Trinity 60
Regina 34
The Trinity girls basketball team’s perfect record remained unblemished after the Blazers toppled Girls Catholic Athletic (Red) Conference foe Regina 60-34 on Monday night.
Freshman Taricka Linzy did most of the damage for Trinity, scoring 16 points. Monica Albano, who was forced to the bench in foul trouble during Trinity’s 56-38 clobbering of Glenbard West on Saturday, added 15 points.
Amanda Macchione was also forced to the bench early in the Glenbard West game, held at Trinity in River Forest, but it didn’t seem to stop the Blazers (11-0, 3-0). It was only the first quarter when Albano had to sit down with three quick fouls and seven points. Her teammate, Shakyia Vassar, rose to the challenge. Vassar scored all of Trinity’s 14 points in the second period, giving her team a comfortable 30-14 lead at the half. Vassar, usually a key defensive player, went on to tally a career-high 24 points.
“I was just putting the ball in the hole,” she said after the game. “Since Monica and Amanda were in foul trouble, someone had to pick up the offensive game.”
Vassar’s coach, Ed Stritzel, praised his often unsung hero.
“She’s our diamond in the rough, defensively and offensively,” he said.
Glenbard West managed only two buckets in the first half, the other 10 points deriving from the free-throw line. The Hilltoppers ended up with 15 points at the line compared to Trinity’s three. Nicole Hazemi led her team with 12 points before fouling out late in the final quarter.
Although she only played limited minutes, Albano came back in the second half to score 10 more points to finish with 17. The junior is now averaging 20 points per game.
Stritzel said he’s pleased with his team’s play thus far, though some of the wins have come with a price.
“It has been a difficult first month for us with all the injuries,” he said. “It’s a credit to our kids on how tough they are. I love the fact that we’re not a one-man team.”
Starter Erica Cross was expected back from a knee injury this week.
The Blazers’ biggest challenge is looming this Saturday, when they play fifth-ranked Marian Catholic on the road at 2:30 pm.
Come playoff time, Trinity will host the Class 2A River Forest Sectional, which resides under the Loyola University Supersectional.