3 Takeaways: John Burroughs vs. Lutheran St. Charles

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A mega matchup in Class 5 that had high expectations. This game and the expected storylines changed slightly when [player_tooltip player_id='302779' first='Jordan' last='Speiser'] wasn't present pre-game. She did not play in the contest. With that being said, her team still did a great job in the first half and made this game interesting. In the end John Burroughs had too much firepower. They extended their lead with a solid defensive third quarter and won the game 43-30. An excellent tuneup for both teams before the playoffs.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The John Burroughs defense.</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is a stifling defense under Coach Yorg. He has built this team and their chemistry on that end of the floor over the past few months. They're tough to score on because of the length, switchability, and quickness on the perimeter. They pressure full court a majority of the game while still having rock solid half court principles. Breaunna Ward is someone who sets pressure and having a forward such as [player_tooltip player_id='351820' first='Moriyah' last='Douglass'] cover up shots on the backline is valuable. Their collective IQ on this end of the floor stands out. Defense wins championships and that's a main reason why this team has been so consistent during the 23-24' season.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Role players step up.</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The John Burroughs role players had a major impact on the outcome in this one. Alice Crowley is a senior leader who has been a staple of the starting lineup. She does a little bit of everything. A solid spot-up shooter, rebounder, and a player who can guard both forwards and guards. She passes the eye test each time. [player_tooltip player_id='1020865' first='Ashley' last='Mays'] and freshman [player_tooltip player_id='971998' first='Sydney' last='Lanton'] both got solid minutes as well. They're both guards who can spell the starters and bring energy to their full court pressure defense. Lanton has a strong projection being that she's a 2027 prospect and getting minutes for this team late in the season. The freshman is going to provide a ton of value as a 3&amp;D guard who can handle the ball as time goes on.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Lutheran St. Charles 2026 standout.&nbsp;</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='409880' first='Kennedy' last='Stowers'] is a top forward prospect in 2026 and had some flashes of high level play last night. She's an active defender who talks, protects the basket, and displays much needed agility in space. On offense she's a low-post threat who plays with a high level of physicality. She's well ahead of schedule for a sophomore big. There's a lot to like in a prospect such as Stowers and she took advantage of the increased role on this night. It was an opportunity for her to be the focal point of her team and the response was strong in what was a tough, defensive-minded game.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->