Girls Basketball: Zion-Benton eliminates Stevenson at sectional

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Palatine Monday Feb 20 2012 Zion-Benton vs. Stevenson.| Michelle LaVigne~Sun-Times Media

Updated: February 22, 2012 12:10PM

Octavia Crump was content to take a backseat to her teammates when they went on a 22-0 run over a 4:45 span of the first half Monday in a Class 4A sectional semifinal against Stevenson in Palatine.

But when her team needed her in the second half, particularly after Stevenson cut a 15-point lead to three points with 1:47 remaining, Crump put her team on her more-than-capable shoulders.

Crump scored 20 points, including 12 in the second half and three free throws in the final 49 seconds, and added 13 rebounds and four assists as Zion-Benton (21-8) continued its impressive postseason run with a 53-46 win over Stevenson.

The Zee-Bees trailed 8-2 with 2:41 remaining in the first quarter when a three-pointer by Samantha Rodriguez kick-started their lengthy run.

“In the first half, I kind of let everybody else score,” said Crump, who was coming off a 26-point effort in the regional final. “In the second half, the game just came to me and I started driving to the basket,” she added.

Stevenson (23-8) trailed 44-29 with 6:20 remaining in the game, but some careless ballhandling by the Zee-Bees and three-pointers by Olivia Whalen and Katie Batman got the Patriots within 47-44. But Rodriguez answered with a driving basket, and Crump closed it out at the free-throw line.

“The third time’s a charm,” Crump said. “It shows a lot of improvement. Last year’s team lost to Libertyville three times and beat them when it counted. It’s the motivation and drive of being in regionals and sectionals and playing with a purpose.”

Last year, Zion rode that drive to a second-place finish at state. When they take the floor Thursday, there will be just 16 teams left in this year’s tourney.

Batman led the Patriots with 16 points.

Whalen, meanwhile, advanced in the three-point shooting contest.