Girls Basketball notes: Glenbard East senior Lauren Huber’s milestone night an emotional one

Lauren Huber’s milestone game was an emotional night for the people who were there to celebrate her achievement.

It also was emotional because of one person who could not be there.

When Huber, Glenbard East’s senior guard, raced in for a layup during last Thursday’s win over Larkin, she tallied her 1,000th career point – and was promptly mobbed by teammates under the basket and cheered by the limited fans in attendance.

“It really made things extra special, knowing that it maybe could not have happened this season,” Huber said. “Getting to experience that on our home floor, we had 50 spectators able to come, it was nice to have a crowd. Covid has kind of brought things in perspective. We can always control the attitude and energy we bring into things.”

The last year has certainly brought Huber perspective.

In September she lost one of her biggest fans, her grandmother Barbara Hardtke, who died from heart complications. Hardtke, mom of Glenbard South boys basketball coach Wade Hardtke, went to all of Huber’s games. When Glenbard East would play Glenbard South, she’d wear red – a mutual school color. After Glenbard East’s first game this season, Rams coach Nicole Miller gave Huber a framed portrait of four pictures of Hardtke watching Huber’s games. Rams coaches and teammates came to Hardtke’s wake to offer Huber support.

“It really meant a lot, to know you have those girls by your side,” Huber said. “It really reinforces that they’re there for you on the court and off. It’s much more than just a game.”

Sports indeed means a great deal to Huber. Even during a pandemic, Huber is determined to maximize her opportunities in her last high school year.

She plans to play volleyball in the spring, and run track after that, aiming for the school record in the 800 meters. With volleyball postponed last fall, Huber tried tennis. She’s even joined Glenbard East’s bowling team, all while playing at a high level on the basketball court.

“With school ending early every day, I might as well,” said Huber, noting that she’s on track to be a 14-sport athlete in high school.

Huber’s track background – she was on Glenbard East’s 3,200-meter relay team as a freshman that took second at Class 3A state in 2018 – has been a big part of her success, in Miller’s estimation.

Every day during quarantine Huber did 3-4 miles on the prairie path with her middle school track coach and her sister.

“She is an elite runner and has an incredible verticle. For 5-foot-8, she can jump out of the gym,” Miller said. “Her speed, her overall athleticism, when she decides to focus on a sport it comes natural to her.”

Huber, who remains uncommitted for college – she’s visited Illinois Wesleyan and Carthage – is closing in on Katie Mielke’s program scoring record of 1,247 points set in 2004. Even in an abbreviated season, Huber can get there if she averages 16 points per game the rest of the season.

“Lauren is the most talented basketball player and the best one to come through these doors,” said Miller, who has coached Huber since she was a freshman on the sophomore team and also coached Mielke. “She is a student of the game, always learning, always analyzing. You will be on the sidelines and what she can do, your jaw will drop. I’ve enjoyed every single moment.”

Downers Grove North’s junior achievement

A pandemic-delayed, and shortened season is hardly an ideal scenario for any basketball team – but Downers Grove North is perhaps in a bit better spot than most others with an unusual roster composition.

The Trojans return several players from last year’s run to a sectional final, but in a twist of fate don’t have any seniors in the program.

“It’s not the worst year to have no seniors,” Downers Grove North coach Stephan Bolt said. “We’ve talked a lot that there is no state tournament, that this is getting us ready for a run next year and we’re using it as such. We’ve dubbed the juniors seniors already, trying to turn them into senior leaders. It’s not summer league but it almost feels like it right now.”

Bolt had Ryann Wendt, Kate Gross, Ella Sebek, Eleanor Harris and Vanesa Linge up on varsity all last year as sophomores, and Maggie Fleming came up toward the end as a freshman.

“I can’t imagine what it would be like this season to have seniors; this is the culminating year for all their hard work,” Bolt said. “It’s nice to be absolved of that. We’re looking forward to next year when we don’t have to replace anybody.”

York’s super sophomore opens eyes

York perhaps had its two most difficult games of the regular season in its first two games, passing the tests with a 51-50 win over Willowbrook Friday night followed by a 50-47 overtime win over Lyons Township the afternoon after.

The Dukes rallied from 13 points down in the first half against Lyons.

“That Willowbrook game, we hadn’t played in like 353 days, the pace was unlike any I had ever coached in before,” York coach Brandon Collings said. “I had a feeling we might have a little hangover for Saturday’s game, and LT had a great first half and jumped on us right away.”

Collings can point to a number of key factors for the two wins. The Dukes were 5-for-7 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter and 4-for-4 in overtime against Lyons. Kaitlyn Kjome had two great games, and fellow senior Megan Juneman provided a strong presence.

And then there is sophomore guard Mariann Blass.

Blass scored 16 points with two 3-pointers in her varsity debut against Willowbrook, and hit a key 3-pointer to start overtime against Lyons.

“She’s that one scorer that I don’t think people had a clue about,” Collings said. “She is a phenomenal 3-point shooter and has turned herself into a great scorer. She’s put the time in, she handles the ball, creates space and has a quick release.”

Blass probably had the talent to play varsity last year, but wouldn’t have got the same kind of experience on a deep, experienced roster. Instead she averaged about 16 points per game to lead last year’s York sophomore team.

“She needed to become that scorer that she wouldn’t have been able to be at the varsity level,” Collings said.

March Madness, West Suburban Conference style

York’s girls basketball team, which last year won the program’s first regional title since 2009, won’t have the opportunity to build on that this season with the IHSA not holding a postseason in the truncated season.

But the Dukes, and their rivals, will get a taste of March Madness.

The West Suburban Conference, like other leagues, is holding an end-of-the-season conference tournament the first two Saturdays of March. All 14 teams in the Silver and Gold divisions will be seeded, the games hosted at different sites with each team playing two games each Saturday.

“Any type of carrot is better than nothing,” Collings said. “It’s something to work for.”

He’s a fan

Bolt saluted the work done by Downers Grove North principal Janice Schwarze and athletic director Denise Kavanaugh in a short window to make fans possible for the Trojans’ home opener last Friday against Addison Trail.

The West Suburban Conference, after initially saying it would not allow fans at its games, finally signed off on allowing fans last Wednesday, up to the 50-person limit, two days before Downers North’s first game.

“I have to give Denise and Janice a ton of credit for figuring it out so quickly,” Bolt said. “In that one day they got the stamp of approval from our school board. I’m sure they had plans but they had to figure it out at a moment’s notice. I think parents were happy with it. Give Denise and Janice credit, they pushed for it to happen and it was awesome.”