AnneMarie Carlson and Westmont are back to full strength. (Mark Gregory)
By Mark Gregory
@Hear_The_Beard
When Lisle and Westmont met up in their usual rivalry game two weeks ago, the game featured two teams in completely different places in the season roster wise.
The victorious Sentinels had a full line-up for the first time in nearly two months.
“We have not had a full lineup since Thanksgiving and this was our full lineup,” coach Mike McCord said after the win. “We have had injuries, illness, vacations, you name it we have had it.”
With low numbers in the program, McCord already knows the team’s back is against the wall.
“We know what is and we know what we have to do,” he said. “When we have them all it is nice because we can sub. We have a little more flexibility and we can rotate people and our rotations are so much better.”
Not only are their more players to rotate, a full lineup allows for players to rest more – especially the seven sophomores that make up the majority of the 11-player sophomore team, but are most of the 12-player varsity roster.
“A lot of our sophomores are playing two games because we only have two freshmen, so we don’t have a freshman or sophomore team, so there were times when their tongues were hanging out by the fourth quarter,” McCord said.
McCord, however, knew he would trade a small lineup around the holidays for a solid team come playoff time, which for them begin Feb. 8.
“We have been hoping for this,” he said. “We knew we would suffer through all of the times when we didn’t have all of our players for wins if we have them then.”
For Lisle, who was on the losing end of the road matchup with Westmont, was without top player sophomore , who was averaging 14.6 points per game when she was injured.
“Our best player is out four to six weeks with an injured ankle,” said Lisle coach Nick Balaban. “She is our leading scorer and our point guard, so we are missing points from her. So, we played pretty much seven people and I was proud of the way we battled with who we had.”
Lisle is playing competitive without her and Balaban is looking to stay that way while she is out.
“Right now, we have to get through these next set of games without her and I think it will make us better. It will allow for more players to step up and play a more important role,” he said. “We are learning how to play without her. In a 32-minute game, she is on the floor probably 28 or 29 minutes and the ball is always in her hands.”
The Lions are hoping to get Takahashi back in the mix before the playoffs.
“We are hoping to have her back,” Balaban said. “They said four to six weeks and four weeks would be the night the regional opens up. If she is a quick healer and she gets after it, we will be able to make a statement going into the tournament with her back.”