Zivak's Career Day Not Enough for Harper

Harper College freshman Tamara Zivak (/Barrington) had the breakout game of her young college basketball career on Saturday afternoon. The forward/center scored a career-high 25 points, but it wasn’t enough as the Hawks lost to host Milwaukee Area Technical College 85-55.

Zivak was 9-of-21 from the field and 7-of-10 from the foul line. She also added seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

The Hawks (4-16, 0-5 N4C) were mostly done in by a poor start and finish to the game. They were outscored 22-7 in the first and 24-11 in the fourth by the Stormers (12-8, 4-1 N4C). The hosts led 17-2 less than eight minutes into the game.

NJCAA Division III Women’s Basketball National Player of the Week Moriah Begin gave Harper problems throughout the game. Begin scored a game-high 29 points (12-of-23 shooting) to go along with five rebounds, four assists, and eight steals. Tara Jefferson scored 20 points on 10-of-15 shooting, and Therese Gaines added 14. Milwaukee shot 44.7 percent (38-of-85) and held a 46-40 rebounding edge.

Harper played without sophomores Kim Herzog (/Buffalo Grove) and Ashonte Sims (Bloomington, Ill. /Normal Community West). Freshmen Mary Saitta (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Hoffman Estates) had nine points and nine rebounds, and Lexi Zades (/Conant) added eight points. Lane Winkler (Arlington Heights, Ill./Rolling Meadows) totaled seven points and nine rebounds, and Sarah Nelson (Gurnee, Ill. /Warren Township ) scored six. The Hawks shot 35.8 percent (19-of-53).

Harper is still in search of its first N4C win. The Hawks will host No. 1 Madison College (19-1, 4-1 N4C) on Wednesday night at 5 PM.