Girls Basketball: St Charles North holds off improving Elgin squad

Updated: December 6, 2011 11:04PM

St. Charles North’s girls basketball team has been defined by resilience this season, and Tuesday night proved no different as the North Stars defeated Elgin at home 52-41.

After starting the season with five straight losses, St. Charles North has run off three straight Upstate Eight Conference River Division victories to go 3-6 overall.

“We are making a lot of progress overall and I have a really great group,” said North Stars coach Colleen Brennan.

The Maroons (0-8, 0-2 UEC River) were plagued by 13 turnovers in the first quarter, but a sharp-shooting second quarter — which included an 8-0 run late — put them down only 28-22 at half.

“We are starting from scratch,” said Elgin coach Nick Bumbales of his program. “Enthusiasm is high, but we don’t have the luxury of having elite players like some of the other teams do.”

One standout Maroons player did everything she could to help push her team into the win column as 6-foot senior Briana Hamilton (19 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks) fought through constant double and triple teaming.

The North Stars began to pull away in the third quarter, highlighted by a 24-foot three-pointer by senior Alex Silverman (18 points) to go up 37-26 with 3:50 left on the clock.

The Maroons cut into St. Charles North’s lead in the fourth quarter when Alex Bell stole the ball at halfcourt and converted on a layup to pull within 47-41 with three minutes to go in the game.

Elgin couldn’t completely catch up, however, and the Maroons will have to prolong their wait for their first victory.

“Our drive was there and I thought this was the game we were going to win,” said Elgin center Hamilton, who is averaging 16.5 points and 12 rebounds for the season.

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