“I think that we are a talented team, I think that we have a good group of girls and we have a ton of potential and if we can clean everything up we will be very successful this season,” said head coach Shannon Kleczka.
On Nov. 28, Minooka played Oswego East in their first home game. The game did not end up as Minooka had hoped, but it was an important learning moment for everyone on the team.
“I thought I played really well, really hard,” said junior Sami Samuilis.
She shared a game-high 18 points in the game along with Makenzie Brass and Madelyn Kiper.
Minooka played well as a whole. Lots of players played meaningful minutes in the game and their efforts as a team is what ultimately kept them close the entire way.
The game was back-and-forth the entire time. The score was 16-15 after the first, and 30-29 after the second.
Carrying a lead into halftime Minooka was thrilled and hoping to build a lead. They also hoped to carry the energy from the first half into the second, when asked about what it was that made the team play so well in the game, multiple players mentioned the energy that was coming from the players on the court along with the ones on the sidelines and the fans in the stands.
Unfortunately for the home team, Oswego East came out in a press and Minooka couldn’t execute and break the press, which allowed them to gain a bit of a lead making it 42-48 at the end of the third quarter. Minooka would battle back in the fourth quarter and eventually gain a lead but unfortunately, it would not be enough and they would end up losing the game with a score of 68-57.
“I think the more we keep working during practice and working at our game, we are just going to improve so much more,” senior Makenzie Brass said. “We have so much potential and I know the rest of the season is only going to get better from here.”
Even though the game did not end in a win for the girls it was still a close, competitive, and entertaining game for everyone. Minooka plans to use the game as a learning moment and carry the momentum of the game into their next few games and hopefully boost their record.
