This has been a season of adjustments for Naperville North’s Anna Richards, but one thing has remained a constant.
She knows how to shoot the basketball.
Richards, a 5-foot-8 junior guard in her first varsity season, has made 33 of 78 3-point attempts.
“She’s got a great stroke, as you can tell,” Naperville North coach Aly Miller said. “When we can get our ball movement really going and we can find her on the wings and corners for open threes, those are good looks for us.”
Richards got some good looks Tuesday. She scored eight points on 3-for-5 shooting and had three rebounds and two assists in the Huskies’ 50-41 loss to Downers Grove North in Naperville.
Richards hit two 3-pointers, both off assists from sophomore guard Natalie Frempong, in the first half to help the Huskies (11-14) throw a scare into the Trojans (23-3), who were riding an eight-game winning streak. Richards’ first 3-pointer tied the game at 4-4, and her second gave the Huskies their first lead, 13-10, early in the second quarter.
Frempong, who scored a game-high 21 points to go with three assists and three steals, is getting used to seeing Richards drain shots. Richards, who is averaging 6.1 points, leads the Huskies with a 42.3% shooting percentage from 3-point range and ranks third behind Frempong and senior forward Kendall Johnson in 3-pointers made.
“I definitely think that when we get her a ball and we set her a play, she knocks down the 3-point shot,” Frempong said. “That’s one thing I love about her game. Even if she misses a shot, she will still keep shooting that, so I think she does a good job of keeping her poise and continuing to shoot.”
Those qualities have become even more vital for the Huskies since senior guard Sydni Fink, a Kentucky soccer recruit, suffered a season-ending knee injury earlier this month.
“There’s definitely more asked of me,” Richards said. “Syd was one of our main point guards, her and Natalie, so without Syd, everybody has had to step up.
“I’ve had to step up as more of a point guard, but also shooting.”
After leading 26-22 in the final minute of the first half, the Huskies got stagnant, and the Trojans took advantage, going on a 17-3 run to take a 39-29 lead. With their deliberate offense and tenacious defense, the Trojans are nearly unbeatable when they have such a cushion, and that proved to be the case against the Huskies.
Richards scored on a baseline drive to pull Naperville North within 39-31 at the 1:46 mark of the third quarter. But she had just one other shot in the second half, and the Huskies didn’t get closer than seven points in the fourth quarter.
“Sometimes that can be the fault of the teammates,” Frempong said. “I’m the point guard, so I’ve got to be able to give her the ball, making sure that she gets open.
“We were standing there watching, but we’re definitely going to work on moving the ball in practice. That could also be partly my fault of just not calling out plays sometimes, so me being more communicative as a point guard is a big deal.”
Beating Downers Grove North would have been a big deal for the Huskies, who are employing five first-year starters with Fink sidelined. Richards said important lessons are being learned.
“We were up in the first half, and then we just came out a little flat second half,” Richards said. “So we just have to stay in the game and try to stay hot in the second half, not get into a little lull in the third quarter. That’s what really hurt us.”
Despite the loss, Miller was pleased with what she is seeing from Richards.
“She’s done a great job,” Miller said. “First year on varsity, it’s a big change of pace, big change of pretty much everything of what she was used to before.
“Her minutes started to increase as she was practicing well, and that led over definitely into game time. Anna’s only a junior, so this experience is great for her leading into next year, and we’re happy to have her for one more.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
