By Mark Gregory
Editorial Director
@Hear_The_Beard
mark@buglenewspapers.com
Since he has taken over the Bolingbrook girls basketball program, coach Chris Smith has strived to keep the schedule one of the toughest in the area — if not the state.
This season, the Raiders are again keeping true to form.
Kyla Matthews and Bolingbrook may be 9-9, but have played one of Illinois’ toughest schedules. (Photo by Mark Gregory)
Bolingbrook is 9-9 on the season, dropping a pair of games last weekend, but the scoreboard isn’t what Smith is looking at.
“A win is a cherry on the top, but the goal is to get ready for regional s — get ready for the playoff run,” he said. “I want us to be battle tested and no one can argue the schedule we have played this year.”
This season, the Raiders are 9-9, with four losses coming to out of state opponents.
Of the five in-state losses, three have come to Benet, Mother McAuley and Simeon — all three ranked in the top 25 in Illinois.
“We are going to try and play the best of the best and learn. We just want to get better,” Smith said. “The big thing is getting better and learning. The talent is there, it is just a matter of putting it all together.”
Over the weekend, Bolingbrook fell 60-56 to Edison High School out of Detroit, Michigan. Edison (8-1), won the Michigan state championship last season and currently is ranked sixth in the nation by MaxPreps. A day after defeating Bolingbrook, Edison beat Illinois’ No. 6 team in Benet Academy.
The Raiders got down early, but had a chance in the closing minutes.
“We had two one and one opportunities where we missed the front end and we had two turnovers, but once again, its growth,” Smith said. “We gave up some easy baskets in transition and those aqre the ones that come back and hurt you in a close game. “We have five seniors, but we are really led by an underclass group. As a younger team, if we get more comfortable in situations like that, we will be better for it in the end. We did a good job of fighting back and we can’t hang our heads, we just need to pick up the pieces.”
A day later, Bolingbrook was at the one-day Chicagoland Invitational Showcase at Benet and fell 62-45 to Mother McAuley, the state’s No. 2 ranked team.
“The experience will show come playoffs and that is what we want — to be tested in games like we play will help down the road,” Smith sadi. “Our starting five has only played one game together all year. De’Ahna Richardson is still not back and when she comes back into the starting line up, we will be even better.”