McHENRY, Ill. — Hononegah’s girls basketball team has asked 6-foot Jordan Dimke all season to do things you wouldn’t ordinarily ask of a sophomore.
Tuesday night in the IHSA 4A McHenry Sectional semifinals, she faced one of her taller tasks, against a Lake Zurich team boasting a starting lineup that featured a 6-foot-2 post player, two more 6-footers and a 5-11 guard. Only point guard Layne Nordstrom, at 5-foot-5, didn’t seem to fit in this land of giants.
Dimke responded with a game-high 19 points in an impressive defensive showcase for both teams, converting a go-ahead 3-pointer as Hononegah pulled out a 44-42 victory.
“I’m so proud of how everyone pushed through everything and I did my best to not let that be the seniors’ last game," Dimke said afterwards. "I’m glad we get at least one more game together.”
The Indians (30-4) will meet Libertyville (29-5) at 7 p.m. Thursday in the sectional championship game.
They wouldn’t be there without Dimke, who battled the tall Bears all game. When Lake Zurich put together a 10-0 run in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 38-38 and went ahead 42-40 with 1:08 remaining on a basket inside by 6-2 Avery Cooper, Dimke put her team back on top by converting her third 3-pointer of the game, this one from the top of the key with 30 seconds left.
“She’s a player,” Hononegah head coach Jason Brunke said. “Obviously she has had some very big games for us. Going into this one, we knew they were one of those big, physical teams that can cause her some problems and I just love the way she showed up today. She responded very well to their physical nature.”
Dimke was matter-of-fact about taking the big shot.
“We needed something and I was open,” Dimke said. “It just came naturally. Then we just knew we had to stop them on defense.”
Lake Zurich missed a shot on its next possession and fouled on the rebound with just 5 seconds remaining. The Bears wanted to send the Indians to the line, but they had to foul three times before they had their fifth. Olivia Robinson hit 1-of-2 free throws with 2.5 seconds left. The Bears quickly got the ball to halfcourt, but a desperation heave clanked off the back of the rim at the final buzzer.
NIC-10 champion Hononegah had ended the first half on a 10-2 run to take an 18-14 lead at halftime. They picked up where they left off in the third quarter as Danielle Franz fed Dimke for a layup and she drew a foul on another. She hit two free throws, a long three and finally finished off a fastbreak to give her team a 27-14 lead.
“The run we went on to start the second half really helped give us some confidence, but we knew they weren’t going to go away,” Brunke said. “Lake Zurich is a real good, battle-tested team. I’m just glad our girls were able to respond after they came back at us.”
Only the five starters scored for the Indians. Robinson and Jordan Johnston each had eight points, Franz six and Allyson Niedfeldt three. Hononegah had nine 3-pointers.
Dimke watched some of Libertyville's 57-24 romp over Rockford Guilford in the first game Tuesday night. The Wildcats also own a 59-39 win over Lake Zurich this season.
“It’s definitely going to be a tougher game,” she said. “Guilford took us to double overtime and they blew out Guilford so I’m a little concerned about that.”
With good reason, Brunke said.
“I’ve seen several of their games and they’re really good,” the coach said. “They’re one of the few teams we’ve seen that likes to play up-tempo like us. If nothing else it will be a very fast-paced game. (Lake Zurich) likes to play a little slower and pack it in. Libertyville definitely wants to use its length to pressure you. It will be a different sort of game and a great challenge for us.”
• BOXSCORE:
HONONEGAH 44, LAKE ZURICH 42
Lake Zurich;9;5;10;18;–;42
Hononegah;7;11;15;11;—;43
LAKE ZURICH (fg ft-fta pts) – Friesen 2 6-6 11, Nordstrom 1 0-0 2, A.Gilbertson 5 4-5 14, Cooper 5 0-0 11, L.Gilbertson 2 0-0 4. Totals: 15 10-11 42.
HONONEGAH (fg ft-fta pts) – Johnston 3 0-0 8, Robinson 2 3-4 8, Franz 2 0-0 6, Niedfeldt 1 0-0 3, Dimke 7 2-2 19. Totals: 15 5-6 44.
3-pointers: LZ 2 (Friesen, Cooper), Hono 9 (Dimke 3, Johnston 2, Franz 2, Niedfeldt, Robinson). Fouled out: none. Total fouls: LZ 13, Hono 10.
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