Morton vs. Normal Community: 5 key takeaways

Morton emerged victorious in a heavyweight fight with a 21-point closing quarter that sealed a 57-52 win over Normal Community on Tuesday. The five committed Division-I players took turns sharing the spotlight but it was Butler recruit Tenley Dowell (2019) that took over and Alabama-Birmingham recruit Lindsey Dullard (2020) that iced the game with late free throws.

This is the only guaranteed meeting between the Potters (1-0) and Iron (3-2). Normal Community typically plays in Morton’s Thanksgiving tournament but NCHS is traveling to Phoenix for a tournament before Christmas and had to drop out. Both teams will play in the State Farm Classic.

To go along with the familiarity of playing each other, five players – Mortonites Courtney Jones (2020) and Dullard, and Normal’s Maya Wong (2020), Kylee Schneringer (2020) and Abby Feit (2019) – have played together for several years with the IL Rebels United summer program, as I wrote last December.

1. Several players can take over a game.

It took awhile for Morton’s stars to get going. Dowell was held scoreless until the second quarter, when she accounted for 13 of the Potters’ 17 points by scoring 10 and assisting on Jones’s trey. She really showed her playmaking ability late in the fourth quarter when she converted Morton’s final three field goals to take a 53-51 lead.

Dullard’s slow start was attributed to foul trouble. She picked up two fouls in the first quarter and her third within the first minute of the second quarter. Her 3-point shooting got her in the flow of the game and on the scoresheet before she began attacking the basket.

Feit can dominate a game with her post moves, movement without the ball and ability to knock down a perimeter jumper. The Evansville-signee showcased her entire offensive game in a 20-point showing, including scoring the Iron’s first 11 points of the second quarter to help build a 21-12 lead.

Wong has a better scoring ability than she showed on Tuesday but was impressive with her court awareness and passing ability. The Illinois State recruit had a game-high four assists and made plays that don’t show up on the stat sheet. She started a 13-point run that allowed the Lady Iron to take a 42-30 lead in the third quarter. It was part of a 17-2 run.

2. Two unsung heroes stepped up in the spotlight.

Jones did a great job of letting the game come to her, whether it was taking an open perimeter shot or hitting a floater on a baseline drive. She finished with 14 points on eight shots, going 3-for-5 from 3-point range, grabbing four rebounds and dishing two assists.

Similarly, Cassi Kraft (2019) did not try to do too much and gave the Lady Iron a much-needed lift with 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting. She can help this team immensely by sustaining consistency in her high-quality shot selection.

3. Developing depth should be a priority for Normal Community.

There was no clear substitution plan in place for the Iron. Only four reserves got in the game with 5-foot-11 forward Mallory Oloffson (2021) providing solid minutes despite committing a few unnecessary fouls, which is something she’ll learn over time.

Only Kailah Carter (2020) and Karleigh Creasey (2022) played in multiple quarters, along with Oloffson, while Regan White (2020) entered in the fourth. Carter showed grit scrapping for rebounds and loose balls at 5-foot-5. But the group needs to provide some bench scoring compared to the two points Oloffson scored.

Developing a rotation and defining roles will benefit Normal Community’s strong core.

4.  As Morton’s chemistry grows on defense, it’ll present major challenges for opponents.

The Potters showed a bit of a press but if you blinked, you may have missed it. Their length is something that could cause problems for teams when extending fullcourt pressure. Between Dowell, Dullard and Katie Krupa (2022), who are all over 6-feet tall, Morton’s 1-2-2 press will create a lot of deflections and steals this season. If they get beat or can’t get a trap, they will have speed with their guards behind them.

5. Both programs have postseason potential.

Morton’s only postseason loss the last four seasons was to last year’s eventual-Class 3A champion, Richwoods. Prior to that, the Potters won three-straight state championships and are 27-1. The trip back to Redbird Arena is in sight and, while it isn’t the well-oiled Morton machine people are used to, the Potters had a solid season opener against a quality opponent.

Rock Island will be formidable in Class 4A with two-time reigning Ms. Basketball Brea Beal, but Normal Community has reason to believe they can compete for a trip to state. The Lady Iron have a solid core with Wong, Feit and Schneringer, an Alabama-Birmingham recruit.

The aforementioned Rocks lost Chrislyn Carr to graduation (now at Texas Tech) and 6-foot-9 post Anne Awour, who transferred to Davenport North (IA). Edwardsville won the sectional and reached state last year but has to replace its top three scorers, including Rachel Prangar and Kate Martin.

Lines of the night

Morton

Tenley Dowell – 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting with three rebounds and three assists

Lindsey Dullard – 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting, hitting both treys and 4-of-5 free throws and grabbing six boards

Katie Krupa – 11 points in her varsity debut on 5-of-11 shooting with a team-high seven rebounds

Normal Community

Abby Feit – 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting, 2-for-4 on 3-pointers and hitting all four shots at the free-throw line; six rebounds

Cassi Kraft – 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting

Maya  Wong – 9 points on 4-of-9 shooting, four assists and two rebounds