JT raises curtain with a road 'W'

AURORA -- Oh, yes, there were first-game jitters on both sides.

The thing that helped the Joliet Township High School girls basketball team get over the hump in its season opener was called balance.

JT (1-0) had two girls score in double figures in a 47-39 victory over East Aurora on Tuesday night and three others make smaller contributions that showed up big on the final stat chart.

Keairra Collins led JT with 19 points. Adjoa Matthews added 10 points.

Dominique Carr finished with 13 rebounds and 6 points. Point guard Jennifer Jorman added 7 assists, 3 deflections and 3 steals. Jameka Evans grabbed 6 rebounds, 5 of those coming on the offensive end of the floor.

"We were able to overcome some jitters and build a lead," JT coach Roger Plechaty said. "And then we did get an opportunity to put the game away at the free throw line at the end."

JCA 57, Streator 36 -- At Pontiac, Lindsay Fonck scored an "unselfish" 22 points and Vanessa Owusu transitioned from the volleyball court to the basketball court with ease.

Fonck, a senior point guard, took advantage of Streator's 1-3-1 halfcourt trap for a parade of layups and Owusu added 10 points as the Angels posted the win in second-round action of the Pontiac Tournament.

JCA (2-0), coming off a 7-21 season, cruised away from a 35-26 halftime lead with a 15-5 burst during the third quarter.

"They were playing a 1-3-1 halfcourt trap and Lindsay was able to penetrate," JCA coach Ed Schodrof said. "She kept going to the basket hard and it paid off with baskets."

Owusu, a junior center, was a member of the JCA volleyball team that repeated last weekend as Class 3A state champions.

"I was happily surprised with Vanessa," Schodrof said. "To think she has only had one practice and she almost came up with a double-double, that's great."

Lincoln-Way East 48, Marian Catholic 41 -- At Frankfort, Kelly McGovern scored 14 points to lead a balanced attack for the Griffins (1-0) in their upset of No. 2 Marian. Amanda West added 13 points and 8 rebounds. Theresa Tinski scored 9 points.

East outscored Marian 13-3 in the fourth quarter. The Spartans (0-1) did not make a basket in the final 8 minutes.

Simone Law led Marian with 14 points.

Plainfield North 61, Plainfield Central 52 -- Katie Kramer, Cassie Wolfe and Katie Interial each scored 13 points as the Tigers (2-0, 1-0) opened play in the Southwest Prairie Conference with a victory over their district rival. Wolfe also grabbed a team-high 7 rebounds.

Brigid Hanley scored 15 of her 22 points in the first half to keep the Wildcats (0-1) within striking distance.

Hanley also had 7 rebounds and 4 steals. Emily Mackley, making her first start on the varsity level, chipped in 11 rebounds and 9 points for Central.

Plainfield North beat Lincoln-Way North 54-52 on Monday thanks to some late-game heroics by Kramer.

She hit a 3-pointer with 5 seconds left gave the Tigers their first second-half lead. Kendra Lumpkin scored 15 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. Wolfe and Mailani Burton each had 13 points. Erynn Schuh finished with 12.

Oswego 67, Romeoville 44 -- At Romeoville, freshman Brianna Harris scored 19 points as the Spartans (0-1, 0-1) dropped their Southwest Prairie Conference opener. Freshman Abby Smith added 10 points and 6 assists.

Lemont 28, Hinsdale South 21 -- At Hinsdale, Brenna Koerner scored 9 points to top the Indians (1-0). Alex Prasauskas had 8 points.

JJC 62, Oakton 57 -- At Joliet, freshman point guard Brittney Kesler's all-around play rallied the Wolves (1-3) from a 14-point deficit. Kesler finished with 14 points, 4 steals, 3 rebounds and 3 assists.

Roneisha Jordan added 13 points, 3 steals and 3 rebounds. Megan Kohrt had 13 points and 9 rebounds. Rosie Keomala chipped in 8 points and 5 rebounds.