There is little question that the best in Illinois high school girls basketball begins in
Bolingbrook and
Montini (Lombard).
Bolingbrook (12-2),
ranked No. 4 nationally by MaxPreps, has won two consecutive Class 4A state championships. Its lineup includes Tennessee recruit
Ariel Massengale and Connecticut verbal
Morgan Tuck, both stars on the last summer‘s USA Basketball U17 women‘s world championship team.
Taylor Tuck, Morgan‘s older sister, is committed to the University of Illinois.
The Raiders have not lost a game in Illinois in more than two years, running up an overall record of 41-3.
Lombard Montini is coming off the school's first Class 3A girls basketball state championship. The Lady Broncos have won 35 consecutive games, including their first 22 this season. Five Broncos reached double figures, including 15 by Notre Dame recruit
Whitney Holloway, in a 73-34 win Tuesday over River Grove Guerin.
A showdown is about to happen. Although Bolingbrook and Montini won't meet in the state tournament because they are in different classes due to enrollments, they will meet in the marquee game of the 21st annual McDonald's Shootout at Willowbrook High School in Villa Park. Outside of the Illinois Super-sectionals in the Chicago area, there will be no bigger game this season. There are at least four major-college recruits who will play in this one.
Adding to the fire: Montini's last loss came to Bolingbrook one year ago.
The McDonald's Shootout begins Friday and will also have games Saturday and Monday, concluding with the Bolingbrook vs. Montini matchup at 7 p.m. Monday. In all, 32 schools from four states will compete. Another big game: 2010 Class 4A finalist
Whitney Young (Chicago) will play
Carmel (Ind.), at 7 p.m. Saturday. Other out-of-state schools include
Pickerington North (Ohio); Canterbury, Ind., and
Nicolet (Glendale, Wis.).
5 BIG PERFORMANCES* Connecticut recruit
Ryan Boatright of East Aurora scored 32 points, and posted six rebounds and six steals, leading the Tomcats to a 66-64 win over previously unbeaten Naperville Neuqua Valley. East Aurora overcame a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Mark the date: Neuqua Valley, which had won its first 14, faces East Aurora again on Feb. 10.
* Kentucky recruit
Anthony Davis of Chicago Perspectives-MSA scored 36 points, and had 15 rebounds and eight steals in a 56-41 win over Chicago Clemente.
* Louisville recruit
Wayne Blackshear of Morgan Park took over a game at Chicago Vocational, scoring 31 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in a 66-61 Morgan Park win. The Mustangs (10-1) rallied from an early 13-point deficit.
*
Jewell Loyd of Niles West scored 39 points in a 62-51 win over Glenbrook South. Loyd, a member of the Team USA U17 gold medal National Team this past summer, scored 15 of West's 18 points in the fourth quarter.
* Morgan Park's
Kendyl Nunn scored 29 points in the Mustangs' 72-53 girls basketball win over Rich Central. Morgan Park has won 17 of 19 games.
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