Llorens' Magical Night Leads Rams to Sectional Win

This is a week's worth for most players.

Grayslake Central senior Rebekah Llorens had so much nervous energy entering Thursday night's sectional championship game, she had do something about it. What she did is something basketball folks will be talking about for years to come.

Llorens' amazing performance (37 points, 17 rebounds) was way too much for visiting Johnsburg. For the first time since March, 2004, the Rams (28-3) will head for a supersectional. Central hammered Johnsburg 69-46 and now has the task of battling defending 3A state champion Montini at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Hoffman Estates Supersectional.

"Rebekah was incredible,'' said Central coach Steve Ikenn. "She was automatic out there. Our guards gave her the ball and they couldn't stop her."

This was actually still a game late in the first quarter. The Skyhawks were within 13-11 and star Melissa Dixon (23 points) had just scored her first point.

A 14-0 run by the Rams put this game away. Eight points from Llorens and a Skyler Jessop 3-pointer helped pile on the points.

Llorens had her double double by halftime.

"I was so excited,'' Llorens said. "But I channeled that energy. I was so nervous for this game."

This modest player of course thanked her teammates for giving the ball to her in the right spots. Llorens scored on 11 layups.

"I don't get my points on my own,'' she said. "We had phenomenal ball movement."

The halftime lead was 35-19. Llorens had 21 of those points.

"Rebekah was unbelievable,'' said teammate Kat Dickson. "She's just relentless."

Jessop (12 points) opened the second half with a 3-pointer that bounced up in the air and into the basket. It was clearly the Rams night.

Alex Scarbro played her usual strong floor game and was rewarded with 14 points.

"What an awesome, crazy game,'' Scarbro said.

There are no surprises for the Rams. Scarbro knew her club would face one of the state's best teams in Montini. No doubt the Grayslake girls have heard all about Whitney Adams (North Carolina), Whitney Holloway (Notre Dame) and Kiki Wilson (U of Wisconsin-Milwaukee). This club has lost three games in two years and two to 4A power Bollingbrook.

"Montini is just another team,'' Scarbro said. "I'm excited to play them. It will be a great game."

Three-pointers: The town of Grayslake will send two shooters to Normal for the IHSA  3-point shooting contest next weekend. Claire Brennan will represent Central while North freshman Kendall Detweiler will shoot North. Scarbro fell in a triple overtime session of the competition.