Kids & Family

Girls Basketball: Brooks 8th-Graders Secure Berth in IESA State Quarterfinals

Tsimba Malonga's drive ignites 15-1 scoring run as Bulldogs oust Homer Junior High in sectional championship game.

The following article was submitted by Valley View School District 365U:

Brooks Middle School is headed to Saturday’s Illinois Elementary School Association’s 8th grade girls state basketball quarterfinals after holding off Homer Junior High 32-26 to win a sectional championship Wednesday night.

The Bulldogs (20-2) spotted Homer (14-11) an 8-2 first quarter lead before Tsimba Malonga’s drive at the buzzer ignited a 15-1 run that gave Brooks a 17-9 halftime advantage. Francesca Aniceto hit a pair of three-pointers and  Malonga (16 points, 5 steals and 8 rebounds) added a three-pointer of her own during the spurt which also included a marvelous weaving drive by Jayden Marable.

The determined Mustangs slowed things down, opening the third quarter with 7 straight points to come within one of a Brooks squad that missed seven of its first eight shots in the period. A Taylor Robinson (9 rebounds) steal and lay up and three buckets by Malonga in the final 46 seconds made it 25-20 after three quarters.

Auriel Saunders opened the fourth quarter with a shot from the corner and a coast-to-coast effort to put the Bulldogs on top 29-20 and Nzuzi Malonga sealed it with a pair of free throws with 1:34 left.

Brooks will meet either Joliet Washington or Summit Hill at 11:30 on Saturday at downstate Rochester Junior High School. If they win, they will advance to the state semifinals at 5 p.m. The finals are in Rochester Dec. 19 at 6 (3rd place game) and 7:30 (1st place game) p.m.

OTHER BROOKS TEAM MEMBERS: Michaela Francia, Marisa Manning, Amber Armstrong, Maya Harmon, Hannah Smith, Marvena Rocket, Ngozi Edeh and Joyce Tipe. They are coached by Alan Hampton.


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