In Stevenson’s 42 seasons of girls basketball, eight players have totaled more than 1,000 points. Two of the eight were together on the court Friday night.
In a short senior night ceremony before the game at Stevenson, Taylor Buford and Sophia Way were recognized along with Patriots senior Melanie Despinich.
Once the game started, Buford and Way performed like stars. Way added to her career points total with 18 while Buford tacked on eight. After a sluggish start, Stevenson pulled away from Lake Forest for an easy 84-56 win.
“I still remember being a freshman here, watching our seniors and clapping for them. Now it’s our turn,” Buford said. “It’s amazing. It’s crazy. It went by so fast.”
Lake Forest (16-13, 6-6 NSC Lake) was led by senior guard Brooke Green, who finished with 12 points.
As varsity players from the first day of freshman tryouts in the fall of 2011, Buford and Way’s career compasses have swung all the way around in four seasons. They’ve gone from deferential newbies on a Class 4A regional championship team in 2011-12 to unquestioned leaders and captains of the best team in coach Tom Dineen’s six seasons.
“When they came in as freshmen, they weren’t starters. And now they both wind up with 1,000 points,” Dineen said. “Only five can start. You need to be patient, and your role changes every year. They’ve set a good examples of accepting their roles.”
Just as a lead guitarist needs a bass player to augment a band’s rhythm section, Buford and Way are the perfect compliment to each other. Way is a 5-8 shooting guard with unlimited range and Buford, a 5-10 darting small forward with a quick first step, can score inside and out.
On Jan. 27 at Zion-Benton Way knocked down a free throw for her 1,000th career point. At Libertyville Feb. 3, Buford scored her 1,000th. The fact a mere seven days separated the individual milestones should not be much of a surprise considering how their careers will forever be intertwined.
“I don’t think we’d be as successful if Taylor and I weren’t able to work together as captains,” Way said. “We came in and started our journey at square one together. Came in, got our 1,000th point at the same time. It’s almost like some made up fantasy.”
With the win over Lake Forest, Stevenson (25-3, 12-0) completed an undefeated North Suburban Lake regular season. It will represent the division in Wednesday’s NSC title game.
It is the Patriots’ first divisional title in Dineen’s six seasons. The 25 wins are the school’s best since 2001-02. On Friday night, landmarks were achieved. But the duo of Way and Buford are not finished reaching.
“We are going to go out with a bang,” Way said.
Buford added: “That’s been from day one. We want to go out with a bang senior year.”
Jon Kerr is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
