By Drake Skleba
For the Bugle
Around Downers Grove South (8-3) High School, for many years to come, they will be talking about “The Block”.
Trailing the host Trojans of Downers Grove North, 36-34 with 2:55 left, in the 2018 edition of the Girls District 99 crosstown showdown, 6-foot, 1-inch Mustang senior Holly Lueken came up with the play of the game.
After Lueken had just scored to pull the Mustangs within 36-34, Trojan senior Lauren Sebek (10 points) drove on Lueken hoping to draw Lueken’s fifth foul. Instead Sebek’s shot became the fifth blocked shot.
Lueken fired a pass to senior guard, Maggie Greco, who fired the ball to Mustang sophomore sharpshooter Meghan Stapleton in the right corner. Stapleton had buried three triples in the game and squared up for No. 4.
“The Shot”
Swish. Stapleton’s fourth triple put South up 37-36 with 2:31 left.
“I have been practicing really hard on my shot,” Stapleton said. “It was all Maggie and Holly telling me the shots were going to fall. I was very confident tonight and it felt great to have my shots fall, to help us get this great win.”
Greco closed the scoring after she hauled down her fifth rebound on a Sebek miss and sprinted 75-feet right to the basket and laid the ball in to give South the 39-36 win.
“I grabbed the rebound and nobody picked me up, which allowed me a clear path to the basket,” Greco said. “I’m going to the basket. What a great week for us. We go 3-0 with huge. rivalry wins over Hinsdale South and now North,here tonight. First time we have beat North in six years.”
For the Colgate-bound Lueken, it was all about her team.
“I switched on the block and then we got the ball to Meghan,” Lueken said. “Meghan is a great shooter and hit the huge shot for us. Maggie was coming off an ankle injury and it was amazing how well she played tonight.
“I had to play timid because of the four fouls. Even with the foul trouble, I had to go out and get the block. It’s always great to beat North.. First time we have beat them. since I have been here.”
For sixth-year Mustang head coach Lyndsie Long, Saturday’s victory was extra-special.
“This is my sixth season at South,” Long said. “This is my first District 99 showdown win. This is so sweet. I told them at halftime to play more team ball in the second half, which we did. Holly had another great game and Maggie played outstanding, coming off an ankle injury. Meghan Stapleton is outstanding. She hit four, three’s for us, to win the game. She also played great defense. for us”
For the North (7-4), who was coming off a huge win over Glenbard West Friday, the loss was devastating.
Lueken finished the game with 15 points, seven rebounds, five blocked shots and three steals before fouling out.