After winning a fourth straight Regional Championship, Waubonsie Valley girls basketball takes on hosts Bolingbrook in the Sectional Semis! The Warriors enter with a 29-1 record and have won by over 38 points in back-to-back games. Bolingbrook has also started the postseason on a high note, by taking down Metea and Yorkville. The winner of this one will play Benet on Thursday night. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Sophomores Skyler Wakefield and Sydney Dodd help give Bolingbrook girls basketball a 14-2 lead
Off the opening tip, Lily Newton pokes it forward to Danyella Mporokoso and the Divison One prospect scores in the opening seconds of the game.
A few possessions later, Bolingbrook passes around the Warrior press. Amya Simmons finds Skyler Wakefield who bulldozes inside for the first Raiders score.
The Bolingbrook speed and playmaking are causing the Warriors some problems. This time it’s sophomore Sydney Dodd who makes it 6-2 Raiders, WV calls timeout.
Simmons gives it to Wakefield at the top of the key, and the Raider sophomore drives to the rack for the layup. She already has four points and they lead 10-2.
Waubonsie looks for a score, but they turn it over and Dodd heads in transition. The layup makes it 14-2 Bolingbrook as both Dodd and Wakefield have four each.
Waubonsie Valley trails Bolingbrook by 12 at halftime of the IHSA Sectional Semi
Here’s that sophomore duo connecting for a bucket, as Wakefield drives and kicks it out to Dodd. Her acrobatic layup puts the Raiders up 16-4.
The Warriors show signs of offense to close out the first by scoring five straight. This pick-and-pop three from Mporokoso puts the game at 18-9. Bolingbrook would lead by 11 at the end of the first.
After nearly four minutes of scoreless action in the second quarter, Newton finds Cobb off the inbound and she bounces home the trey-ball. Bolingbrook leads 20-12.
The Raiders quickly respond with four straight points from Wakefield. She scores off the put-back and continues to dominate the post.
After a near turnover, Bolingbrook once again gets a second chance opportunity, and Dodd capitalizes for the duce. The Raiders go up 15, tied for its largest lead on the night, and head into the halftime break up 30-18.
Warrior Arianna Garcia-Evans scores 11 straight points and ties the game at 36
Taylynn Heard and Mporokoso trap the Raiders, and the junior forward steals it. Mporokoso drives and gets the bucket to go, plus the foul! She hits from the line and Bolingbrook leads 32-23.
Simmons drives to the paint, where she’s met by Heard who forces the heavy-hitting charge! Heard’s impact on defense is being heard tonight, and she helps limit the Raiders in the second half.
Newton makes one of two free throws, and Bolingbrook tries to cross half-court but Arianna Garcia-Evans has something to say about it. Her steal and layup makes it 36-26 Raiders.
From here just sit back, and enjoy this dominant run from Garcia-Evans, she scores ELEVEN STRAIGHT POINTS to tie the game. After a Mporokoso miss, the junior guard gets the offensive board and scores the putback.
With a defender on her, she just lets it rip from deep and sinks it!
Then after knocking down two free throws, Garcia-Evans gets across half-court, works a set with Heard, and ties up the game at 36!
Mporokoso closes out the game for Waubonsie and they’ll play Benet Girls basketball for a third straight year in the Sectional final
Bolingbrook sets up on offense and Wakefield is left open for the 15-footer. They go back up by two.
Cobb gets the board, and the Warriors run the court. Mporokoso finishes through the contact for the and-one bucket! It gives Waubonsie girls basketball its first lead since the game’s opening moments as they lead 41-40 over Bolingbrook heading into the final quarter.
Similar to the last bucket, Waubonsie opens the fourth with a transition two. Cobb hits the floater to put WV up 43-40. She finishes the night with 10 points.
Simmons sends the pass to a cutting Kennedy Williams who weaves through the defense for two.
Seconds later, Mporokoso kicks it out to Newton! The senior hits her lone field goal of the night, and it’s one of the biggest to put the Warriors up 48-42.
Mporokoso has a defender on her, and she takes the Raider to work for the midrange pull-up! She leads all scorers with 24 and After some late-game fouls, Waubonsie Valley wins the Semifinal 57-44!
Waubonsie girls basketball erased a 15-point Bolingbrook lead and will now play Benet in the playoffs for a fifth straight year. WV won last year’s Sectional Final over the Redwings in a thrilling overtime battle.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!
