BY MIKE NIETO
GIRLS BASKETBALL
LANSING | Crete-Monee sophomore Tracea Smith didn't even want to try out for the varsity this year, but first-year Warrior coach Mike Pope did a little convincing.
And he's glad he did.
"I think she though she wasn't going to play much," Pope said. "But I told her we only have nine players, sometimes seven, and she saw she would start."
Smith, a transfer from Rich South, scored eight of her 13 points in the fourth quarter, including making four free throws in the final 33.2 seconds as Crete-Monee upset Times No. 5 T.F. South 49-43 on Thursday in a SICA crossover game. She said she took the advice of her teammates and didn't buckle under the pressure.
"They told me 'You are a sophomore, but you are on varsity,'" Smith said. "Play like you are on varsity."
She also had some advice for her teammates in the crunch.
"I told everybody to keep their heads in the game," Smith said. "We had to get our press-breaking going."
The Warriors (10-9) have won all four games in 2008 and are 8-3 in non-tournament games. Junior Loretta Burton tied Smith for game-high honors with 13, including a big 3-pointer with two minutes left to give the Warriors a 45-37 lead.
"(This win) says we are progressing and playing as a team," Burton said. "We want to keep wining in 2008 and win conference.
"Tracea, she is a good player and she came through tonight."
Kristina Smith had 11 points and seven rebounds while Tika Ford added seven boards. The Warriors jumped out to an 8-0 lead and never trailed and the closest the Rebels (14-6) ever got was three points on two occasions. South has lost two of its last three games.
"Disinterested," South coach Steve Breschock said of his team's play. "It was too little, too late. I would hope that this is as bad as it gets.
"You play sound defense and then you don't box out and they get the rebound and a second shot."
Joyce Holloway led the Rebels with 12 points and seven rebounds.
Crete-Monee 49, No. 5 T.F. South 43
The Warriors made 5-of-7 free throws in the fourth quarter. |
