Hoopsters break offensive records throughout successful season

It wasn’t easy for the Cyclones to follow a 2016-17 season complete with championships and a trip to nationals, but this year’s crew still earned more than 20 wins and broke several offensive records.

Although the season finale was a loss to Bryant & Stratton College in the NJCAA Region IV semifinals, these talented Cyclones were scoring machines with some big wins. They went 21-11 overall and 9-5 in the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference while breaking the record for most points in one game—twice. The previous record was 113, but this year they scored 122 and 124 points against two different opponents. In six games they scored more than 100 points and 10 games with more than 90 points, plus they averaged 85.9 points per game, out-scoring last year’s 79.8 average.

Collectively, they became a scoring powerhouse with a few key players adding their name to the record books. Freshman Ashley Hunter (Homewood-Flossmoor) averaged 21.6 points, but broke a school record for most points in a single game—48. She also went 21-for-29 from the floor, breaking a national record for most field goals in a game. She tallied 670 points for the whole season, second in the Cyclone records. Creighton Fed (Dundee-Crown) also got on the list (No. 3) for most points in a single game, banking 43. Fed amassed 611 points this season (third best among Cyclone records) while Kristin McGee (Merrillville) collected 520.

Hunter, Fed and McGee each were named to the All-Region and All-Conference teams. Freshman Elizabeth Coffey (Peotone) also was named an All-Conference player.

“Fed was all energy, and she turned us into a ridiculous scoring machine. Hunter is a highly skilled young player who really developed a lot of confidence as the season progressed. She realized the true skills she has. McGee provided consistent scoring and was the second leading rebounder. Coffey was the only post pressure we had, and it was a huge difference maker,” said head Coach Delwyn Jones, who finished his 18th season with the Cyclones.

The end result this season wasn’t ideal, but nevertheless impactful. The Cyclones were one of six teams in the NJCAA Division I, II or III that finished with 20-plus wins.

“If you told me last May I’d finish with a 21-11 record, I wouldn’t believe it. We had a successful season. We accomplished a lot, were good and were one of the top teams in the region. We could’ve gone further but faced a more physical, stronger, tougher team in Bryant & Stratton, and it overshadowed our skills. I’m proud of these ladies for battling and fighting,” Jones said.

What hurt most this year was post play and grabbing rebounds whereas last year the Cyclones had two over six-foot towers who owned the post. This year’s generally shorter crew also didn’t hit as many threes that could have off-set their smaller overall size. Despite these disappointments, the outlook is good.

Because Fed and McGee were transfer students, they’ll move on next year. But Hunter and Coffey are expected to return along with an impressive recruiting class.