Trinity used the memory of last year’s buzzer-beater loss to Hillcrest for pregame motivation Saturday.
“We were all talking about it before the game,” Trinity forward Megan Podkowa said. “I think our coaches brought it up, and we definitely had that in mind.”
The No. 11 Blazers avoided a dramatic ending Saturday, hitting five 3-pointers in the first quarter of a 73-55 victory against No. 7 Hillcrest.
The Hawks (14-2) committed 15 turnovers and missed all eight of its free-throw attempts in the first half. Junior guard Shannise Heady missed half of the second quarter with an injury. She returned in the second half, but was a nonfactor.
Trinity’s lead ballooned to 38-15 midway in the second, and the Blazers didn’t allow the Hawks to get closer than 20 points the rest of the game.
Hillcrest coach John Maniatis, who won his 400th career game this week, said he was happy that Trinity will be competing in the Class 4A playoffs this year.
“We were as cold as the gym to start off with, but we’re going to grow from this experience,” Maniatis said. “That’s a talented ballclub they have over there, and that Podkowa is one of the better players in the Chicagoland area.”
The Blazers (16-3) shot 17-for-35 from the floor in the first half, and their lead swelled to 47-19 after a bucket by Carrie Shere. Trinity, which has lost to Bartlett, Young and Loyola, finally got a victory over a highly ranked team, but the margin was a bit unexpected.
“I think we’re all a little taken back by it,” Podkowa said. “I mean, obviously we came in with having the win in mind, but we didn’t expect this. This game, we made sure we were ready to go and had our game plan and everybody followed through with it. Our shooting was a lot better than any game I’ve ever seen.”
The Blazers are expected to get point guard Divinity Brown back next week, according to Trinity coach Ed Stritzel. Brown has yet to play this year due to a knee injury.
Player of the game:
Megan Podkowa, 25 points, 2 3-pointers, 9 rebounds, 2 steals.
Key performers:
Hillcrest — Samirah Ali, 20 points, 3 3-pointers; Yolanda De La Torre, 3 points, 16 rebounds, 4 blocks, 4 steals, 3 assists. Trinity — Taricka Linzy, 10 points, 11 assists; Alyssa Dengler, 12 points.
