sprints and conditioning and still doing ball handling layups but only with my left hand.”
RBHS girls basketball
Riverside Brookfield freshman guard Ella Ryzewski enjoyed her birthday in a basketball way at the Sandburg Tournament Dec. 30.
In her second varsity start, Ryzewski scored seven third-quarter points with a three-pointer and the Bulldogs held off Aurora Christian for a 41-38 victory in the 15th-place game.
“I always have off (from basketball) on my birthday for some reason but I think it almost made me a little more excited to play,” Ryzewski said.
“I haven’t really been shooting that much. I’m usually more than a passer so I think that just boosted my confidence. It just really let me know that I can play with these girls, like I deserve to be here.”
RBHS (5-11) previously lost to 14th-place Warren 52-50 Dec. 29 and ninth-place Plainfield East 47-28 and fourth-place Andrew 65-18 Dec. 27.
Tournament leaders for the Bulldogs included seniors Arianna Hudson (37 points, 31 rebounds), Abby Weinert (21 points, 3 threes, 14 rebounds, 10 assists) and Addie Vaia (19 points, 3 threes), sophomore Elly Kowynia (17 points) and Ryzewski (16 points).
They played all four games without sophomore second-year starter Claire Evans, a scoring and rebounding leader with Hudson. RBHS scored the last basket against Warren after trailing 37-35 entering the fourth quarter.
“It feels good to end with a win, especially when we know we could have had it (against Warren),” Weinert said. “Games like that really suck to lose. It was nice to see at the end our team just came together (against Aurora Christian).”
Hudson (13 points, 7 rebounds) and Weinert (9 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists) and Kowynia (5 points) also excelled against Aurora Christian (5-8).
Kowynia made her first start after Kate Hamilton suffered a concussion.
“It’s been really good (on varsity). It’s just really about my confidence,” Ryzewski said. “At first, I was really intimidated by everyone but these girls are really nice. They’re really encouraging and I feel like they really make me play my best.”
“Now we’ve integrated the whole team,” added co-captain Weinert. “The whole team in general, did a really good job pulling Ella in, including her in things so she wasn’t scared.”
RBHS led 37-32 after three quarters but the Eagles tied the game 38-38 with 51.2 seconds left.
Hudson was fouled driving and hit both free throws with 24.2 seconds and then stole a pass right of the lane. Weinert added one free throw and the Eagles missed a last-second three.
Hudson had 12 points and 10 rebounds against Warren and 11 points and nine rebounds against Plainfield East.
Hamilton had six points and eight rebounds against Warren and Kowynia (8 points), Vaia (7 points) and Ryzewski (5 points) each had threes.
