(Cicero, IL) –Stepping back onto the court after a 16-day layoff due to the holiday break, Waubonsee Community College women's basketball team looked sluggish and out of sync at times. Combined with facing one of the top teams in the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) on the road to begin the second half of the season, those lapses resulted in a tough 72-63 loss at highly touted Morton College. The Chiefs (9-3, 0-1) committed 20 turnovers and made just 3 of 23 (13 percent) from three-point range in falling to the Panthers (12-2, 1-0) who are ranked 13th nationally in the latest NJCAA Division II Women's Basketball poll.
Waubonsee was not sharp in the early going, turning the ball over seven times in the first quarter. However, the Chiefs trailed just 16-15 at the end of the period. Morton extended its lead to 25-17 before Waubonsee went on a quick 13-2 run to grab a 30-27 lead. A long three-pointer by Brooke Heiman capped off the Chiefs' offensive surge as Waubonsee eventually carried a 35-32 lead into halftime.
After the break the Chiefs spent much of the third quarter trying to keep the Panthers at bay. Fouls began to pile up on Waubonsee's ledger and the Panthers cashed in several times from the line to stay within striking distance. Morton also began to take over control of the boards, and took advantage of a handful of second chance opportunities. The Panthers twice grabbed offensive rebounds in a key sequence, and finished it off as Dylan Van Fleet scored inside, was fouled and converted the ensuing free throw to take a 46-45 lead with four minutes left. A Panthers' basket just before the end of the period put Morton in front 52-51 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Chiefs' Delani Kosner fed Jaylynn Vana for an inside basket less than a minute into the final period to put Waubonsee ahead 53-52. It was the last time the Chiefs would lead in the game. A little more than a minute later Kosner fouled out and the Panthers then surged ahead 61-55, prompting head coach Jim Williams to call a time out with six minutes remaining. Waubonsee was unable to get back on track and never got closer than six points the rest of the way.
Vana led Waubonsee with 23 points and nine rebounds. The freshman forward from Sandwich High School connected on 9 of 11 shots from the floor and was a perfect 5 for 5 from the foul line. Heiman chipped in with a dozen points and seven boards, while Evelyn Martin scored 10 points and grabbed four rebounds. Kosner finished with eight points, seven assists, five blocks and two steals before fouling out early in the fourth quarter. Janiece Thomas added eights points, five assists and six rebounds.
Coach Williams' Chiefs are in action again this Thursday, January 6 when they head to Elgin Community College for another ISCC match-up. The Chiefs and Spartans are scheduled to tip-off at 5:15 p.m. (CDT). Waubonsee is set to return home next Tuesday, January 11 when they host Moraine Valley Community College in another ISCC contest beginning at 5:15 p.m. (CDT).