Wheaton Academy vs. Timothy Christian Friday, January 25, 2007 at 6:00 PM
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Warriors pull out big win at Timothy

Wheaton Academy 44, Timothy Christian 36: Wheaton Academy guard Alexa Sharkey says her team usually plays its best basketball of the game during the third quarter. That proved true in Friday's Private School League showdown on the road against Timothy Christian.

The Warriors held the Trojans scoreless in the third quarter and scored 10 points of their own to go ahead by 16 points with eight minutes to play. Inspired by the crowd on homecoming in Elmhurst, Timothy Christian rallied in the fourth quarter but couldn't overcome the deficit.

"We really took it to them and picked up the intensity," Sharkey said. "They didn't know what hit them. Defense and communication -- knowing where each other were on the floor -- were key for us."

"Defensive pressure was great in the first half and in the third quarter," said Wheaton Academy coach Beth Mitchell, whose team led 10-4 at the end of the first quarter and 25-19 at halftime.

Sharkey was the catalyst on both ends of the court for the Warriors (14-8, 5-3). Offensively, she led all scorers with a game-high 21 points, scoring the bulk of her points around the basket and with short jumpers. Six of her points came in the third quarter. The crafty sophomore guard also had 7 steals.

"Alexa is a versatile player," Mitchell said. "She reads real well (defensively) and does a great job seeing the floor. We executed well and did a good job with our game plan."

A free throw by guard Jenn Lee early in the fourth quarter gave the Warriors a 17-point advantage. The Trojans (13-10, 5-3) decided enough was enough and turned it up. Guards Katie Dirkse, Shannon McNeil and Kelsey Kaczynski along with forward Lindsay VanderBrug all hit clutch shots to lead the Timothy Christian comeback.

VanderBrug finished with a team-high 11 points and McNeil added 10.

It was Dirkse who came up with two big plays off Warriors turnovers to pull the Trojans within 6 with 32.3 seconds to play. The junior scored on a strong drive to the hoop and then got a huge offensive rebound and sank a jump shot in the lane.

Wheaton Academy kept its distance, though, on a pair of free throws by Lee, who was 5 of 6 from the foul line in the fourth quarter.

"This is a hard loss to swallow with all of the homecoming festivities," said Timothy Christian coach Ryan DeKoekkoek, who noted that two of his players were on the homecoming court (VanderBrug and Candace Wieringa who was named queen).

"We missed 10 or 12 different assignments and let them dictate the pressure. Wheaton Academy took advantage. (Sharkey's) quickness in the middle of the lane gave us fits all night long."

-- Brian Pitts