(Sugar Grove, IL.) – In their final home game of 2024, the Waubonsee Community College women's basketball team fell behind early and had too big of a hill to climb as they eventually fell 86-75 to Black Hawk College on Tuesday evening in Erickson Hall Gymnasium. The Chiefs (5-5) trailed by as many as 24 points in the first half before cutting the Braves (6-5) lead down to 10 in the third period. Black Hawk held off Waubonsee's comeback attempt by making 19 of 24 free throws for the game while also owning a 52-22 advantage on points in the paint.
Black Hawk came out firing and grabbed an 11-4-lead after three minutes of action. Waubonsee head coach Jim Williams called a timeout to settle his crew down. The Chiefs, behind three baskets by Anyae Newson, stayed within striking distance at 14-8 midway through the first quarter. The Braves then reeled off a 6-0 run before Emily Mengerink buried a three-pointer from the top of the key. However, Black Hawk got a second chance basket to double up on the Chiefs going ahead 22-11. The stanza came to an end with the visitors in front 24-12.
The Braves started the second quarter with another 6-0 run prompting Williams to call another timeout to try and change the momentum. Unfortunately, it did not work as Black Hawk extended its' lead with six more unanswered points to go ahead 36-12. Moments later Anna-Marie Godina drilled a long three-pointer for the Chiefs and Andrea Lopreato hit an equalizer at the other end for Black Hawk. Godina connected on another shot from beyond the arc to make it 43-23 with two minutes to go until the intermission. For the half Black Hawk shot 44 percent (16 of 36) from the field while Waubonsee shot just 24 percent (9 of 37) as the visitors went into the locker room leading 45-25.
Godina hit a three-pointer from the left corner to get Waubonsee going in the third quarter. A pair of free throws and a basket by Makayla McNally helped get the Chiefs within 13 points at 49-36 four minutes into the third quarter. Mengerink then splashed a triple from the left corner to cut the deficit to 10 points. Black Hawk responded with a 6-0 run before Katelyn Curtis connected on the three-pointer from the right corner to make it 57-42 with two minutes left in the period. A trey by Godina and another by Savannah FitzSimons cut Black Hawks lead to 59-48 heading into the final quarter.
The teams traded baskets in the opening two minutes of the fourth quarter until the Chiefs suddenly went cold from the floor. The Braves were able to build the lead back up to 18 points over the next two minutes of play. A three-point play by Mengerink cut the gap to 72-57 midway through the quarter. Waubonsee got within 10 points again at 76-66 with two minutes to go. A short time later Mengerink drilled a three-pointer to get the deficit down to 77-69 with 1:45 remaining. Again, the teams traded baskets over the next minute of play and Black Hawk held on by hitting 5 of 6 free throws down the stretch.
McNally booked her second straight double-double scoring 17 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Newson tallied 16 points and snagged eight boards, while Godina chipped in with 15 points and handed out five assists. Mengerink contributed 11 points and dished out three assists, and FitzSimons also finished with a double-double netting 10 points and corralling 11 rebounds. Waubonsee is on the road for their final two games of 2024 before the holiday break. The Chiefs head to Harper College in Palatine this coming Thursday, December 19 to play the Hawks beginning at 5:30 p.m. Jim Williams' squad closes out the first half of their season on Saturday, December 21 whey they travel to South Suburban College. The Chiefs and Bulldogs are set to tipoff at 1:00 p.m. in South Holland.