LAKE FOREST, IL. – In what marked their final home game of the regular season, the Girls’ Varsity Basketball Program had plenty resting on the line prior to Wednesday night’s matchup against the visiting Zee Bees. Not only did they have the chance at closing out the year on an eight game home tear, but they were just one victory away from capturing their share of the conference title (they would have tied with Libertyville for first place). Head Coach Kyle Wilhelm’s team played in about as close a game you could imagine, but a stalled showing in the third period ultimately proved to be enough to land the Scouts on the short end of the stick, as they fell to Zion with a score of 52-44.

The game began in the same way that it would end, with each team exchanging blows and similarly unable to pull far ahead of the other. The two teams paced back and forth, the score favoring the hosts by a mere basket or two. By the opening quarter’s closing, the home team in white held a 15-14 edge over the Zee Bees. The ensuing period turned out to be almost identical in its course as the Scouts entered the break with a 27-25 lead.

Following the brief intermission, Lake Forest’s offense derailed so much so that the visitors would capitalize on the Scouts’ missed opportunities and jump out to a 41-34 advantage heading into the final quarter of play. Unfortunately for the “Comp Crazies,” a valiant comeback effort by Wilhelm’s unit wasn’t enough to surge them to victory.

At the end of it all, junior Halle Douglass provided the most production-wise, scoring 19 points and shooting an impressive 6-7 from the charity stripe. Sophomores Finola Summerville and Molly Fisher made significant contributions as well, adding ten and eight points respectively.

With the loss, the Scouts saw their seven game win-streak snapped, finishing their regular season with a notable record of 23-7 (10-4 in conf.) and sitting at second place in the North Suburban Conference standings. As for the road that lies ahead, Lake Forest begins their playoff stretch as they host Regionals starting on Monday. The Scouts’ first game in the regional will be Tuesday against the winner of the Wheeling vs Warren match up.