Dec. 13--Alyssa Moore would be one of the smallest players on any other team.
But she fits in perfectly on Kenwood's undersized roster.
Moore scored 18 points, and Sharese Scott added 14 to lead No. 19 Kenwood to a 55-53 win against No. 14 Joliet Catholic on Saturday at the ChiTown Showdown at Young High School.
At 5-foot-3, Moore is one of six players under 5-4 on Kenwood's roster, with Remi Strong and Deja Kyle the tallest players on the team at 5-10.
"We are very small, but we like to push the ball and outrun people," Moore said. "Everybody on our roster is fast and we're athletic. We try and keep the tempo up and play pressure defense. I love our style."
After a busy schedule to open the season, the Broncos (10-2) play just one game in the next two weeks before the start of the Montini Christmas Tournament.
"This is a big win for us," Kenwood coach Andre Lewis said. "There are points during a season when you play a statement game. This was one of them. We wanted to show everybody who we are. Joliet Catholic is a fine team and has one of the best players in the state in Nicole Ekhomu. This win says a lot about our program."
The Broncos broke open a close game late in the second quarter by reeling off 14 straight points in a run that lasted until midway through the third quarter. Ekhomu, a Florida State recruit, was saddled with foul trouble all game, but the Angels (4-3) fought back to force a one-possession game due to Kenwood's 4-for-15 free-throw shooting.
Joliet Catholic senior guard Mia Farrell missed a potential winning 3-pointer at the buzzer. Ekhomu, who was suspended for the last two games due to a team rules violation, tallied 10 points and nine rebounds in just over 15 minutes of action. Andriana Acosta led the Angels with 18 points, including five points in the final minute.
"We had two games without (Nicole), so we were able to learn," Joliet Catholic coach Nick Leonard said. "It could have been a lot worse if we didn't have those two games. We're growing as a team."
Bob Narang is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.
Player of the game: Alyssa Moore, Kenwood, 18 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals.
Key performers: Kenwood -- Sharese Scott, 14 points, 5 rebounds, 3 3-pointers; Tarsheia Page, 12 points. Joliet Catholic -- Andriana Acosta, 18 points, 7 rebounds; Nicole Ekhomu, 10 points, 9 rebounds.
