When senior guard Mary Bridget Wilson selected matching game shoes for the entire Nazareth Academy girls basketball team this season, pink Nike G.T. Cuts were an easy and popular choice.

“We love them. They untie a bit but it’s OK,” Wilson said during sectionals. “They look good with our uniforms, blend very well. I’m glad we all agreed on them.” 

Led by a strong and experienced senior group, the Roadrunners remained unified in several other ways as well. Their greatest motivation was becoming the first Illinois girls basketball team to win Class 3A and 4A state titles in consecutive seasons.

The Roadrunners earned that opportunity Saturday but a rough second half resulted in a 44-40 loss to undefeated Loyola Academy for the 4A championship in Normal after leading 25-17 at halftime.

Nazareth (32-4) captured the program’s first state championship last season in 3A and was second in 2022 after the 2021 postseason was canceled by COVID-19 restrictions. 

These Roadrunners had won 22 straight since losing 65-63 in overtime Dec. 29 to nationally-ranked IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) at the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational in Florida.  

“This being a really historic group was the main goal. Even though we didn’t win, it wasn’t our night, I’d still consider us an extremely historic group,” said senior Amalia Dray, named first team on the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association and Associated Press all-state teams.

“For the seniors especially, we all just wanted to get the point across [together after the loss] that it was not our best game, but life goes on. Loyola played great. Even though we didn’t win, we had an incredible season. No other team in Illinois played the schedule we’ve played. We played powerhouses ranked nationally. We’ve been downstate the last three years. It just shows we’re a great team no matter what the outcome was.”  

It was an emotional end for four-year varsity seniors and multi-year starters Dray, Olivia Austin, Danni Scully and Wilson, joined in the starting lineup this season by sophomore Stella Sakalas. 

Austin was IBCA second team, Scully was third team and Sakalas was honorable mention. Austin also received AP honorable mention.  

Austin (Dartmouth) and Scully (Ohio University) will play college basketball. Dray will play soccer at Boston College. 

Austin also went downstate twice in volleyball, helping Nazareth win its first state title in 2021 and finish second in 2022, both in 3A.

“Being able to play one game [at state] that can be another person’s dream; I don’t take that for granted,” Austin said.

“I feel very lucky to be part of this team. I wouldn’t have it any other way. The most important part for me was being able to be at Redbird [Arena] to play with my favorite people.” 

In the championship, Austin and Sakalas each had 16 points. Austin had five rebounds and Wilson and Sakalas each had three steals.

The game’s complexion changed drastically in the third quarter. Loyola (38-0) scored the first 11 points to pull ahead 28-25 and outscored Nazareth 15-2 in the period for a 32-27 advantage.

Nazareth tied the game 32-32 on Wilson’s three with 5:39 remaining and closed to within one point twice on back-to-back Austin baskets. Her second cut the deficit to 37-36 with 3:33 left. 

But the Roadrunners didn’t score on their next four possessions, missing a driving shot and a three and committing two of their 18 turnovers. 

Loyola made 3 of 4 free throws to lead 42-36 with 24.9 seconds. Sakalas added two late uncontested layups.

“We had a chance. [At halftime] I told the girls let’s extend [the lead] and it went the other way,” Nazareth coach Ed Stritzel said. “We didn’t execute the second half and credit to Loyola, but we didn’t do what we were supposed to do and it cost us.

“All in all, a really successful three-year run with these seniors. They’re hurting but I told them their futures are all ahead of them. Going downstate three years in a row was amazing.”

In Friday’s semifinals, Nazareth made 28 of 44 shots, including 10 of 21 threes, in beating Waubonsie Valley 69-44 behind Dray (22 points with 6 threes), Austin (16 points, 8 rebounds), Sakalas (15 points with 3 threes) and Scully (9 points, 8 rebounds). 

On Saturday, Nazareth was 16 for 31 shooting but 2 for 14 on threes, missing 11 straight before Wilson’s game-tying trey. They also were outrebounded 12-5 in the second half with no offensive rebounds after an 11-6 first-half advantage. 

“We definitely wanted that [title] for ourselves but also [Stritzel] is one of the best coaches, probably the best coach I’ve ever had,” Dray said. 

“I love playing basketball, but the people I was playing with made it more enjoyable. It’s definitely something I’ll miss but I’ll always know the Nazareth basketball family will always be there for me.”