Jennifer Zagers can just about kiss her single-season school scoring record at Naperville Central goodbye.
Zagers played for the Redhawks during the early 1990s, and before leaving to play college basketball at Illinois Wesleyan, she poured in 550 points in one season.
But that record is about to be erased thanks to Naperville Central freshman Candace Parker, who added 26 points to her total this season in helping knock off host Naperville North 52-42 in a DuPage Valley game Thursday.
Parker, who also contributed 18 rebounds, five steals and four blocks, has 536 points with two more conference games and the Class AA playoffs waiting. She’s averaging 21.3 points a game.
“Candace was Candace tonight,” said North coach Tom Vargos, whose team had been on a five-game winning streak and came into the game tied for the conference lead. “She played well and stepped up–and we didn’t have anyone to answer.”
Parker had 12 points and six rebounds at halftime, but Central trailed 25-24. That changed in the third quarter thanks to some opportunistic play by the 6-foot-2-inch Parker and 5-11 sophomore Courtney Peters. They combined for 10 of the Redhawks’ 16 points–three of the baskets on offensive rebounds–while North was held to seven in the period.
“It’s a very important game–it’s North,” said Parker, who gave her coach and fans a scare in the first quarter when she injured her ankle. But she came back early in the second quarter. “We’re close off the court, but between the lines, it’s a war.”
Central coach Andy Nussbaum is pleased not just with Parker but with his entire team, which after two discouraging losses has won three straight.
“We felt like we were at a crossroads and needed to do things differently,” said Nussbaum, whose team is 18-7, 9-3 in the conference.
So he started giving Peters, who had spent most of her time on the junior varsity, and little-used senior Shannon Mohan more playing time. Peters finished with eight points and five rebounds while Mohan was able to help apply defensive pressure.
North (17-9, 9-3) was led by Sarah Lenert’s 10 points and Rachel Karos’ eight.
