Naperville Central Trinity Jones plays the game with ease.
When watching Jones, her immense skill and talent immediately flash in a game. She moves like she’s two steps ahead of everyone on the court. Even while attracting all of the defensive attention befitting a player who’s ranked No. 11 in the ESPN NEXT 100.
Jones showed every facet of her game that makes her a star in the Redhawks’ 75-60 win over Waubonsie Valley, handing the Warriors their first loss of the season.
She knocked down off-the-dribble threes, absorbed contact and finished at the rim and played with a fiery passion that imbued her team with confidence. She was the driving force, scoring 21 of her game-high 32 points in the first half, en route to a 47-21 halftime lead for Naperville Central.
“She’s the best player in the state, period” coach Andy Nussbaum said. “What’s really great is that our players play to her. I thought we played as good a team basketball as we’ve played all year. But, we’re going to see them again.”
The team aspect was the most impressive part of Thursday’s win. Everyone knows Jones’ talent. She’s a constant force that will leave some imprint on the game most of the time. But for Naperville Central (17-3) to reach its goals this season and go far in the state playoffs, it’s going to take players stepping up and providing additional production. The Warriors’ star, senior guard Danyella Mporokoso scored 23 points but didn’t receive much additional scoring help.
The Redhawks received that support from 6-4 junior forward Annabelle Kritzer. She scored 20 points and grabbed 18 rebounds. In another high-profile game against Loyola, Kritzer wasn’t nearly as impactful. She said that the 65-49 loss on Jan. 5 to the Ramblers got away from Naperville Central. The Redhawks wanted to show out against a previously unbeaten Redhawks team.
“This game was an exciting game that we’ve been looking forward to all week,” Kritzer said.
Against an undersized Warriors team, Kritzer made her presence felt in the paint, seamlessly finishing through contact.
Nussbaum said that the team practiced a rebounding drill on Tuesday because the Redhawks have not “historically rebounded very well).
Kritzer also showed her versatility, knocking down a three-pointer in the second quarter while the Redhawks were putting the stamp on the game. With most of the Warriors’ defensive attention geared toward Jones, Kritzer feasted on the single coverage.
“[That was] probably Annabelle’s best offensive performance of her career,” Nussbaum said. “We present a problem for them because we got two tall players out there, and they only have one.”
What’s impressive about Naperville Central is that its players feed the hot hand. If one player has it going, they try to find them the ball. Jones (32 points, seven rebounds) and senior guard Erin Hackett (17 points, eight rebounds and six assists) were both adept at finding Kritzer. The Redhawks have the makings of a big three, and if they can continue to grow, they’re going to be a difficult matchup for any team in the state.
“Everyone stepped up today,” Kritzer said. “That’s great for us.”
Want more insights? Join Working Title - our career elevating newsletter and get the future of work delivered weekly.
