2000-2001 KANELAND GIRLS BASKETBALL

The Kaneland Lady Knights kicked off a new season with a win over the Marengo Indians 41-30. With one sophomore playing in a senior lineup the Knights took court not sure what to expect this season. This years' seniors will be playing a lot of the same teams they played in 7th, 8th, and 9th grade when they lost only 4 games over those three years.

The Knights jumped of to good start Tuesday, leading the Indians 24-15 after the first half. Marengo then tightened up their defense holding the Knights to only 17 second half points. However the Indians only scored 15 points themselves in the second half as they never got closer than 7 points.

The Knights played a methodical game with few fast break opportunities despite having 10 team steals. The Knights did commit 17 turnovers which one might expect for a first game.

Stephanie Schramer had a terrific night hitting 6-of-7 from the field for 14 points. Sophomore Trina Kainz pulled down 7 boards and transfer Kara Miller grabbed 3 steals.

11 players scored for the Knights, showing a strong bench for this years squad, however no player scored more that 4 points outside of Schramer and no one had more than 4 rebounds rebounds outside of Kainz.

Despite not scoring a point in the fourth quarter the sophomore Lady Knights pulled out a 22-19 win to start the season. The Knights jumped out to a 8-2 first quarter win and hung on to a narrow 3 point win.

In the first round of the Burlington Central Basketball Tournament the Kaneland girls drew the St. Charles North JV team. The Knights got off to sluggish start and trailed 13-11 after one quarter. But Shari Wenz scored on a drive to begin the second quarter and begin a Knight comeback. Wenz held Kaneland together early scoring 10 of Kaneland's first 13 points.

By the time half time came around the Knights held a slim 23-22 lead.

In the second half the Knights played their best basketball of this young season out scoring SC 29-12 to coast home with the victory.

Wenz almost had a double-double in the game with 15 points and 9 rebounds. Junior Megan Wagner also scored in double digits off the bench with 10 points. Jamee Terry had 3 steals. Kara Miller, Stephanie Schramer and Lynda Gould added 5 points each.

The Knights, now 2-0, advanced to the second round of the Tourny Monday night at 5:30 against Wheaton Academy who beat IMSA in their contest.

The Lady Knights continued to play their slow down game, but they also continued to win, as they shutdown Wheaton Academy 41-27 to advanced to the Championship round the Burlington Central Basketball Tournament.

The Knights came out strong in this one holding Wheaton to just 7 points in the first quarter. The Knights meanwhile scored 15 and never really looked back. Shari Wenz helped lead the Kaneland offense scoring 8 of the teams first 15 points.

In the second quarter and third quarter Wheaton stayed even with the Knights as both teams scored 10 points and 9 points respectively.

As a result the Academy stayed in the game trailing just 34-26 going into the final quarter. But the Knights said lights out in the fourth and held their opponent to just 1 point.

Wenz lead the Knights with 14 points and 6 rebounds. Point guard Stacey Blatner added 6 more points (half of those off a 3-point shot in the first quarter). Lynda Gould had 5 points and 6 rebounds and Stephanie Schramer had 4 points, 6 rebounds and a team leading 5 assist.

The Knights, now 3-0, have won all three of their games by roughly the same score, 41-30, 52-34, and 41-27. They now advance to the Championship round of the Tourny Wednesday night at 7:00 against Sycamore.

Her name is Kara Miller. She is a junior transfer. This year she plays for the Kaneland Knights and everyone at Kaneland is glad she does. For because of her the Knights are 4-0 and this year's Champions of the Burlington Central Basketball Tournament!

With 17 seconds left in the game, the Knights trailing 43-41 and Sycamore with the ball, Miller stole the ball. She drove to basket, made the lay-up to tie the score, and was fouled in the process. Then with 14.3 seconds left in the game she calmly swished the free throw to win the game for the Knights over always tough Sycamore 44-43.

"I told myself not to listen to anyone, to just watch the hoop and bend my legs," Miller said of her free throw. "I've played a lot of games, but I've never won it like this. This feels so good".

It was a great game. One in which the Knights trailed only twice. The Knights lead by a much as much as 7 points mid-way through the fourth quarter, but with a whooping 4:17 minutes still left to play the Knights went into a stall. That's when everything turned around and Sycamore got back into the game. With the Knights momentum stopped, Sycamore out scored them 9-0 until Miller performed her magic.

It was close all the way. Tied 11 each at the end of one, 27-26 Kaneland at the half and 37-32 Kaneland going into the fourth quarter.

Sycamore coach Curt Countryman concerned about the way the Knights have been playing in the tournament had his own strategy entering this one. He stated before the game, "Wenz is really playing well, but we got something special planned for her". And he proved right as Shari Wenz despite getting the first basket, got three fouls in the first three minutes and had to sit out the rest of the first half and then could not get on track in the second half.

But there were plenty of others to carry the load. Stephanie Schramer played a solid game scoring in every quarter for 13 points. Ana Miller added 6 points on back, to back, to back jumpers in the first half, while Jaymee Terry came up with 5 steals. Kara Miller ended up with 5 points and 7 big rebounds.

The Knights had trouble rebounding in the first half with only 5 boards and three of those grabbed by the guards. But center Trina Kainz turned into a monster in the second half with 7 rebounds and season high 8 points. "The best game of her varsity career," said Coach Dennis Hansen.

This was a key bench mark for the Knights as they played an up tempo team with talent and a solid bench. Also Sycamore like Kaneland was undefeated going into the game.

Shari Wenz was named to the All-tournament team for the Knights.

Would you believe that the Kaneland Lady Knights led 21-11 late in the first half and then lost to the Yorkville Foxes by a six-pack, 39-33. This was really two games rolled into one.

In the first half the Knights were smokin'. They out scored the Foxes 13-6 in the first quarter and 9-8 in the second quarter. The place was rockin. The band was playing, fans where screaming and the game was electric. The only thing wrong was - just three Knights had scored! Shari Wenz had nearly half of the first points with 10, Stephanie Schramer had 7 and Trina Kainz had 5.

But then it happened!

The Knights came out in the second half with their "Gray" offense. An offense that has everyone spaced, no movement and three girls on the perimeter. That's when the game seem to stand still for the Knights. With no Knight's offense the Foxes just ran buckshot and by the end of the third quarter the Foxes had caught the Knights as the game was tied at 26 apiece.

The Knights had scored just one - that's right just one basket in the quarter, while the Foxes had a field day against the motionless Knights scoring 12 points. In fact with no movement the Knights got of only 12 shots off.

Kaneland not only lost momentum, but they were now playing with little emotion. Even the Kaneland crowd was quiet. At times there where no sounds and all you could hear was the dribbling of the ball.

The Knights stayed in the same offense in the forth quarter as they literally stood helplessly by as they saw the game slip away. With the changed offense, team scoring leaders Wenz and Schramer got few looks at the basket as Wenz never got a shoot in the second half and Schramer had only 4 looks at the hoop. Moreover, fellow starters Lynda Gould, Jaymee Terry and Kristi Reynolds got only 5 shots off between the three of them in the second half. A truly amazing stat in such an important game.

As much fun as the first half was the second half was a basketball nightmare, as only 4 players scored for the Knights (3 a half). Kainz ended up with 11 points and 8 rebounds, Wenz got frozen at 10 points and 6 rebounds, Schramer also had 10 points with 5 boards and Stacey Blatner added 2 points.

It was a hard loss for the home team as it was not only their first loss of the season, but what hurt more was the game was theirs to win. If only they could play the second half over again. Any Gore lawyers around to help us out here?