Girls Basketball: Libertyville is storming into the playoffs
by tim froehlig Contributor February 2, 2012 1:34PM
Libertyville coach Kathie Swanson (right) has a word with Kerry Risley during a January game against Warren. | Michael Schmidt~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: April 10, 2012 11:54AM
It was quite a week for Libertyville’s girls basketball team.
First, in their regular season North Suburban Conference finale on Jan. 31, the Wildcats found themselves with a late double-digit lead during a home game against Lake Forest.
With the game in-hand, that’s when something rather unexpected — but welcome — happened.
The chatter in the stands began growing. One person told another, then another.
“There were about five minutes left in the LF game,” Libertyville coach Kathie Swanson said. “That’s when we found out we were the (Lake) division champs again.
“Apparently, they were broadcasting Stevenson’s game against Lake Zurich online, and someone leaked word that Stevenson lost, on a buzzer-beater, to someone else over at our scorer’s table. They told me, and so I decided to tell the girls on the bench. They were ecstatic. Our fans went wild when they announced it over the P.A. system.”
It was an unexpected jolt of good news for Libertyville, who some have suggested isn’t as strong of a team as last year’s squad that lost just one game — a Class 4A sectional semifinal matchup to Zion-Benton — on its way to a 29-1 overall record.
But compare and contrast the two squads all you want. Because there’s strong evidence this year’s group is poised to do more damage than the one from last year.
This much was clear when Libertyville pounded extremely talented New Trier in its final regular season game on Feb. 1. The way the Wildcats carved apart the Trevians’ relentless defense, on their way to a 59-41 win, showed just how hungry they are. As the final horn sounded, they received a much-deserved huge standing ovation from their fans for a victory about as impressive as they come.
“It’s a great thing that we got a win like this, against a team like New Trier, heading into the playoffs,” said Swanson. “They’re extremely talented, and they threw just about every defense you could think of at us tonight.”
It was an effort in futility for New Trier, as Libertyville showed a poise, patience and discipline that was among its best it recent memory. In fact, several Trevian starters were visibly exhausted by the end of the night, in large part because of the Wildcats’ ability to match — and exceed — their intensity at both ends of the floor. It was also the kind of effort that could be a huge intangible factor in the playoffs.
“Coach (Swanson) makes sure to keep us extremely well-prepared,” said Libertyville senior Eileen Knauff, who finished with 11 points. “We spend a lot of time getting ourselves in this kind of shape. It’s so nice to have a leader on the sidelines that has our backs no matter what, and is always shouting words of encouragement to us out there.”
Kerry Risley led the Wildcats with 16 points, while Alex Haley added 14.
These 2011-12 Wildcats finished the regular season with a 20-6 mark, and were 9-3 in the NSC Lake. And because they beat Stevenson (8-3 with one game to play) twice, the Cats owned the tie-breaker that allowed them to retain their NSC Lake crown and face Vernon Hills — the Prairie champs — in Wednesday night’s championship.
Just don’t use the words “winning by default” to describe what Libertyville accomplished following Stevenson’s loss. Because that’s when the mother Wildcat comes out in Swanson.
“We didn’t win the division by default,” said Swanson, who now has guided the Cats to three straight NSC Lake titles. “I know there are some other people out there who might think that, but these girls earned every bit of this (division title) through their own hard work. And I’ve gotta hand it to them, because they deserve it.”
Libertyville’s experience may be the key to a potential strong postseason run. The team’s five seniors — Risley, Knauff, Haley (committed to Division II Minot State in North Dakota), Molly Moon and Nicole Kruckman — are a battle-tested bunch.
“I think nerves are the toughest part about the playoffs,” Kruckman said. “It helps that we’ve been there before. We just have to keep composed, and build off of all the things we’ve been doing well lately.
“And plus, knowing every game could be our last really motivates us,” Kruckman added. “That’s always in the back of our minds. But this is such a close group that we all want to win so badly out there at this point. We don’t want this feeling to end.”
Libertyville was given a No. 3 seed, and will host an IHSA Class 4A regional. The Wildcats’ first playoff game will be on Feb. 14, against the winner of the play-in game between No. 14 Wheeling, and No. 19 Round Lake, in a regional semifinal matchup.
The winner of that semifnal would then play either No. 7 Prospect or No. 11 Barrington for the regional title. The only one of those four teams Libertyville hasn’t faced is Wheeling.
“I know several of those teams’ coaches have been out scouting us,” Swanson said. “it doesn’t matter who we play, because we’ll have to be ready no matter what. It’s the playoffs.”
This also marks the third season in a row — and fifth time in the past six seasons — Libertyville has eclipsed the 20-win mark under Swanson. In her six years coaching Libertyville, Swanson has never won fewer than 19 games.
She finished by praising her bench players for their enthusiasm during games.
“It’s funny, because we used to be one of those teams whose benches were kind of quiet during games,” Swanson said. “Now the girls get really fired up and are always encouraging each other out there. It definitely makes a difference.”
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