For Timothy Christian’s girls basketball team, the goal was to win and stay home.
The Trojans accomplished just that by clinching their own Class 2A regional championship with a 44-35 victory over Lisle on Thursday in Elmhurst.
The Trojans’ regional title, their fifth since 2018, qualifies them for their own sectional, which will begin for them at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday against the winner of Friday’s regional championship game between Phillips and Chicago Christian.
“I took up a bunch of them as freshmen, and so we’ve been through a lot,” said Timothy Christian coach Jill Groenewold, who was fresh off her 300th win in the regional semifinal against Rosary. “And now, they’ve arrived, and it’s so good to see them play. They’re unselfish kids, they play together, they complement each other. Even my bench — they’re all cheering for each other. Just a total team effort. And so, it’s just nice to win one with them.”
The Trojans (23-3) were in control of a tight contest until the Lions (25-7), led by Aminah Muhammad and seeking their third straight regional title, tied the game at 23 in the third quarter.
Control soon flipped right back, though, on back-to-back 3-pointers by Sienna Azzinaro — her only field goals of the game. Timothy Christian never allowed Lisle to tie it again.
Still, the result remained in doubt until the final minute, during which the Trojans made the last of their seven fourth quarter free throws.
Five free throws came from Elisabeth Van den Berg, whose two late field goals included an open layup off a Lions turnover for the game’s final play and punctuated a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Freshman Lyla Plaisier also had a solid all-around game. Her two first quarter 3s opened the scoring, and she also led all players with five assists and six steals.
“She’s a great new addition to the team,” Van den Berg said of Plaisier. “Just her speed and the way that she can see the floor, especially as she’s moving the ball. And she’s so patient, and when I’m in the post, and I’m getting doubled, I know I can look for her for the open 3, and she’ll be there to shoot it.”
Off the bench, Brooklyn Hanchett contributed four rebounds and two steals as well as a fourth quarter basket.
Muhammad paced the Lions with 17 points, including three 3s. Ally Russell had nine points and five rebounds.
Brooke Russell grabbed six boards and Ireland Weaver stole the ball four times.
“I told them it was all about the journey,” said Lisle coach Nick Balaban, who led his team to the second-most wins in program history. “And it was a fun journey. It was remarkable what we were able to accomplish. And we lose three seniors (in Ally Russell, Sarah Manukonda and Erin Bradley), but we got a good nucleus coming back.”
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260219/girls-basketball/girls-basketball-timothy-christian-beats-lisle-for-another-regional-title/