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Women's Basketball—Archive

2008-09 Season

Season Record: 26-7
Conference Record: 13-1

*Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference Champions (clinched Feb. 12)

All-Region IV first team: Sharnita Lloyd (Eisenhower)
All-Region IV second team: Nicole Wilk (Lemont)
All-Region IV tournament team: Lloyd and Wilk
All-Conference first team: Lloyd and Wilk
All-Conference second team: Burcu Aydemir (Stagg), Kaitlyn Clemens (Oak Lawn) and Julie Tracy (Oak Lawn)
Conference Coach of the Year: Delwyn Jones

* Denotes Conference Game

July 15, 2009
Two Cyclones compete in inaugural women’s JUCO Top 120 tourney

Moraine Valley guards Sharnita Lloyd and Nicole Wilk were recognized for their basketball skills by participating in the women’s inaugural junior college Top 120 national tournament July 10-11 at the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma.

The top 120 junior college basketball players are invited to compete with each other for the weekend while displaying their skills to four-year college and university coaches. Lloyd and Wilk finished with two wins and one loss for their team.

“I am very proud of Sharnita and Nicole. Not only are they good players, but they are good people. I expect they will be our offensive leaders this coming season,” said head coach Delwyn Jones. “Jackie Sims also would have been selected to compete in the tournament if she hadn’t suffered a serious injury last year.”

March 11, 2009
Cyclones battle to the end

After a third consecutive Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference championship, a nearly perfect conference record and a chance to play deep into the playoffs, the Cyclones ended their season March 7 at the NJCAA Region IV Championship. In what was expected to be a tough matchup, Moraine Valley fought hard but lost 76-86 to Kankakee Community College.

It was a tough battle throughout by both teams, but good execution down the stretch by the Cavaliers sealed their victory. Moraine Valley started with an early 7-2 lead on an offensive rebound and bucket by Burcu Aydemir, but Kankakee followed with their own 8-2 run to take the lead 10-9. However, it was a 12-0 run by the Cavaliers that really put Moraine Valley in trouble. Kankakee held the largest lead of the night, 28-13, in the first half. Despite some shortfalls the Cyclones never gave up. With six minutes to go in the first half Moraine Valley outscored Kankakee 21-12 to cut the lead by 6 points. Sharnita Lloyd led the Cyclones in scoring at the half with 17 points.

In the second half Moraine Valley continued to attack and took the lead 51-50 on a basket by Nicole Wilk. However, it was an overwhelming task to overcome Kankakee attempting 37 free throws to Moraine’s 15 tries. Nine of the last 11 points by the Cavaliers were free throws to close out the game.

“This last game we set out to win and we fought hard. We have nothing to be ashamed about. We had a great season and we have to retool for next year,” said head coach Delwyn Jones. “As a coach I try to get my players to play at the highest level and they did that. It was a high scoring game. They scored a lot and we battled right back with them. We represented Moraine Valley very well.”

Lloyd led the team in scoring with 25 points, 4 assists and 4 steals. Wilk's 15 points in the second half alone gave her 20 for the game to go along with 5 assists. Aydemir finished with 13 points and 7 rebounds. Julie Tracy closed out her great career at Moraine Valley with 7 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds.

To round out the end of the season several Cyclones garnered region and conference honors. Lloyd was named to the All-Region IV first team while Wilk was named to the All-Region second team. Both athletes were picked for the All-Region tournament team and Skyway All-Conference first team. All-Conference second team honors went to Tracy, Aydemir and Kaitlyn Clemens. Coach Jones was named Conference Coach of the Year.

“This is one of the most fulfilling seasons I’ve had as a coach. We had very good chemistry all year because each individual has a good character. We had the talent to be a serious contender for the national tournament,” Jones said. “We played as a unit all year long. It started from the beginning of the season. The athletes wanted to be a unit. It was a unique year, one I haven’t had before with no disrespect to previous teams. Few teams anywhere have the chemistry we had. It’ll be hard to duplicate the same experience. I think everyone on the team enjoyed their experience this year.”

Although the season did not end as the team wanted, most of their goals were accomplished. “We set out to be undefeated in conference and we finished 13-1, but the major goal was to make sure we won conference which we did do. We set out to win regionals, and we were 10 minutes and 10 points from doing that. And we wanted to win a minimum 20 games and we finished 26-7,” Jones said.

Top player Jackie Sims was injured in January with an ACL injury, but she, along with other top scorers Aydemir, Lloyd, and Wilk, are expected to return for the 2009-10 season.

March 3, 2009
National tournament one game away

In a rematch from last year’s semi-finals, Moraine Valley faced rival South Suburban on March 1 at Triton College, but with much better results this time around. The Cyclones won 66-61, advancing them to the finals on March 7.

Moraine Valley jumped on South Suburban very early and forged a 6-1 lead. The Bulldogs then fought back with a 6-0 run giving them the lead. However, a clever post move by Lisa Kosowski gave Moraine Valley an 8-7 lead. Two 3-pointers by Nicole Wilk and Julie Tracy pushed the Cyclones up 27-14 and by the end of the first half Moraine Valley led 33-16. Burcu Aydemir led Moraine Valley with 12 points at the half with her slashing drives and power moves to the basket. Kosowski had 7 points and Jessica Polacek had 6 points as the Cyclones pounded South Suburban inside. Aydemir and Kosowski were a combined 8/9 from the floor. The Bulldogs only had 2 field goals in the first half.

Moraine Valley scored the first 5 points out of the break and took a commanding 22-point lead, which held up until the 10-minute mark. The Cyclones led 50-29 before the Bulldogs went on a 13-0 run. Turnovers and rushed shots let South Suburban back within 8 points. Despite some flustered moments, Moraine Valley did not lose its composure and played tough defense down the stretch, making clutch free throws to close out the game. Sharnita Lloyd was 8/8 from the line in the last 8 minutes of the game to stop any opposing comeback.

Aydemir led the Cyclones with 19 points and 6 rebounds, going 7/11 from the field. Kosowski and Lloyd each finished with 12 points and 4 rebounds. Tracy added 11 points to go along with 5 assists and 4 rebounds. Kaitlyn Clemens had an important 4 assists for the game.

The Cyclones have a tough game ahead as they face off against Kankakee Community College Saturday, March 7 at noon for the Region IV Championship. If they win that game, they will play in a first-round game March 18 in the national championship tournament.

Feb. 27, 2009
Cyclones butt the Rams to move on in playoffs

The Cyclones notched a win in the first round of the Region IV playoffs Feb. 26 against Wright College. An 80-62 win at home could have come easily, but the team fought against the tireless Rams.

Moraine Valley led most of the way leading by as many as 12 in the first half. Burcu Aydemir helped carry the Cyclones in the first half with 12 points. The Cyclones led 33-27 at the half. The second half remained fairly tight until about the 8-minute mark when Moraine Valley went on a 12-0 run to pull ahead 63-43 and never looked back.

Leading scorer for the night was Sharnita Lloyd with 19 points, 13 of which came in the second half. She finished with 6 steals, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Burcu Aydemir had 16 points and 8 rebounds. The night proved another fine performance by Julie Tracy who had 12 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. Lisa Kosowski added 12 points while Nicole Wilk was also in double digits with 11 points and 4 steals.

Feb. 25, 2009
Cyclones sail into regional playoffs
 
Seeded second in the regional playoffs and with an Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference championship under their belt Moraine Valley had little to lose going into the last regular season game Feb. 19 against conference foe College of Lake County. The Cyclones could have blown off this latest match up, especially after their last meeting which yielded a 71-32 win, but the champs fought for one more victory in what turned out to be a tight game.

The Cyclones led for most of the game, but a defiant Lake County squad hung around throughout the contest, always within striking range, but in the end the Cyclones prevailed 60-53. The Lancers had a difficult time containing guards Nicole Wilk, who finished with 24 points and 5 assists, and Sharnita Lloyd, who finished with 14 points, 4 assists, and 6 rebounds. Combined, those two finished with a massive 38 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds on 15 of 30 shooting. Burcu Aydemir was able to clean up around the basket as she chipped in with 10 points of her own and 12 rebounds, seven of which were on the offensive end. Moraine Valley’s leading rebounder Kaitlyn Clemens finished with 8 for the night.

Moraine Valley ended the regular season with a 24-6 overall record and 13-1 conference record, the latter a feat matched the last two years. Within the last three years the Cyclones have compiled an impressive 39-3 conference record.

The ’Clones start Region IV playoffs Feb. 26 at home against Wright College.

Feb. 19, 2009
One last win at home

With their last home game of the season Feb. 17, Moraine Valley won 75-71 against Elgin Community College in overtime thanks in part to some aggressive plays.

For some reason Elgin just has Moraine Valley’s number. For the second game this season the 6-19 Elgin Spartans took the Cyclones into overtime. Moraine Valley led the entire game by double digits and seemed to coast. However, the Spartans battled back with some monster 3-pointers at the end of regulation time to tie the game at 62. The Cyclones had one last shot, but were held by Elgin’s defense. Once in overtime, Julie Tracy hit two big 3-pointers’s to put the Spartans away.
 
Sharnita Lloyd led the Cyclones in scoring with 16, hit 12-14 free throws and had 3 assists. Nicole Wilk finished with 13 points and 5 rebounds. Jessica Polacek scored 12 points and had 7 rebounds. Tracy again had a solid game as she scored 12 points, had 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals.

Moraine Valley is now 12-1 in Conference and 23-6 overall.


NJCAA rankings
Several players and the entire team have been ranked among 126 schools in the National Junior College Association Division II. As of Feb. 19, guards Sharnita Lloyd and Nicole Wilk are 33rd and 47th, respectively, for individual turnovers per game. Although injured for the rest of the season, forward Jackie Sims continues to rank 42nd for rebounds per game and for her free throw percentage.
 
The team as a whole is 19th for their free throw percentage, 27th for team defensive average, 29th for field goal percentage, and 42nd for the team offensive average.

Feb. 15, 2009
Rough start leads to a rare loss for Cyclones

A battle to the end resulted in a rare loss Feb. 14 for the Cyclones who were edged out 74-70 by the College of DuPage Chaparrals.

Moraine Valley got off to a horrible start while DuPage played their best game of the season. That combination proved to be fatal for the Cyclones’ chance of victory. Moraine Valley, perhaps coming off the high of clinching the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference Championship in their previous start, was extremely flat to start the game. The Chaparrals took a quick 24-7 lead with their players raining 3-pointers while the Cyclones struggled from the floor. After a timeout Moraine Valley closed the half with a 24-10 run of their own to tighten the score 34-31. As the buzzer sounded to end the first half, DuPage hit a 3-pointer to go up 37-31.
 
The Chaparrals kept a small lead for most of the second half, and the Cyclones fought to overtake the lead until the one-minute mark when they tied it at 70. Two costly turnovers really hurt Moraine Valley as they could not get a final shot up to close out the game. A foul by Moraine Valley and two free throws by DuPage sealed the 74-70 loss.
 
Lisa Kosowski led the Cyclones with a double-double—18 points and 12 rebounds. Nicole Wilk finished with 15 points. Burcu Aydemir had 12 points and 8 rebounds, while Julie Tracy chipped in with 10 points.

Feb. 13, 2009
Conference champs, again

It’s officially a three-peat year. Moraine Valley’s women’s basketball team secured a third consecutive Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference Championship Feb. 12 with a 55-47 win against Oakton Community College.
 
This is also the fourth time in six seasons the Cyclones have been crowned the champs. Moraine Valley’s men’s basketball team clinched the conference with a 68-61 win Feb. 17 against Elgin Community College. The last time both teams won conference in the same season was 1998.

“To win three conference championships in a row is a tremendous feat. In those three years we not only won the conference but have not lost more than one game,” said head coach Delwyn Jones. “To win consistently you need young players in your program and for the most part we have had that. We’ve had players who played hard and have good character and determination and that has made champions. This year has been especially satisfying because of the character of each player. It goes to show you that good people don’t always finish last. They can finish first.”

Moraine Valley came into this game against a tough second-place Raiders. Nicole Wilk led the team with 16 points. She also had 4 assists and 2 steals. Jill Gamauf, in just her second game of the season since joining the team this semester, finished with 8 points from the floor and threw in a block shot, grabbing 2 rebounds in just 9 minutes of play. Burcu Aydemir added her usual solid 8 points and 7 rebounds for the night.

Feb. 11, 2009
Back on track with close win over the Chiefs

After a heartbreaking loss Feb. 5 the Cyclones battled back Feb. 10 to beat Waubonsee 74-66.

Moraine Valley and the Chiefs played a tight first half with Waubonsee having its largest lead at 20-15. Moraine Valley, however, forged a lead of 33-26 on a Sharnita Lloyd 3-point basket, which capped an 18-6 run. The Cyclones led 37-34 at the half.

Moraine Valley had a clear advantage in the post as Waubonsee struggled to contain Burcu Aydemir and Lisa Kosowski throughout the game. Nicole Wilk had a strong game scoring 25 points on 9/16 shooting. However, it was a 10-2 run at the 2:52 mark in the second half that closed it out for the Cyclones. Eight of the 10 points came from the free throw line as Moraine Valley continued to attack the basket. Many big stops down the stretch really closed the game out. Waubonsee went 0-3 from the floor and had three turnovers in the last six possessions while the ’Clones scored on their last six possessions.

Aydemir added 12 points with seven rebounds and Lloyd chipped in with 10 points. Julie Tracy had an all-around game with nine points, nine rebound, six assists, three blocks, and two steals.

Moraine Valley has double digit wins in conference at 10-1 and is 21-5 overall this season. The Cyclones play at home Feb. 12 against second place Oakton Community College.

Feb. 9, 2009
The streak is over, but ’Clones still in first

An 11-game winning streak was snapped, and Moraine Valley’s goal of going undefeated in the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference was crushed Feb. 5 after falling 64-72 to McHenry County College.

Coach Delwyn Jones has preached throughout the season that this year yields one of the toughest conference battles he has seen in his 10 years of coaching at Moraine Valley. Going undefeated would be a tough order to fill for the Cyclones.

Sharnita Lloyd carried the Cyclones offensively with 21 points. Julie Tracy attacked the basket constantly and finished with 13 points, while Jessica Groszek chipped in with eight points. Offense was stagnant in the first half for both teams, but the Fighting Scots led at the half 28-24. McHenry led for almost the entire first half, but never by more than four points.

The pace definitely picked up in the second half as Moraine Valley scored 40 points. However, the Fighting Scots scored big on the glass, consistently getting second chance points. The Cyclones finally took the lead, 56-54, at the four-minute mark, but McHenry would not crack and continued to battle. So many times this year the Cyclones would find ways to pull out a win, but it failed to surface against McHenry.

Moraine Valley is still in first place in the conference with a 9-1 record. They have a two-game lead over second place Oakton Community College.

Feb. 5, 2009
Cyclones rack up 20th victory

Another team bit the dust under the Cyclones wrath on the court Feb. 3. Moraine Valley outplayed Morton College 65-53 recording their 11th consecutive and 20th overall win of the season.

The Cyclones led for most of the game, but never really pulled away until the end. Whenever it looked like Moraine Valley would coast to the finish with 15 point leads, the Panthers would storm back each time.

Sharnita Lloyd's 32 points and four assists led the way. She carried the team offensively throughout the game with her drives, 3-point shooting (4-5 from behind the arc) and key assists. More help came on the floor from Melissa Barber, Lisa Kosowski, Burcu Aydemir, and Kaitlyn Clemens cleaning the boards. Barber, Kosowski and Aydemir each finished with six rebounds. Clemens, the Cyclone’s leading rebounder this season, grabbed four for the night. Jessica Groszek came in and caused havoc for Morton's guards with her defense and picked up four big assists. Julie Tracy led with five assists and three steals and has remained a steady leader for the Cyclones this season. Aydemir finished with 11 points and Kosowski finished with 9 points.

The Cyclones play at home for "Pack the Place" Feb. 5 against McHenry County College.

Jan. 30, 2009
Cyclones on a serious streak

The Cyclones are on a roll, but not without a challenge or two along the way. Moraine Valley beat Prairie State College 62-57 on Jan. 29 for their tenth consecutive win.

Both teams struggled to score early on, and Moraine Valley led 3-0 with nearly 16 minutes left in the first half. Prairie State then went on a 7-0 run to lead 7-3 with 14 minutes to go. The Cyclones finally got their act together with a 19-2 run to retake the lead, and they never looked back. The Pioneers made several runs throughout the first half, but never came closer than six points. Moraine Valley ended the half with a 30-23 lead.

After halftime the Cyclones scored the first six points and had double digit leads for the majority of the second half. Prairie State battled back and cut the lead to within three with 18 seconds left in the game. Sharnita Lloyd's three free throws down the stretch helped seal the win.

Lloyd led in scoring with 18 points and four steals while Burcu Aydemir finished with 14 points and five steals. Kaitlyn Clemens had seven points, a team-leading seven rebounds and three steals.

With the weekend off the Cyclones will be ready Feb. 3 to face Morton College at Morton.

Jan. 29, 2009
Cyclones vanquish Lancers in ninth straight win

Without their two top scorers, other Cyclones stepped up Jan. 27 to help crush College of Lake County 71-32.

The Lancers came into the game with a 3-3 conference record and had played tough against some solid teams. It was anticipated that the game would be much closer. Moraine Valley got out to an early 12-3 lead and never looked back. By the end of the first half the Cyclones led 42-17. Burcu Aydemir led all scorers with 13 points at the half. With Nicole Wilk injured by the third possession of the game and Jackie Sims injured from a previous game, Moraine Valley was playing without its top two scorers. However, Aydemir stepped up big and a very steady Sharnita Lloyd continued to impress.

The second half was more of the same as Lake County struggled from the floor. Lloyd carried the team offensively in the second half with 13 points and finished with 22 points on the night. Aydemir came up with 13 points and eight rebounds while Lisa Kosowski had 13 points and nine rebounds for the game.

The first place Cyclones face the second place Prairie State Pioneers on Jan. 29 at Prairie State.

Jan. 27, 2009
After top player injured, Cyclones battle for another win

The Cyclones stayed strong, even after top player Jackie Sims suffered an injury during the game, to continue their eight-game win streak by beating South Suburban College 67-54 on Jan. 24.

Moraine Valley started out with the early lead getting up by 11 points to make it 22-11. South Suburban would fight to get back to within six, but key baskets by Julie Tracy and Kaitlyn Clemens kept the Cyclones ahead. Moraine Valley led 37-27 at the half.

Moraine Valley went up by 13 and seemed to be headed for another easy victory when the Cyclones’ go-to player Sims was injured. The Bulldogs seemed to be re-energized once Moraine Valley’s leading scorer and rebounder was out of the game and subsequently went on a run to take a 46-45 lead with 13 minutes left in the game. Not ready for defeat, Moraine Valley took a defensive stand and went on a 22-8 run to close out the game.

Each Cyclone made balanced effort. Julie Tracy led in scoring with 13 points and four assists for the night. Sharnita Lloyd had 12 points, five rebounds and three assists; Nicole Wilk had 11 points and four rebounds; and Burcu Aydemir finished with 10 points, several of which came down the stretch. Sims led in rebounding with nine although she did not play the final 16 minutes of the game.

Moraine Valley moves to 17-4 on the season and remains undefeated in conference at 6-0. They play at home Jan. 27 against College of Lake County.

Jan. 26, 2009
Tight win in overtime against Spartans

It took a few more minutes in overtime to eke out a win, but the Cyclones came out on top Jan. 22 with a 77-75 win over Elgin Community College. Elgin came in with a 0-5 conference record, while Moraine Valley came into the game at 5-0. However, it was anything but an easy win for the Cyclones. Perhaps Moraine Valley was guilty of looking ahead because the Spartans came to play.

Moraine Valley led for most of the game, but was unable to pull away. The Cyclones went up by 12 points midway through the first half, but Elgin kept coming back. Cyclones head coach Delwyn Jones was upset with the officiating throughout, but could not take anything away from Elgin’s effort. Moraine Valley took what Jones felt was a disappointing 32-30 lead into the second half.

Regrouping at the half was ineffective as Moraine Valley forged another 12-point lead only to see it relinquished from Elgin’s solid outside shooting that hit three long-range jumpers. The last 3-point shot put Elgin up 68-67 with 32 seconds left in the game. The Cyclones missed a shot, and Jackie Sims went up strong for the rebound and was apparently fouled hard, but no call was made. The ball was knocked loose and recovered by Elgin and a foul called on Moraine Valley with nine seconds left. What appeared to be a loss was given new life when one of Elgin’s players received a technical foul for kicking Sims away from the ball during a scramble. Sims subsequently hit a free throw to tie it up at 68. The Cyclones missed a last ditch shot to win before regulation time ran out.

With new life in overtime, Moraine Valley jumped out to a quick lead and finally prevailed 77-75.

Leading scorer Sims finished with 28 points and 15 rebounds and Nicole Wilk finished with 16 points and four assists. Melissa Barber chipped in with 10 points and six rebounds while Lisa Kosowski finished with seven points and seven rebounds.

Jan. 22, 2009
Win streak continues for ’Clones

The Cyclones won their sixth straight game Jan. 20 and remain undefeated in conference after beating Oakton Community College 61-50.

Oakton started out with a 4-0 lead scoring all the points on fast breaks. Moraine Valley then settled in and went ahead with a 3-pointer by Nicole Wilk and a bucket by Jackie Sims. This offensive response was spearheaded via defensive plays by Jessica Groszek on a tipped pass and a steal. The Cyclones led for most of the first half extending the advantage to 12 points, but Oakton kept fighting back and was never out of the game. By the end of the first half Moraine Valley carried a 35-31 lead.

The Cyclones never fell behind in the second half, but did not get up by more than 12 points. Seventeen turnovers by Oakton and 16 by Moraine Valley made for a sloppy half, but both teams kept battling to the end.

Wilk led in scoring with 22 points, six rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Sims had 13 points, 11 rebounds and three steals. Julie Tracy finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and four steals on the night.

Next up for the Cyclones is a visit to Elgin Community College on Jan. 22.

Wilk gets NJCAA player of the week

Wilk was named NJCAA Region IV player of the week for the week of Jan. 12-18. She scored 71 points in three games highlighted by a 30-point effort against McHenry County College on Jan. 13 when the Cyclones won 87-73. She also racked up 13 assists and 13 steals and tied a school record with six 3-point baskets in the McHenry game.

Jan. 20, 2009
Cyclones stomp the Rams

Continuing on a five-game winning streak, the Cyclones overwhelmed Wright College with an 81-48 victory at home Jan. 17.

Moraine Valley played short-handed for the fourth straight game with another slow start, but did not wait until the second half to get rolling and led 38-21 at the half. Nicole Wilk led the team in scoring with 16 points at the half while Jackie Sims scored nine points. The second half saw Moraine Valley extend its lead slowly as Wright struggled under the pressure. The Cyclones shot well in the second half and pulled away to win 81-48.

Wilk led in scoring with a final 24 points, five rebounds, four assists, and seven steals. Sims had 19 points and 14 rebounds for the night. Sharnita Lloyd finished with 13 points and four assists. Melissa Barber and Kaitlyn Clemens chipped in with 10 points each. Julie Tracy was all over the court defensively and finished with eight assists to lead the Cyclones.

Moraine Valley plays next at Oakton Community College Jan. 20.

Jan. 16, 2009
Sloppy start leads to strong finish for Cyclones

Moraine Valley remains unbeaten with a 4-0 record in the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference after a 69-54 victory Jan. 15 against Waubonsee Community College. The Chiefs jumped out to a 10-3 lead to start the game as Moraine Valley played sloppily throughout the first half. The Cyclones finally made a run as Kaitlyn Clemens, Jessica Groszek and Melissa Barber came in and provided some much needed energy.

About halfway through the second half, the Cyclones surged ahead. In the second half Jackie Sims scored 17 of her 19 points, Sharnita Lloyd scored 12 of her 14, and Nicole Wilk scored 11 of her 17 points. In total Moraine Valley scored 49 points in the second half to secure the 69-54 victory.

Although Julie Tracy struggled from the field throughout the game she finished with seven assists, five rebounds, and four steals with only two turnovers. Lisa Kosowski ended up with nine points and eight rebounds. Jackie Sims again led Moraine with 12 rebounds.

Moraine Valley plays at home against Division IV rival Wright College this Saturday, Jan. 17 at 1 p.m.

Jan. 15, 2009
Cyclones hold off run to remain undefeated in conference

The Cyclones tacked on another win this season after a thrilling 87-73 game Jan. 13 against McHenry County College.

In one of the more exciting games this season, Moraine Valley fought hard to defeat a determined McHenry team. The first half saw the lead going back and forth. The Cyclones had an 11-7 lead before McHenry went on a 9-0 run. The Cyclones stepped up and proceeded with their own 8-2 run for a 19-18 lead. Neither team led by more than two points until the final 10 seconds of the first half. Nicole Wilk hit a long 3-pointer and Sharnita Lloyd stole the inbounds pass and hit a 12-footer with one second remaining giving the Cyclones a 5-point lead at the half.

Keeping in line with the first half, McHenry scored the first six points to lead 41-40. Then down 45-44, the Cyclones went on a 16-0 run to lead 60-45, which put the game away. McHenry would make one last run to get back within five points, but another 12-2 run by the Cyclones put the game away for good. With Jackie Sims mired in foul trouble the whole game (only playing 14 minutes), Nicole Wilk stepped up big time. She finished with 30 points, six assists, four steals, and three rebounds. She was 6/9 from the 3-point arc. The very steady Sharnita Lloyd finished with 18 points on 8/11 shooting. Kaitlyn Clemens had a season high of 16 points on 7/10 shooting with five rebounds. Burcu Aydemir was also solid with 8 points and six rebounds. Jackie Sims still led the team in rebounds with eight.

The Cyclones remain undefeated in conference at 3-0 and have climbed to a 12-4 overall record. Waubonsee Community College comes to town for a match-up at the Cyclone Center Jan. 15.

Jan. 9, 2009
Crushing win for Cyclones

A slow start transformed into another win Jan. 8 for Moraine Valley as they crushed Morton College 78-53.

The game started out slow for Moraine Valley with sluggish play for the entire first half. Turnovers and offensive rebounds hurt the Cyclones and kept them from going on any runs. The Cyclones led at the end of the first half 33-25. The first six minutes of the second half continued to be listless, but by the 14-minute mark the Cyclones found some life. They went on an 8-0 run to get up by 15 points and never looked back.

Jackie Sims led the Cyclones in scoring with 18 points and had 12 rebounds. Julie Tracy broke out of her slump scoring 17 points while Sharnita Lloyd chipped in with 12 points. Nicole Wilk played an all-around game scoring nine points with eight steals and five assists. Lisa Kosowski also scored nine points, and Kaitlyn Clemens was second in rebounds with eight for the night.

The Cyclones square up against McHenry County College on Jan. 13 at McHenry.

Jan. 7, 2009
Cyclones start 2009 with conference win

The Cyclones stormed back to start the second half of the basketball season with a 54-42 win against Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference rival Prairie State College.

Moraine Valley struggled to score all night, but led 28-14 at the end of the first half with Sharnita Lloyd scoring eight points. The Cyclones led by as many as many as 21 points in the second half, but the Pioneers controlled the momentum for most of the game and found ways to come back several times.

Jackie Sims started slowly in the first half, but came on strong after the half to lead the team with 17 points and eight rebounds. Lloyd was consistently driving to the basket and finished with 13 points and five steals for the night. Julie Tracy racked up eight points while Nicole Wilk chipped in with seven.

The Cyclones will face conference opponent Morton College Jan. 8 at 5:15 p.m. at the Cyclone Center.

Dec. 23, 2008
Cyclones building intensity for continued success in second half

After going 9-4 in the first half of the season, the women’s basketball team is working hard during the holiday break to come back and challenge teams in the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference.

So far the Cyclones have crushed a few opponents and had a nine-game winning streak. “The first half was getting to know one another. We’re excited about what we can accomplish in the second half,” said head coach Delwyn Jones. “During the break we’re focusing on intensity and determination. We have very high expectations to get off to a good start against our conference opponents come January.”

The second half of the season is almost exclusively played against conference rivals beginning at home against Prairie State College Jan. 6.

Dec. 10, 2008
Nine-game win-streak snapped for Cyclones

Dec. 9 vs. Kankakee Community College
Moraine Valley 53    Kankakee 66

Moraine fell 53-66 to #9 ranked Kankakee. This is the Cyclones' first loss since Nov. 9, breaking their nine-game winning streak. Kankakee led 32-25 after the first half. Moraine Valley fought hard in the second half, closing to within three points on several occasions, but could not get over the hump as Kankakee found ways to get an offensive rebound or hit big shots with the shot clock running down.

Jackie Sims had 17 points
Jessica Polacek had 11 points and five assists
Sharnita Lloyd scored nine points

The Cyclones will take their 9-3 record into their next game Thursday, Dec. 11, against #17 ranked Kishwaukee College.

Dec. 8, 2008
Cyclones soar past the Eagles

Dec. 5 vs. Robert Morris College
Moraine Valley 71    Robert Morris 50

Moraine Valley played a solid game against Robert Morris as the Cyclones took an early lead and held on for the victory. “This was the best we've moved the ball all year,” said head coach Delwyn Jones. “We had a pretty balanced scoring game.”

Julie Tracy regained her shooting form, scoring 13 points while going 5/8 from the floor. Melissa Barber, starting for an injured Jackie Sims, scored 12 points.
Sharnita Lloyd and Nicole Wilk chipped in 10 points each.
Kaitlyn Clemens led the Cyclones in rebounding with nine.
Lisa Kosowski was solid with eight points and eight rebounds.

Next up for the Cyclones is Kankakee Community College at home Dec. 9.

Dec. 5, 2008
Cyclones sweep up the Hawks

Dec. 4 @ Harper College
Moraine Valley 62    Harper 44

It was another slow start to the game for Moraine Valley. Harper played very tough early on and hit almost every open outside shot they attempted. The Cyclones tried to pick up the pace, but the Hawks were effective in keeping the game at their own pace. At the end of the first half, Moraine led 26-22. Moraine Valley was playing without leading scorer and rebounder Jackie Sims, who is out with an ankle injury, which played a role in the sluggish start. However, at half-time the Cyclones decided to pressure Harper full court to raise the intensity of the game. That change in strategy boosted Moraine Valley to a 10-2 run to start the second half. The Cyclones continued their run and would not relinquish the lead, winning 62-44.

Burcu Aydemir had a solid game with 16 points and eight rebounds.
Nicole Wilk added 10 points and four assists.
Bianca Buice also contributed seven points, going 3/4 from the floor.

Moraine Valley plays Robert Morris College Dec. 5 at home.

Dec. 3, 2008
Cyclones overcome big deficit in final minutes to beat Joliet

Dec. 2 @ Joliet Junior College
Moraine Valley 72     Joliet 67

The Cyclones won their seventh consecutive game with an intense 72-67 victory against nationally ranked Division III power Joliet Junior College. Joliet has a well balanced team with power in the post and athleticism on the wings, so the game went back and forth throughout the first half. One of Moraine’s leading scorers, Sharnita Lloyd, was injured early which hurt the Cyclones offensively. JJC started to pull away and led at the end of the first half 34-29. Early in the second half Joliet outplayed Moraine and stormed ahead 63-47 with seven minutes left to play. At that point, however, Moraine Valley turned the game around and went on a 25-4 run to hold off the Wolves.

“We’ve been talking about heart all year long. Against Joliet we did just that. The 25-4 run to close out that win against a tough team was remarkable. All 12 players played and contributed to the win. This was one of the most fulfilling wins since I’ve been coach at Moraine Valley,” said head coach Delwyn Jones.

Jackie Sims led the Cyclones in scoring with 24 points and 12 rebounds.
Julie Tracy chipped in with 11 points and six steals, most of which came during the comeback.
Lisa Kosowski provided 9 points and a big 3-pointer in the last seven minutes.
Jessica Groszek put tremendous pressure on the talented Joliet guards and also hit a big three down the stretch.

Moraine Valley heads out to Harper College Dec. 4.

Dec. 1, 2008
Sixth straight win for Cyclones

Nov. 25 vs. Kennedy King College
Moraine Valley 73    Kennedy King 69

The Cyclones held on to their sixth straight victory with a solid performance against Division I Kennedy King College. The entire game was a back and forth battle. Moraine Valley started with a 10-2 lead, but a few turnovers quickly erased that spurt before Kennedy King led 14-13. Moraine was down at half-time 26-32. A 10-4 run by the Cyclones to open the second half, however, tied the game at 36. Moraine Valley opened up a seven-point lead late and held on for the four-point victory.

Jackie Sims led the way with 25 points and 11 rebounds.
Burcu Aydemir had 12 points and much energy throughout the game with three offensive boards.
Nicole Wilk again had a complete game with 11 points, six assists and five rebounds.
Jessica Polacek broke out of her slump going 4/4 from the field.
Kaitlyn Clemens pulled down seven rebounds in limited minutes.
Julie Tracy had nine points and four steals.

Moraine Valley plays Division III powerhouse Joliet Junior College Dec. 2 at Joliet.

Nov. 24, 2008
Win streak continues

Nov. 20 @ Olive Harvey College
Moraine Valley 73    Olive Harvey 65

Moraine Valley led at halftime 47-31 and built a 21-point lead midway through the second half. Olive Harvey went on a 17-4 run to cut the lead to eight and came as close as four points with the ball, but a defensive stop and huge 3-pointer by Nicole Wilk sealed the victory.

Jackie Sims led the Cyclones with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
Wilk had 16 points and was 4/9 from the three-point line.
Kaitlyn Clemens was 7/12 with 15 points and nine rebounds.
Julie Tracy chipped in with 11 points, five assists and 8/10 at the free-throw line.

Kennedy King College comes to town Nov. 25.

Nov. 19, 2008
Four-game win streak for Cyclones

Nov. 18 @ Malcolm X College
Moraine Valley 73    Malcolm X 53

Moraine Valley came out very sluggish, shooting poorly, turning the ball over and was down at the half 30-25. "We didn’t match the early intensity of Malcolm X," said head coach Delwyn Jones. "After a half-time discussion, Moraine came out with new life scoring the first five points of the half with a basket by Jackie Sims on an assist and three-pointer from Nicole Wilk. In the second half, the intensity of Malcolm X was matched. Moraine pulled away by 10 at the 10-minute mark and led by as many as 22 points before settling for the 20 point victory."
Moraine moves to 4-2 on the season.

Jackie Sims- 20 points, four rebounds and three assists
Julie Tracy- 15 points
Nicole Wilk- 12 points and five assists
Lisa Kosowski- eight points and six rebounds

Nov. 17, 2008
Game Recap

Nov. 14 @ home
Moraine Valley 62    Lincoln College 49
Sharnita Lloyd scored a big 24 points
Jackie Sims scored 12 points and had 13 rebounds
Nicole Wilk scored 11 points
Julie Tracy had six rebounds for the night

Nov. 12, 2008
Game Recap

Nov. 11 @ home
Moraine Valley 74    Ancilla College 63
Nicole Wilk scored 18 points
Sharnita Lloyd scored 17 points, had five assists and two steals
Burcu Aydemir had eight rebounds

Oct. 23, 2008
Team looking to capitalize on talented athletes in 2008-09 season

After a stellar 2007-08 season with a second consecutive Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference championship, the Cyclones are looking for a “three-peat” this season. The team ended last year with an overall 24-8 record—second best in Region IV Division II. Although the hoopsters advanced to the playoffs, they lost in the Region IV semi-finals. With loads of individual talent on the roster, head coach Delwyn Jones expects the young 2008-09 team to gel into another championship squad.

“It’ll take time to gel and find our identity. We have some of the best individual talent I’ve had, but we need to learn to play as a team. They have good character, which is a positive step to develop as a team,” Jones said. “We have freshmen from different high school programs with different styles of playing. They have to learn to adjust to each other’s style.”

Jones is counting on four returning players to lead the young group, including 5’8” guard and all-state player Julie Tracy (Oak Lawn), 6’2” center Jessica Polacek (Reavis), 5’10” forward Kaitlyn Clemens, and two-sport athlete Jen Galvan (5’5”/guard/Richards).

The team expects to be tougher in the post with three newcomers: an athletic 5’11” Stagg graduate Burcu Aydemir, 5’11” forward Melissa Barber from Oak Lawn, and Lisa Kosowski, a 5’10” transfer from Benedictine University.

Newcomer Jackie Sims (Eisenhower), a 5’9” forward, is another all-state athlete sure to make some noise on the court. Freshman Sharnita Lloyd, a 5’7” guard from Eisenhower, is a smooth player with a nice shot, especially at the finish. Another new 5’7” guard, Jessica Groszek (Tinley Park), will add her speed and intelligent play to the team. First-year guard Bianca Buice (5’5”/Hyde Park) will be an asset with her excellent ball-handling skills. Guard Nicole Wilk, a 5’7” all-area player from Lemont, is one of the best passers on the team and has a deadly three-point shot. Forward Eman Hasan (5’9”/Reavis) also will lend her hustle and intensity to the group.

“We have a combination of good things. We have good quick guards and post players,” Jones said. “We expect to win conference, and we hope to challenge for Region IV champs. We have tough teams to face in Regions. Both teams that finished ahead of us are better this year and we need to improve that much more to challenge them.”

2007-08 Season
Season Record: 24-8
Conference Record: 13-1

*Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference Game

Cyclones defend conference title for the second straight season
Moraine Valley’s women’s basketball team celebrated another successful season as Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference Champs. The Cyclones are back-to-back champions winning with a final conference record of 13-1, identical to the 2006-2007 season.

The team ended its season with a 24-8 overall record, which was the second best record in Division II, Region IV, and the third best record in the entire region, which includes Divisions I, II and III. The lady hoopsters made it through playoffs and advanced to, but lost in the Region IV semi-finals.

“We had a very good season from start to finish,” said head coach Delwyn Jones. “Anytime you finish 24-8, you’ve had a good season. We won the conference title for the third time in the last five years. For the first time I was able to play 13 players on a regular basis. That means the whole team contributed in some way to our success.”

On average the athletes scored 66 points per game and gave up only 53.2 points to the opposition. Moraine Valley’s leading scorer in the conference was veteran guard Laura Metzger (5’9”/Shepard), who averaged 10.8 points per game. First-year forward Kaitlyn Clemens (5’10”/Oak Lawn) led the Cyclones in rebounds with 5.3 per game. Freshman guard/forward Julie Tracy (5’8”/Oak Lawn) broke a Moraine Valley school record shooting 50 percent, 31 for 61, from the three-point line in conference play.

Metzger and Tracy were both selected to the All-Conference First Team while guard Karina Estrada (5’5”/Reavis), guard/forward Shana Creighton (5’8”/Oak Lawn) and center Jessica Polacek (6’2”/Reavis) made the Second Team. Tracy was also selected to the All-Region IV Second Team. Jones was named Conference Coach of the Year for the second straight year and third time in his coaching career at Moraine.

Individual players also received team awards. Metzger was the MVP; Tracy was chosen Offensive Player of the Year; Metzger and guard LaTanya Howell (5’8”/Queen of Peace) were named Defensive Players of the Year; Creighton was given the All Heart Award; and Estrada earned the Coach’s Award.