Last week, the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference announced its All-Conference basketball teams, and Fenwick and Trinity each had two players named to the All-GCAC Red Team.
Senior Keira Kapsch and freshman Avani Williams — who recently received her first college offer from the University of Dayton — got honors for the Friars, while juniors Zaria Goins and Chloe Santos were selected from the Blazers. It’s Goins’ second consecutive appearance on the All-GCAC Red Team.
“Chloe had a really good conference showing, and Zaria is always gritty and willing to do whatever it takes to get our team to win,” said Trinity coach Kim Coleman.
With the GCAC tournament being held this week, Coleman says the Blazers (19-8) are seeing it as an opportunity to fine-tune their game with the IHSA state tournament around the corner.
“We’re ready to roll,” she said. “The GCAC to me is the toughest conference in the state, and this tournament will help us prepare for the postseason.”
Against visiting Wheaton St. Francis in the first round of the GCAC tournament, Feb. 3, Goins had 15 points, five assists, four rebounds, and two steals and Santos 12 points and six rebounds in Trinity’s 55-47 victory.
Williams had a game-high 27 points in Fenwick’s first-round GCAC game versus visiting Aurora Central Catholic. However, it wasn’t enough as the Friars (12-16) managed just three second-half baskets in a 62-50 defeat, the second time they’ve lost to the Chargers this season.
Fenwick boys
Fenwick faced two high-quality teams last weekend on the road with hopes of pulling an upset or two. Instead, the Friars suffered a pair of tough losses.
After losing to Brother Rice for the second time this season, 53-32 in Chicago on Jan. 31, Fenwick (17-8) led for the majority of the contest against Lemont in the Lincoln-Way West Warrior Shootout, Feb. 1. But the Friars managed just one basket over the final six and a half minutes, which proved to be the difference as Lemont rallied for a 55-46 victory.
Ty Macariola led Fenwick with 16 points and Nate Marshall added 10 points and seven rebounds in the Lemont loss.
OPRF boys
Matt Halper had 16 points, Alex Vincent 15 points and 16 rebounds, and Jerome Delaney 14 points and six rebounds as Oak Park and River Forest (10-12, 3-5 in West Suburban Silver) edged past visiting York 58-55, Jan. 31. The Huskies return to action with a nonconference game at Marist, Feb. 11.