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Points off turnovers helps Evanston top New Trier
Evanston Township's Seara Clayborn (15) shoots against New Trier during their game on Friday, February 8, 2012, in Evanston, IL. | Chandler West~For Sun-Times Media
Updated: February 8, 2013 11:13PM
EVANSTON — As the final seconds ticked off the clock in the third quarter Friday, Erin Boothe stole the ball and raced down the court for a layup to beat the buzzer.
That one play summed up the second half in the Evanston girls basketball team’s 51-40 win over New Trier.
Down two at intermission, the No. 17-ranked Wildkits forced 12 turnovers in the third quarter and outscored the Trevians 18-5 to run away with the victory, which earned Evanston the outright CSL South championship.
Boothe, a senior guard, scored all six of her points in the third quarter on layups off turnovers. She finished with a career-high 16 points.
“That’s how we should always play,” said Boothe, whose team is the top seed at the Class 4A Loyola Sectional. “We had a big talk before the game about needing to push the ball and play with intensity.”
New Trier (14-14 overall, 5-5 conference) led by as many as six in the second quarter and 21-19 at the break.
It was all Evanston in the final 16 minutes.
The Wildkits (23-3, 9-1) scored the first five points of the third quarter — highlighted by junior guard Dashae Shumate’s 3-pointer off a turnover — and took a 37-26 lead into the fourth. Evanston went 8-for-9 on free throws in the final quarter.
“We were watching them on defense instead of using our athleticism,” Evanston coach Elliot Whitefield said of his team’s uninspired play over the first two quarters. “We started playing the passing lanes very well, and Erin was phenomenal.”
Shumate followed Boothe with 12 points. Junior guard Isabella Bosco finished with eight points for the Trevians.
Pick up your local Pioneer Press newspaper Thursday to read more about the Evanston girls basketball team.
