ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL. – No game, regardless the sport, is ever won in a single half alone. Explosive starts and early leads are worth nothing if they are only followed by a lackluster second half performance. Even the most resilient of comebacks can’t claw a team to victory if they were nonexistent in the earlier stages of the contest. Whichever way you look at it, games are decided from the very first whistle until the final tick on the clock. Especially for the Girls’ Varsity Basketball team, with four of their six most recent exhibitions decided by single digits, every second matters and last night’s game was no different as the Scouts won 43-41.

Thursday’s meeting with the Lions was familiar ground for head coach Kyle Wilhelm’s bunch. Per usual, the two teams went seemingly back and forth, exchanging baskets with the opposing side in what has become a common trend in the Scouts’ type of play. In the first half, the offense stalled a bit, struggling to connect on just about any shot while turning it over when trying to get the ball inside to the post. On the other end of the hardwood, Wilhelm’s group was unable to nail down their defensive rotations which in turn opened up the perimeter for a largely three-point dependent Saint Viator team.

After trailing 23-17 going into the break, the Scouts opened up the third quarter with a dominant defensive effort, holding the Lions to just four points. With Wilhelm installing a game plan to pick up the Lions’ point guard full court and double team the perimeter, the Scouts were able to amass a plethora of steals and ensuing points in transition. Lake Forest saw a stronger overall showing on the offensive side of things, finding their forwards in the post for easy takes near the front of the rim. From then on, things clicked for the visiting team as they caught fire and never looked back. A pair of free throws late in the fourth by senior Grace Tirzmalis and junior Halle Douglass sealed the deal for the Scouts, as they notched a 43-41 victory over the Lions.

In what marked their eighth win of the year, Douglass totaled 22 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals, and 4 blocks. Tirzmalis contributed 10 points and 8 rebounds, nearly earning herself a double-double. Sophomore Molly Fisher added 6 points and 3 steals as well.

Prevailing in yet another tight contest, the Scouts improved to 8-4 while the Lions fell to 9-3. Head coach Kyle Wilhelm’s team returns to conference play this weekend as they square off against the Waukegan Bulldogs on the road this Saturday.