Fremd’s girls basketball team had a positive start at their game against Johnsburg on Nov. 16, with the girls taking an early lead almost immediately. Fremd’s offense was strong and aggressive, and 11 points scored by junior guard Emily Klaczek set Johnsburg behind for most of the first quarter. Despite Fremd’s inconsistent defense, Johnsburg was only able to produce two thirds of the points that the team had scored on them. The game ended with Fremd winning 72-43, and could largely be attributed to their powerful offense in the first half and their sturdy defense in the second half.

For head coach Dave Yates, the team’s inability to rebound led to too many second chances.

“We need to rebound a little better,” Yates said. “I thought we gave up too many. In a defensive game, we lost some kids. We’ve got to get better at that.”

As the second half began, it was clear that the girls’ defense had taken a strong turn from the first half. Their passing became more consistent and they were able to pick up over six rebounds.

Klaczek praises the team’s tenacity and solid defense.

“I think our greatest strength was our defense in the second half. Coming out in the first half, our defense wasn’t great, but then in the second half, we turned it around,” Klaczek said. “We just came out with intensity and we all had energy, and when our subs came in, they kept up the tempo, so it was really good.”

Junior guard Crystal Kim controlled much of the passing on the court, assisting in several points for Fremd, while freshman forward Brianna Wooldridge turned four rebounds into breakaways which resulted in three points as well.

Yates shared his positive view on the team’s consistency during the game.

“I thought we had good balance. Lots of different people scored, we had lots of different options, and I think when we share the ball, and find all those different people, it’s hard [for the opposing team] to focus in on one kid.”

The game was a part of the 2018 Turkey Thriller tournament, and the girls’ win set them above the other teams in the games that followed, where they eventually won the tournament.

Sophomore guard Ruthie Montella talks about how the team’s win will affect the rest of the tournament.

“I think it was a huge win for us, because this is a huge tournament,” Montella said. “And it’s going to set the tempo for the rest of the teams we play later on. I’m proud of our team.”

The team will carry their success in this game to their next home game on Dec. 7 at 6 pm against Hoffman Estates.