Tuck takes Bolingbrook to first win

Bolingbrook's Morgan Tuck takes a hook shot over Marion Catholic's Joenycia Van Hook.
(John Patsch/Staff photographer)

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BOLINGBROOK -- You would think that a 19-point victory in the season opener against the No. 2-ranked girls basketball team would be more than worthy, but Bolingbrook coach Anthony Smith always expects more.

The top-ranked Raiders jumped to 25-16 halftime advantage and led by as much as 61-39 before putting the finishing touches on a 61-42 nonconference victory Friday night over visiting Marian Catholic.

In front of a standing-room-only crowd, Bolingbrook (1-0) received a double-double from junior guard Ariel Massengale -- who notched 12 points, 10 steals and 6 assists. Sophomore forward/center Morgan Tuck added 12 points and 7 rebounds.

Junior guard Falon Edwards also had 9 points, while junior guard/forward Taylor Tuck (3 rebounds, 3 steals) and senior guards Mercedes Griffin and Nicosia Henry (4 rebounds, 3 steals) each had 6 points.

The 6-foot-2 Tuck played in her first varsity game since suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in May. Massengale, Griffin, a Marquette University recruit, and Henry, a Seton Hall signee, also are returning starters for the defending Class 4A state champions.

"It wasn't pretty," Smith said. "We played hard, a little of out control, but I guess in the first game, that is to be expected. Still, we missed way too many shots (22-of-63) and then gave up some easy stuff. We gave up 42 points and that should never happen."

"I felt fine," said Tuck, who was the first freshman to win Ms. Basketball Illinois last winter. "I just have to get back into game shape. I didn't think about it (the knee injury) -- I didn't want to because I wasn't worried coming into the game. I was just happy to be back."

In the first quarter, Bolingbrook continually bounced

back after trailing 4-2, 7-4 and 9-7. Griffin connected on a baseline 3-pointer from Massengale with 2:02 left to gain the lead for good, and then Massengale's steal and layup helped build a 12-11 edge at the break.

Psyched up by its defense, Bolingbrook began the second quarter with a 13-0 spurt, with six different Raiders getting into the act. Morgan Tuck's conventional 3-point play, another Massengale steal for a layup and free throws by Henry and Massengale pushed the lead to 25-11 with 2:21 left.

"We did really well and were prepared for the game," Tuck said. "It was No. 1 vs. No. 2 and I think we did well."

"We played a lot of the game out of control," Smith said. "We want to do that on defense, but not on offense. In the second quarter, we played some good defense, but we gave up easy points at the end and let them back into the game."

Indeed, a trey by senior guard/forward Emily Kobel (11 points) with 1.3 seconds remaining cut the Spartans' deficit to 25-16. This, after the Raiders shut Marian Catholic out for the first 7:11 of the second quarter before a layup by junior forward Simone Law (13 points).

Although Marian opened the quarter by slipping within 25-18, Bolingbrook forced 10 of the Spartans' 33 turnovers in the final 5:58 of the third quarter. The Raiders went on a 17-4 run, with Massengale making a pair of layups off of steals.

Edwards also contributed 5 points in that quarter and senior forward Chanyere Hosey, the Murray State recruit, sank a free throw for a 42-22 lead at only 2:02 left. Edwards' 3-pointer to end the quarter stopped the Spartans' six-point salvo.

"I felt like I was getting my hands on a lot of balls," said Massengale, who shot 5-of-14. "We got our offense going from our defense. We just have to keep pushing and wear teams down with our defense."

"Ariel is going to have to do a lot better," Smith said of his point guard, who played with the USA U-16 national team this past summer. "We expect a double-double out of her every night."

Of course, Massengale did have a double-double.

"Well, she should have had a triple-double," Smith said, smiling.

By the fourth quarter, Bolingbrook was already in overdrive, with Tuck's putback providing a 51-30 lead with 5:27 left. Freshman forward Kierra Currie also made her varsity debut in the closing minutes, scoring on a putback and a layin.

The Raiders, who shot 12-of-17 from the free-throw line, held Marian to a mere 16-of-53 shooting. Bolingbrook, however, committed 25 turnovers. It was the Spartans' second straight loss.

"I believe we have a lot of things to work on to get to our goal of a national championship," Massengale said. "We won the state title last year, but we're not satisfied with that. Why not go back and win it again."

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