Girls Basketball: Kelly McEathron leads Oak Forest past Crete-Monee

Updated: January 23, 2012 9:11PM

Katie Swanson set the school career three-point record.

Emily Naegele did what a veteran does, shine when it counts the most.

But the real star in Oak Forest’s 38-30 victory over visiting Crete-Monee on Monday might well have been junior Kelly McEathron.

When nobody else’s shots in the gym seemed to be falling, she was keeping the Bengals in the game.

“We just work on other people stepping up. I mean, it’s not just these two,” McEathron said, pointing at Swanson and Naegele. “We work on things as a team.”

McEathron finished with a team-high 11 points, while Swanson contributed nine points, Nagele six points and seven rebounds and Lauren Bal five points and nine rebounds for the Bengals (14-7), who have now won nine of their last 10 games.

Angelik Young had 12 points and nine rebounds, and Ashley Henry had eight points and six rebounds for Crete (8-13).

McEathron was critical during a first half in which Naegele sat with two fouls and Swanson was 0-for-7 from the field.

Swanson finally swished a three-pointer to open the second half and break a 12-12 tie, but the Bengals weren’t able to shake Crete until a late third-period flurry that featured a putback by Bal, a layup by McEathron and a free throw by Swanson.

The Warriors again closed in early in the fourth period, getting to within 26-23, before Naegele made her first shot on a drive to the basket. Swanson followed with her school record-breaking three-pointer, the 158th of her career.

“I wasn’t thinking about it at all. I really didn’t know I was close,” Swanson said. “I just keep shooting because eventually they’ll fall. That’s what I have to do.”

Naegele pretty much made the fourth period hers, scoring all six of her points and pulling down five boards.

“Well, it had to be (the fourth quarter) today,” she said. “It was such a close game, people had to step up. Our whole team stepped up today. It was a good win.”

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