NORMAL — Defending state runner-up Freeport will return to the Class 3A girls basketball state finals Saturday after a dominating 64-43 victory over Springfield this afternoon.
Freeport never led by fewer than 10 points after breaking away from an 8-all tie with a 10-0 run to close the first quarter.
The Senators closed to within 49-39 early in the final quarter after Freeport turned the ball over on five of its first seven possessions. But Suporia Dickens (five) and Courtney Shiffer (four) then sparked an 11-0 run that put the Pretzels ahead comfortably 60-39.
Freeport will now meet old rival Peoria Richwoods in Saturday’s final. The Pretzels are 2-2 against Richwoods the last two years, including a last-second, two-point supersectional victory against the Knights last year.
Freeport’s victory snapped an 18-game winning streak for Springfield.
Springfield made a mini-run at Freeport in the third quarter, but once the Pretzels started hanging onto the ball, they pulled away again to lead 49-33 after three quarters of today’s Class 3A state girls basketball semifinals.
Katie Norman grabbed a long rebound from a Kelsey Hoefer missed 3, turned around and swished a 16-footer at the buzzer for the 16-point lead.
Six turnovers in the first four minutes of the third quarter, giving Freeport 20 turnovers in 20 minutes, helped Springfield close to within 40-30. But the Pretzels didn’t have another turnover the last four minutes.
Dickens scored Freeport’s first six points of the third quarter and had eight in the third quarter all total.
In the first half, Freeport pushed its lead to as much as 17 points before setting for a 34-21 halftime lead.
Layups by Norman, Dickens and Kelsey Hoefer and a pair of free throws by Caitlin Greene helped the Pretzels turn a 10-point first-quarter lead into their largest margin, 28-11.
Even a spurt of five consecutive turnovers by Freeport didn’t allow the Senators to get closer than 30-18, thanks to the Pretzels’ defense that held Springfield to 18.8 percent shooting (6-for-32).
Hoefer led the Pretzels, second in state last year, with 11 points on 4-for-4 shooting. Norman had seven points on 3-for-5 shooting. The Pretzels as a team shot 61.9 percent (13-for-21) as they repeatedly passed through the Senators’ zone for layups.
Freeport had no trouble with Springfield’s famed full-court press from the very beginning, but turned the ball over their first three trips in the half-court offense. Greene finally got the Pretzels going with a 3-pointer for a 3-0 lead. Heather Kittoe-DeBoer started Freeport’s string of layups with a putback in a crowd for a 5-2 lead.
The Pretzels never trailed in the first quarter and went on a 10-0 run in the last three minutes to open up an 18-8 lead.
First-team all-stater Norman 1-for-13 at supersectionals finished the run with a 3-pointer, a left-handed layup and a dish to Courtney Shiffer after dribbling coast-to-coast.
Springfield shot only 2-for-15 and scored six of its eight points off of offensive rebounds in the first quarter.
Assistant Sports Editor Matt Trowbridge can be reached at: 815-987-1383 or mtrowbridge@rrstar.com.
