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Women's Basketball—Archive

August 3, 2011
Team tryouts

Tryouts for the women's basketball team are being held Tuesday, September 27 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Cyclone Center (Building G). Interested athletes should come prepared to play ball. Additional questions should be directed to coach Delwyn Jones at (708) 974-5557 or jonesd@morainevalley.edu.

July 25, 2011
Assistant Coach joins Chicago Sky

Cyclone assistant coach Jeff Larson is taking his basketball know-how to the women’s professional basketball team, the Chicago Sky. Larson is part of the game operations and marketing sector for the team, but remains a member of the Moraine Valley coaching staff.

“Jeff is a great basketball man and will be a great asset to the Chicago Sky organization,” said head coach Delwyn Jones.

July 12, 2011
Hoopsters receive scholarships at four-year universities, including a Division I school

Three Cyclones have signed with four-year universities to play basketball and continue their studies.

Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity) signed with Eastern Kentucky University, a Division I institution, while Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg) and Kristy Scialabba (Oak Lawn) signed with the University of Saint Francis.

“Jalisa worked hard to improve her skills to compete at a Division I school. She was always a good scorer, but became a good point guard. Ashley has always been a versatile player and can play and defend three different positions. The coach at St. Francis noticed that right away. Kristy was one of the fastest guards with and without a ball that I’ve coached. She finds uncanny ways to score,” said coach Delwyn Jones. “All three had great attitudes that will take them far in addition to their academic achievements.”

All three sophomores played well this past season, earning them All-Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference honors. Bryant also had a nod to the NJCAA All-Region IV second team.

2010-11 Season

Season Record: 20-12
Conference Record: 10-4

All-Region IV second team: Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee College)
All-Conference first team: Bryant and Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg)
All-Conference second team: Jessica Contant (Stagg), Kristy Scialabba (Oak Lawn) and Kim Young (Argo)

* Denotes Conference Game

March 14, 2011
Women hoopsters hit road block in semi-finals to end season

The Cyclones wrapped up their season in the Region IV semi-finals without a coveted fifth consecutive Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference championship or region title, but with a 20-win season and many lessons learned that they intend to use next year.

"We won 20 games, which is more than the majority of teams in the region can boast, but we didn't reach our goal of conference champions or region champions. However, we did learn a lot—teamwork, unity, hard work, and what it takes to be champions," said coach Delwyn Jones. "With such a diverse roster, we learned a lot about differences and how to relate to people with different philosophies of sport and different points of view on how to win. For any team, sometimes it's hard to gel with that much diversity, but I still believe this is the most talented overall team I've had here."

In topping the conference the past four consecutive years, the bar has been raised for the Cyclones who were disappointed with their finish despite a season that included a 20-12 overall record and 10-4 conference record. Moraine Valley played their A-game in the NJCAA Region IV quarter-finals Feb. 24 against Oakton Community College, a team they lost to at both meetings this season. The Cyclones won that matchup 76-62, advancing to the semi-finals Feb. 26 against rival Kankakee Community College. Despite the 100-62 loss to the Cavaliers, the score was not indicative of the Cyclones' performance. However, that game ended their run in 2011.

The Cyclones will lose their top sophomore players, Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee College) and Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg), who were both named to the All-Conference first team. Although both had their own style of play, they each weren't afraid to take shots when the game was on the line, they were aggressive and wanted to win. Teresiak caused problems for the opposing defense because of her speed as a post player. "She could drive to the basket with either hand and handled the ball well for a power forward. She had a highly competitive nature. We'll miss her on the floor," Jones said.

Bryant, who also was named to the All-Region IV second team, was a prototype combo-guard, according to Jones. Called "The General," she played point guard and off guard, and had a season and career record high of 35 points in the first playoff game. "She had the ability to drive to the hoop and was arguably the best ball handler in the region. She has a good attitude about basketball and will benefit a four-year school," Jones said.

Freshmen Jessica Contant (Stagg) and Kim Young (Argo) and sophomore Kristy Scialabba (Oak Lawn) were given the nod to the All-Conference second team. Young made eight 3-pointers in one game, a Cyclone record, and she hit seven threes in two other games this season.

The sophomores will be missed. Scialabba had two great years with the Cyclones as one of the fastest guards in the region and ability to score on fast breaks, Jones said. Natalie "The Boss" Ross (Evergreen Park/Concordia) was a tough competitor who always got the job done, and Nicole Mazor (Shepard) was the creative passer on the team with a positive attitude. Allison Dahleen (Stagg) was a smart defender and tough to defend when she had the ball near the basket.

There's a potential for 11 players to return next year, and with the talent remaining, Jones is certain of more success. "With as much talent at the core coming back next year there's no way we can't be good," he said. "You win 20 games, you have to say that's a successful season, but then you have more expectations of being good. With this season under their belt the returning players can grow for next year and make it better."

February 28, 2011
Cyclone rival halts a playoff run

In the last few years, Kankakee Community College has been a thorn in Moraine Valley's side in the playoffs. Unfortunately, history repeated itself Feb. 26 as the Cyclones were crushed 100-62 by the Cavaliers in the NJCAA Region IV semi-finals.

Moraine Valley battled early, but had foul trouble that haunted them throughout the game. With key players in foul trouble and key possessions reversed with foul calls, the lead started to expand for Kankakee until the end.

Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee College) led in scoring with 14 points. Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg) added 12 points with nine rebounds and three steals. Jessica Contant (Stagg) chipped in with 13 points.

February 25, 2011
'Clones stay alive in playoffs with big win

After a slight hiccup in the last few games of the regular season, the Cyclones will continue their playoff run after a big 76-62 win on Feb. 24 over rival Oakton Community College. The Cyclones were swept in both conference games played against Oakton this year.

Moraine Valley attacked the basket early and held the lead for most of the first half, going up 33-30 at halftime. In an attempt to offset Oakton's big 3-point shooting ability around the basket, the Cyclones pressured full court to speed up the game's pace. The Cyclones came out strong in the second half, building their lead by 14 points. Oakton fought back as they made a 16-3 run to cut the lead to 52-51 with nine minutes to go. The Cyclones, however, continued to attack the basket and wore down Oakton. Finding their stroke from the 3-point line, Moraine Valley went 10-for-19 from behind the arc. This second half surge was led by Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee College) and her massive 25 points. She finished with 35 on the night. The Cyclones had 10 players with field goals while Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg) led with eight rebounds.

February 20, 2011
Big win before playoffs

The Cyclones felt their rhythm return Feb. 19 in a 63-53 win over McHenry County College in their final regular season game.

The final score doesn't quite reflect the true dominance of Moraine Valley as they surged ahead from the start and never looked back. At one time in the second half the lead swelled to 25 points. A late surge by McHenry cut the lead down to 10 in the last two minutes, but the Cyclones were able to hold on.

Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee College) led in scoring with 14 points, going 3-for-6 from the 3-point line. Kim Young (Argo) added 12 points all from the arc. Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg) earned her second straight double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Jessica Contant (Stagg) added 11 points while Jasmine Harris (Stagg) played well, grabbing seven boards.

February 18, 2011
Cyclones flounder

It was a poor shooting game for the Cyclones who lost an unprecedented two games in a row, this one (69-58) against rival Oakton Community College at home on Feb. 17.

For the first time in coach Delwyn Jones' tenure at Moraine Valley, Oakton swept the Cyclones in a season. For a large portion of the game the score remained close with Moraine Valley taking a 33-31 lead at the half. However, Oakton's big threes remained consistent throughout while the Cyclones struggled from the floor, shooting just 30 percent for the night.

Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg) played a complete game with 16 points, 13 rebounds and three steals. Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee College) and Tempestt Reynolds (Bloom) added 12 points each with Tempestt scoring all 12 from behind the arc.

February 16, 2011
Heartbreaking loss in overtime

It seems as though the Cyclones' chance for a fifth consecutive conference championship may have ended after a heartbreaking 72-69 loss in overtime to Waubonsee Community College on Feb. 15. It was a tough defeat for a team that hasn't had more than one loss in conference play since their reign began in the 2006-07 season; this puts their conference record at 9-3.

Waubonsee got off to a fast start while Moraine Valley could not buy a basket from the perimeter shooting 26 percent from the floor compared to the Chiefs' 42 percent from the floor to lead 34-25 at the half.

The Cyclones came into the second half with a 25-12 run to take a four-point lead. However, the score went back and forth until regulation time ended. Moraine Valley was down one point and had a chance to win the game in regulation, but converted only 1-of-2 free throws with 3.1 seconds to send the game into overtime. Waubonsee outscored the Cyclones 8-5 in overtime to seal the victory as Moraine Valley missed a desperation 3-point shot as time ran out.

Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg) led in scoring with 19 points and 14 rebounds. Natalina Cifaldi (Lake Park/College of DuPage) came out of her slump hitting five 3-point shots and totaling 17 points. Raven Phillips (Bloom) added 10 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. Tempestt Reynolds (Bloom) continued to shoot well adding three 3-pointers for a total of 11 points. Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee) struggled with shooting, but finished with a season high nine assists, six rebounds, two steals, and two blocked shots.

"Another conference championship seems to have come to an end, but the Cyclones are ready to fight for a regional championship birth," said coach Delwyn Jones.

February 12, 2011
Cyclones grab third in a row

The 'Clones charged ahead on a three-game win streak after outshooting Elgin Community College (75-58) at home Feb. 11.

The game remained pretty close for most of the first half, but the Cyclones slowly started to pull away. After halftime, Moraine Valley's shooting picked up and the lead gradually increased to the 17-point victory.

Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg) led the team with 14 points and eight rebounds. Jessica Contant (Stagg) played a major role with 13 points in the second half to really help put Elgin away. Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee) chipped in with 10 points while Raven Phillips (Bloom) had a big night posting eight points, seven rebounds, five blocked shots, and two steals.

February 11, 2011
Cyclones steamroll Lancers

There was nothing but domination from the Cyclones in their thrashing 84-26 victory on their home turf Feb. 10 over the College of Lake County.

The Cyclones produced a solid victory over a struggling Lake County team. The lead increased early and the Cyclones never looked back as they led a balanced attack throughout the game.

Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg), Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee) and Kim Young (Argo) each scored 11 points to lead the team. Natalina Cifaldi (Lake Park/College of DuPage) finished with eight points, seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals.

February 9, 2011
Cyclones dominate Panthers

The Cyclones were back in offensive form with a blowout 84-45 win over Morton College on Feb. 8.

Kim Young (Argo) set a school record with eight 3-point shots, finishing the night with 24 points and going 8-for-12 from the arc. Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee College) and Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg) chipped in with 10 points each. Tempestt Reynolds (Bloom) added eight points and went 2-for-3 from the 3-point line. Raven Phillips (Bloom) dominated the boards with 11 and added seven points while Natalina Cifaldi (Lake Park/College of DuPage) led with six assists.

"When we get on a roll offensively, we're tough to beat. We've been pretty streaky this year. We're either real hot or real cold. Against Morton, we were real hot," said coach Delwyn Jones.

February 7, 2011
Rare scoring drought hampers 'Clones

After a 67-64 victory over Prairie State College just two weeks ago, the Cyclones could not pull out the same result Feb. 5 in a crushing 73-50 loss.

Moraine Valley was out of sync all night as they were outplayed, outhustled and could not thwart intense defense by the Pioneers. The Cyclones went cold from the floor. In her last few games, Kim Young (Argo) had made 24 of her last 48 shots from the 3-point line, but had an off night, going just 0-7. Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee College) was 1-10 and Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg) was 1-for-7. Jessica Contant (Stagg) also struggled, going 0-3. Kristy Scialabba (Oak Lawn) was able to find her game and finish with 13 points as she continued to attack the basket to help Moraine Valley stay close for awhile. With the top four scorers not producing, the Pioneers were able to pull away. "I know many Cyclones really would like another chance to play the Pioneers in the playoffs, including the coach," said coach Delwyn Jones.

January 31, 2011
Cyclones go on scoring spree

In a last minute addition to the calendar, the Cyclones faced North Central College Jan. 28, and in their scoring frenzy easily won 76-55.

Kim Young (Argo) led the Cyclones with 23 points and tied a Moraine Valley record with seven 3-pointers. She went 7-for-10 from the 3-point arc and added two blocked shots. Young is now 24 for her last 48 from the 3-point line. Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee College) had a good night with threes, going 5-for-9 and finishing with 15 points. Tempestt Reynolds (Bloom) had 14 points all in the second half, and had her second consecutive double digit scoring game. Natalina Cifaldi (Lake Park/College of DuPage) led in rebounding with 10 while Shekela Quarles (Richards) grabbed nine. Jasmine Harris (Stagg) chipped in with six points and six rebounds.

January 28, 2011
'Clones in tie for first

It was a fight to solidly claim the first place spot in the conference, but the Cyclones couldn't find their shooting game Jan. 27 and fell 66-60 to Oakton Community College.

The game was close all the way down to the wire as the lead jumped back and forth between both teams. Moraine Valley shot poorly throughout the contest, finishing 25 percent from the floor overall and shooting only 7-for-31 from the 3-point line.

Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee College) led in scoring with 15 points, four assists and three steals. Bryant was 2-for-5 from the arc. Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg) finished with 11 points and 12 rebounds while Kim Young (Argo) chipped in with 11 points, including three from behind the arc.

There is now a three-way tie for first place, including these two teams and Prairie State College. The Cyclones still have a 58-5 conference record over the last five years and have been in first place every week for the last five years.

January 26, 2011
Cyclones seal third straight

The Cyclones grabbed a huge win (56-47) Jan. 25 at home over Waubonsee Community College, sealing their third straight victory.

An intense first half saw the game tied at 24 by halftime. The Chiefs took a 34-28 lead but not for long as Moraine Valley roared back for the nine-point win. Brittany Bixman (Stagg) closed out the last 10 minutes of the game at point guard, hitting two big 3-pointers to help forge a secure lead. Kim Young (Argo) was 6-for-10 from the arc and finished with 18 points. Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg) ended the night with nine points and seven rebounds. Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee) had eight points, eight rebounds and five assists. Shekela Quarles (Richards) was active all night, grabbing 10 rebounds.

January 21, 2011
Cyclones duplicate dominance

In a near repeat of their last game, the Cyclones continued to dominate the conference with their latest crushing win, 89-33, over College of Lake County on Jan. 20.

Although the Cyclones were slow to warm up, they quickly found their rhythm and took advantage of turnovers by Lake County to lead 45-15 at the half. The second half was nearly identical to seal the win.

Six Cyclones had double digits for the night. Tempestt Reynolds (Bloom) led the Cyclones with a season high 17 points, going 7-for-11 from the floor. Jessica Contant (Stagg) scored 14 while Kim Young (Argo), Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg), and Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee) each had 13 points. Kristy Scialabba (Oak Lawn) continued her consistent play with 10 points, four assists and five steals. Shekela Quarles (Richards) led the team with nine rebounds, and Brittany Bixman (Stagg) had a season high six assists with two steals.

January 19, 2011
Cyclones crush Panthers

The Cyclones steamrolled Morton College 79-31 on Jan. 18, adding another win to their unbeaten conference record.

Moraine Valley started out fast and quickly led 38-16 at the half. The Cyclones tried to pull back the pressure, but the second half duplicated the first for the win.

Jessica Contant (Stagg) led with 19 points, going 3-for-6 from the 3-point line. Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee) banked 17, going 7-for-9 from the floor with three steals. Kristy Scialabba (Oak Lawn) chipped in with 13 points.

January 16, 2011
Scoring pains end in loss

The Cyclones came out strong against rival South Suburban on Jan. 15 but could not grab a win in only their second loss (59-51) of 2011.

Both teams grappled with scoring, but Moraine Valley found a way to forge ahead 26-14. Closing out the first half, the Cyclones had a couple of turnovers fueling a 6-0 run by the Bulldogs to cut the lead. The Cyclones struggled from the floor throughout the second half in spite of several open looks, and surrendered the lead.

Kristy Scialabba (Oak Lawn) led in scoring with 14 points and three assists while Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee) chipped in with nine points.

January 14, 2011
'Clones top rival

It's still early in the season, but for two undefeated teams in the Skyway conference this matchup meant business, and the mighty Cyclones emerged victorious.

Moraine Valley withstood a determined Prairie State team at home Jan. 13 and won 67-64 to go 3-0 in conference play this season. The Cyclones led for most of the first half. However, a Prairie State 7-0 run gave them the lead before Jessica Contant (Stagg) hit a running one-hander at the buzzer to put the Cyclones up 28-27.

The second half saw the Cyclones build their lead to as much as 12 points, but they could not put the Pioneers away. Although the Cyclones never relinquished the lead in the second half, a tough Prairie State had a chance at the end. A clutch free throw by Natalie Ross (Evergreen Park/Concordia) put Prairie State in a position where they needed a 3-point shot with five seconds to go, but the rushed three banked wide to keep Moraine Valley on top.

Contant led the effort with 19 points. Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee) scored 16 points with four assists. Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg) chipped in with 13 points. Raven Phillips (Bloom) led in rebounds with seven and added two blocked shots.

January 12, 2011
Cyclones turn in winning performance

A solid team effort by the Cyclones on Jan. 11 against Elgin Community College kept them on track to top the conference this season.

The Cyclones played to their full potential in their 78-72 win. Elgin scored the first basket of the game, but Moraine Valley scored the next six points for the lead. After the Spartans went on a scoring run, the Cyclones kept fighting and by the half were up 38-37. Jessica Contant (Stagg) led the Cyclones with 13 points at the half going 4-for-4 from the 3-point line.

The charge continued in the second half as Moraine Valley started a 17-5 run to eventually lead 55-42. From that point on the Cyclones did not relinquish the lead. Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg) and Kristy Scialabba (Oak Lawn) scored 14 points each in the second half to carry the Cyclones offensively. Holding off the Spartans' leading scorer was Natalie Ross (Evergreen Park/Concordia) who played intense defense. Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee) hit a few key baskets down the stretch to hold off a few runs by Elgin. At nights' end Teresiak finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds, Scialabba banked 17 points with three assists and three steals while Contant added 16 points. Natalina Cifaldi (Lake Park/College of DuPage) chipped in with seven points, six rebounds and six assists.

January 10, 2011
'Clones start conference play with win

The first conference game of the season (Jan. 8) saw hard luck shooting for both Moraine Valley and McHenry County College. Despite the low-scoring game, the Cyclones won by a narrow 45-40.

Scoring was hard to come by as the Scots had a 14-12 halftime lead. In the second half there was improvement as the Cyclones outscored McHenry 33-26. A huge 3-point play down the stretch by Jessica Contant (Stagg) really sealed the victory as she hit the running one hander and converted a free throw.

Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee College) led the team in scoring with 12 points. However, it was Raven Phillips (Bloom) that controlled the paint with 10 points, nine rebounds and six blocked shots. Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg) led the team with 11 rebounds, six on the offensive end. Nicole Mazor (Shepard) helped direct the team for two different spurts with three assists and a big 3-point shot late in the second half.

January 7, 2011
Cyclones can't handle Hawks

Jumping back into their season after a mini-break, the Cyclones faced off against a strong and physically big Malcolm X College team Jan. 6. Despite the 93-73 loss, Moraine Valley played well which will prepare them for conference play.

Moraine Valley was hit with a 13-0 run by the Malcolm X College Hawks to start the game and could not recover. Down 49-28 in the first half, the Cyclones fought back to within 12 points with two great chances to cut the lead, but came up short both times. Jalisa Bryant's (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee College) penetration started to cause some trouble for Malcolm X, and the Cyclones started heating up from the 3-point arc to feed the comeback effort. However, the Hawks were on fire for the entire game and continued to hit from the perimeter to stave off any Cyclone comeback.

"We won't see another big team like that in awhile. We gave 100 percent. We were right there with them, and we were more skilled than them," said coach Delwyn Jones. "I'm feeling good about what we're going to do. The past couple years we started off with less than stellar records. It's a matter of coming together and meshing playing styles."

Jessica Contant (Stagg) had her best offensive game of the season scoring 14 points and going 4-for-6 from the floor. She also had five rebounds and three assists. Bryant chipped in with 12 points and six rebounds. Raven Phillips (Bloom) had a team high seven rebounds and two block shots.

December 22, 2010
Crushing win for Cyclones

The Cyclones crushed Wright College (77-49) in a much needed win at home on Dec. 21. "We had a complete team effort in securing our eighth win of the season. We jumped out big and fast early as Wright had trouble handling the press," said coach Delwyn Jones.

Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee College) in only 20 minutes of play was perfect from the field for the second time this season going 6-for-6 with two 3-pointers. Bryant finished with a game high of 14 points. Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg) chipped in with 13 points in 20 minutes. Kim Young (Argo) scored in double digits with 10 points, and Jessica Contant (Stagg) added nine points. Contant started the season off with 20 straight free throws before missing her first in the 13th game of the season. She was 1-for-2 from the free throw line against Wright, and is still shooting 96 percent from the line. Nicole Mazor (Shepard) led the team with four assists and a 3-pointer.

December 10, 2010
Cyclones lose steam

Coming off a painful loss to Kankakee, Moraine Valley came out with little spirit to play regional foe Olive-Harvey College on Dec. 9, losing 64-51.

Playing sluggish throughout, the Cyclones were down by 20 late in the first half. Kim Young (Argo) made two three-pointers to cut into the lead, but Olive-Harvey still jumped ahead 40-25 at the half. Coming out at halftime, Moraine Valley mounted a furious charge and closed to within one point at 44-43. The 18-4 run may have taken a lot of energy out of the Cyclones because Olive-Harvey was able to withstand the charge and scored enough buckets to go up 48-43. Moraine Valley fouled down the stretch, and Olive-Harvey nailed the free throws to seal the deal.

Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg) led in scoring with 15 points while Young added nine with three baskets behind the arc. Raven Phillips (Bloom) added seven points and seven rebounds. Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee College) finished with eight points.

December 8, 2010
Tough loss to Cavaliers

The Cyclones have been waiting and training for their Dec. 7 match up with Kankakee Community College. The end result, however, wasn't exactly what they envisioned.

The home advantage didn't help the Cyclones, who lost 70-48 in a hard fought battle. Kankakee jumped to an early lead, maintaining it for much of the first half. By halftime Moraine Valley was down 36-26, but came out fighting. Scoring the first three baskets in the second half, the Cyclones cut the lead to 36-32 with 14 minutes remaining. The Cyclones' rhythm was cut short, and Kankakee hit back, steadily pulling away. Kim Young (Argo) led in scoring with eight points.

December 3, 2010
Narrow loss for 'Clones

The Cyclones narrowly lost a tight and somewhat controversial 54-53 game to Highland Community College on Dec. 2.

Moraine Valley toggled with the lead all night with it fluctuating between four and 10 points in the second half. Highland led at the half 26-22 as neither team could buy a basket. However, the Cyclones came out of the half-time gate with a 10-2 run to take the lead. Ahead 49-44 with four minutes to go, coach Delwyn Jones approached the table to dispute the score saying it should have been 52-44. When all of the discussion ended, the score was considered to be 51-44. That one point came back to haunt the Cyclones in this loss. "Videotape shows Moraine Valley had 54 points which would have sent the game into overtime, but the scorebook showed 53," Jones said. "Despite the tough loss we gained strength from playing a close game against a quality opponent."

December 1, 2010
Cyclones outshoot Wolves

The Cyclones grabbed the lead and never let it go on Nov. 30 against Joliet Junior College, ultimately winning the match 70-60.

Early on Moraine Valley jumped out to a double digit lead and by halftime led 35-23. Midway through the second half the Cyclones were up by 20. Around the five-minute mark and with the top scorers out of the game, the Wolves made a last-minute run, getting to within seven points thanks to a 3-pointer. However, the Cyclones were able to regroup and finish with the 10-point victory.

Raven Phillips (Bloom) led with 16 points, going 7-for-11 from the field and hauling down seven rebounds. Natalina Cifaldi (Lake Park/College of DuPage) added 11 points going 3-for-6 from the 3-point line. Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg) threw in nine points and 12 rebounds while Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee College) had nine points, seven assists and five steals.

November 24, 2010
Despite scoring struggles, 'Clones crush Chargers

The Cyclones still have some scoring concerns, but that didn't stop their 69-45 win over Ancilla College on Nov. 23.

Moraine Valley jumped to an early lead, going ahead 40-24 at half time. However, shooting woes are still an issue, according to coach Delwyn Jones. The Cyclones have 10 players with proven 3-point-shooting success, but that has not translated into the season consistently up to this point. From the arc the 'Clones went 5-for-18 in the game. One bright spot from the 3-point line was Kim Young (Argo) who went 3-for-3. So far the team has had balanced scoring with eight players scoring in double figures at some point this season.

"Overall, Moraine played a pretty solid game. The defense was aggressive, and they attacked the basket effectively, shooting 50 percent from inside the arc," Jones said.

Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee College) led the team in scoring with 16 points, perfect from the floor. Bryant was 7-for-7 overall, going 1-for-1 from the 3-point line and 1-for-1 from the free throw line. All of Bryant's damage was done in about 20 minutes of playing time. She was nominated as player of the week in NJCAA Division II. Raven Phillips (Bloom) finished with 11 points, five rebounds and two blocked shots, also in limited minutes. Becca Theriault (Sandburg) chipped in with nine points going 4-for-5 from the floor with a 3-pointer.

November 17, 2010
Big win at home

The Cyclones had a good night at home Nov. 16, beating Harper College 65-31 thanks to an early lead.

As in previous games, a balanced attack staked Moraine Valley to an early led they never relinquished. After leading 30-15 at the half, the 3-point shots started to fall with the Cyclones hitting seven from behind the arc. The Cyclones went 7/12 from the arc in the second half and 10/18 for the game. For the second time so far this season, Danielle Ballard (Mother McAuley) led the Cyclones in scoring with 11 points, going 3-for-3 behind the arc. Natalina Cifaldi (Lake Park/College of DuPage) added 10 points while Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg) chipped in with nine. Shekela Quarles (Richards) led in rebounds with eight.

November 15, 2010
Even split for 'Clones

Still working out the shooting kinks, the Cyclones split two at the Black Hawk East Tournament Nov. 13-14.

In their game Nov. 13, Moraine Valley defeated Sauk Valley Community College 57-30. The Cyclones jumped out to an early lead despite their continued poor shooting, but the pressure defense kept Sauk Valley at bay. At the half the Cyclones led 24-6, shooting just 8-for-39 from the floor. Natalina Cifaldi (Lake Park/College of DuPage) led the way going 3-for-4 from the 3-point line. With the full-court pressure off in the second half, Moraine Valley coasted to the victory.

"Our shooting didn't improve, and we went 22-for-76 in the game, but I'm certain that we will improve in this area,"said coach Delwyn Jones.

The Cyclones couldn't quite pull off the victory against Black Hawk East on Nov. 14, losing 61-50 in a close match.

The lead bounced back and forth in the first half with Moraine Valley ahead most of the time. In the second half, Black Hawk primarily led, and at the 12-minute mark they went up nine points and maintained the lead. The Cyclones closed to within four points with two minutes left in the game, but missed some point-blank shots. Coming into this game the Cyclones were collectively shooting 79 percent from the free-throw line for the season. Unfortunately, they couldn't maintain that percentage shooting 10-for-23 from the line while Black Hawk East was 17-for-24.

Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg) led in scoring with 17 points, 10 rebounds and three steals. Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee College) had four assists and Jessica Contant (Stagg) added 10 points of her own. Allison Dahleen (Stagg) rebounded 10 while Shekela Quarles (Richards) had seven rebounds and played aggressive defense throughout the night.

November 12, 2010
Shooting game defeats Triton

The Cyclones had their first "good shooting" game of the season, and it showed in their 80-57 win over Triton College on Nov. 11.

Moraine Valley started the push early, leading 50-23 at the half. The Cyclones shot 10/20 from the 3-point line and 18/37 overall. Danielle Ballard (Mother McAuley) led the team in scoring with 15 points, going 3-for-4 from the 3-point line. Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg) chipped in with 14 points in a balanced attack throughout. Raven Phillips (Bloom) led with nine rebounds and added nine points as well. Brittany Bixman (Stagg) was 3-for-3 from the 3-point line.

November 10, 2010
Cyclones struggle at home

In their second home game this season, the Cyclones played sloppy against Kennedy King College on Nov. 9, losing the contest 58-48.

Moraine Valley led for most of the first half, by as much as eight points at one time, despite the fact that both teams shot poorly. "It was a very sloppy game from the beginning with a very high number of turnovers by both teams. We have a number of good ball handlers, but we continued to give away a number of unforced turnovers," said coach Delwyn Jones.

The turnovers and poor shooting hurt the Cyclones. Down by one with two minutes to go, Kennedy King went on a 9-0 run to end the game. The Cyclones had two turnovers and went 0-3 from the floor down the stretch.

November 5, 2010
Big opening win at home

In their home opener Nov. 4 the Cyclones stunned Daley College with a 74-34 win.

It was a good start for the Cyclones as they led from the beginning and never looked back. While Moraine Valley didn't shoot well in their debut, they controlled the glass throughout the game. Allison Dahleen (Stagg) had 10 rebounds while Shekela Quarles (Richards) and Raven Phillips (Bloom) each had nine. The Cyclones shot 20/23 from the free throw line. Forward Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee College) led in scoring with 10 points in limited action. Moraine Valley had nine players with six points or more for the very balanced attack.

November 2, 2010
Cyclones loaded, ready to win it all

They have all the pieces for a championship season. Now it's time to see if the Cyclones can come together.

This year's squad is stacked with 17 talented players, each of whom could be starters on any team they compete against, said coach Delwyn Jones. "We have size, good speed with that size and overall team speed. This is the best shooting team I've ever had," he said. "I have four point guards I totally trust with the ball."

Although the Cyclones will miss last year's leading scorers and All-Region IV and All-Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference players Sharnita Lloyd (Eisenhower) and Nicole Wilk (Lemont), the returning athletes will bring some veteran skill to the court.

The four returning sophomores aim to do some damage against opponents this season. Last year's first team all-conference player and forward Ashley Teresiak (5'11"/Sandburg) is back as the leading returning scorer and rebounder. Guard Kristy Scialabba (5'7"/Oak Lawn) was second team all-conference last season and brings her crafty scoring back to the group. At 5'6" Nicole Mazor (guard/Shepard) is one of the best passers on the team and can hit the open jump shot. Rounding out the returning hoopsters is center Allison Dahleen (Stagg), who has strength in the middle with her 6-foot frame.

Four of the incoming newcomers are transfer students who will be strong additions to the Cyclone lineup. Forward Kimberly Howard (5'11"/Timothy Christian/Northern Illinois) goes strong to the basket and is a tough shot blocker, making her one of the best athletes on the team, Jones said. Five-foot-seven forward Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity/Kishwaukee College) is a proven scorer and point guard. Her teammate, forward Natalina Cifaldi (5'10"/Lake Park/College of DuPage) is one of the smoother players on the court who can handle the ball, shoot three-pointers and rebound. Natalie Ross (5'7"/Evergreen Park/Concordia), who just finished her season with the Cyclone soccer team, is a solid point guard who sees the floor well and is a tough defender.

The talented freshmen will solidify the pack. An all-conference player at Stagg, Jessica Contant (5'10"/forward) was her team's leading scorer and an overall strong athlete. Guard Kim Young (5'8") also was Argo's leading scorer and can hit the threes. Six-foot-one Raven Phillips (Bloom) is expected to be one of the best centers in Region IV on both the offensive and defensive ends. Richards grad Shekela Quarles (5'11"/forward) is one of the better defensive post players and a good shot blocker who runs the floor well. Guards Tempestt Reynolds (5'8"/Bloom), Brittany Bixman (5'4"/Stagg), Rebecca Theriault (5'9"/Sandburg), and Danielle Ballard (5'5"/Mother McAuley) are all reliable three-point shooters. Theriault can play several positions and with her height find ways to block shots. Ballard brings lots of speed to the court as well, and forward Jasmine Harris (5'10"/Stagg) is a hard-working post player.

Aiming for a fifth consecutive conference championship, the Cyclones have their eyes set on nothing less. Individually the Cyclones are able-bodied, but their team cohesion on the court has yet to be tested. "I knew we'd be good with the sophomores we had returning. We just needed supplements. We got that and much more," Jones said. "This is a great group, and the chemistry has been excellent so far. If we can stay together as a team, we're guaranteed success. Our expectation is to win conference again and the NJCAA Region IV tournament. This is our best chance."

Jones is joined at the sidelines this year by assistant coach Jeff Larson along with newcomer Kathleen Zulevic and former Cyclone Jackie Sims.

May 19, 2010
Basketball star recognized for excellence

Congratulations to Cyclone basketball star Sharnita Lloyd (Eisenhower) for receiving an honorable mention for the 2010 Scholar Athlete Award presented by the National Alliance of Two Year College Athletic Administrators (NATYCAA). This award has been given since 1992 to one male and female student athlete who best demonstrates outstanding accomplishments and leadership in academics, athletics and citizenship. Lloyd was up against hundreds of college students across the country, and to receive this recognition speaks highly of her character.

"The quality of nominees this year was outstanding, and the committee had a tremendous task in trying to separate just one athlete from each gender for this award," said Scholar Athlete Committee chair James Cox of Miami Dade College. "We wish we could award and recognize several Scholar Athletes. It was a difficult task."

"Sharnita epitomizes the student-athlete at Moraine. Her personality is as exceptional as her academics and skills on the basketball court. She does her job in school and on the court and is as good a person as anyone," said Athletics director Bill Finn.

As guard, Lloyd helped her team earn a fourth consecutive Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference championship this past season while racking up NJCAA Division II All-American, All-Region IV first team, All-Conference first team, and Conference MVP. In her time at Moraine Valley she has consistently demonstrated her hoop skills. After the 2008-09 season Lloyd was named to the All-Region, All-Region tournament and All-Conference first teams. She, along with teammate Nicole Wilk (Lemont), also were among the top 120 junior college basketball players invited to compete against each other at the inaugural women’s JUCO Top 120 national tournament last summer.

2009-10 Season

Season Record: 22-8
Conference Record: 13-1

*Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference Champions (clinched Feb. 16)

NJCAA Division II All-American: Sharnita Lloyd (Eisenhower)
All-Region IV first team: Nicole Wilk (Lemont) and Lloyd
All-Conference first team: Ashley Teresiak (Sandburg), Lloyd and Wilk
All-Conference honorable mention: Kristy Scialabba (Oak Lawn) and Lynette Turner (Thornridge)
Conference MVP: Lloyd
Conference Coach of the Year: Delwyn Jones

* Denotes Conference Game

March 31, 2010
All-American nod for Lloyd

Cyclone guard Sharnita Lloyd was named to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II All-American first team for her skills on the court this season. She helped lead her squad to Moraine Valley’s fourth consecutive conference crown and to the NJCAA Region IV semi-finals. She was named to the All-Region IV and All-Conference first teams in addition to conference MVP. “Lloyd is arguably the best all-around player that I’ve coached with the greatest personality a coach could want. On the court she always carried a calm demeanor, yet she played on a very high level at all times, at games and practice,” said her coach Delwyn Jones. “Not only did she carry a 3.6 GPA academically, but she also was a leader and great team player.” This is only the second time in Jones’ tenure that one of his players have been named to the All-American team.

March 10, 2010
Cyclones end big season in semi-finals

The Cyclones were up against a tough nationally ranked rival in the NJCAA Region IV semi-finals Feb. 27, but held their own to the bitter end with a 79-83 loss. Despite the defeat, Moraine Valley’s basketball team was brimming with success this season.

Knocking out the number one seed, Kankakee Community College, in the Region IV playoffs and a chance to move into the finals was a near reality for the Cyclones. The matchup was competitive as Moraine Valley led by as many as eight points in the first half before Kankakee jumped on a 13-5 run to tie the game. Sharnita Lloyd led with 14 points, Nicole Wilk had eight and Ashley Teresiak banked seven points by halftime. However, the Cyclones turned the ball over twice to start the second half and were down early. A controversial offensive foul on Lloyd not only took away a basket, but gave Lloyd her third foul of the night. Ten seconds later she was called with her fourth foul necessitating some bench time for the next five minutes. In that time, Kankakee went up by 12 points with 10 minutes left. After some soul searching during a timeout, the Cyclones went on an 11-0 run to get back within one point. With Lloyd back and Wilk knocking down a couple of 3-pointers, Moraine Valley took a one-point lead with less than two minutes in the game. The Cyclones fell behind by a point, still had a chance to tie with 13 seconds remaining, but never got a shot up. Three turnovers down the stretch really hurt the cause.

Lloyd finished with 27 points, Wilk had 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, and Teresiak had 14 points and 12 rebounds. Great interior defense by Lynette Turner, Allison Dahleen and Teresiak played big dividends against one of the biggest teams (six players over 5 feet 10 inches tall and three at 6 feet 1) in the region.

However stinging the final loss, it capped another top season that included a nine- and six-game winning streak, and a fourth consecutive Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference championship on Feb. 16. The team also had a 22-8 season record and mimicked their previous three 13-1 conference records.

“It was a great season. A lot of coaches thought we were depleted because of the number of injured players and players we had out for various reasons. But we fooled them, and got our fourth conference title,” said head coach Delwyn Jones. “We won 22 games and only lost eight, and we almost beat nationally ranked Kankakee in the semi-finals. I had two of the greatest players I’ve ever had as coach here—Lloyd and Wilk. Other players accepted their leadership roles and thrived, especially Teresiak, Jessica Groszek, Nicole Mazor, and Kristy Scialabba.”

Both Lloyd and Wilk were named to the All-Region IV and All-Conference first teams. Lloyd was the leading vote getter in Region IV Division II and deemed conference MVP. However, Jones believes both Lloyd and Wilk were MVP-worthy. Teresiak also was named to the All-Conference first team while Scialabba and Turner garnered All-Conference honorable mentions. Jones was Conference Coach of the Year. Collectively the Cyclones were the highest scoring team in Jones’ tenure at Moraine Valley, averaging 75 points per game in the conference and 72 overall. There were a handful of games the Cyclones should not have lost, but Jones said his team fought this season and played at a very high level.

The outlook is bright for the consistent ’Clones. Teresiak and Scialabba, both of whom had strong seasons, are expected to return. Tough post player Dahleen, who came on board late in the season, is a hard worker who also will make an impact next year. Mazor joined the team after playing soccer and is looking to be a solid point guard.

The athletes worked hard all season, but Jones would be remiss if he didn’t point to an excellent supportive coaching staff and their influence. “I appreciate my coaches. They have done a great job. They don’t know what it’s like not to win the conference in their coaching careers. They really step up to help this team a lot,” Jones said.

February 26, 2010
Cyclones head to semi-finals

In order for the Cyclones to continue their season, they needed to beat Wright College on Feb. 25 in the Region IV quarter finals. Moraine Valley stepped up by winning 66-52 in a tight battle.

The game was tight for the first 30 minutes, but the Cyclones fought hard and started to pull away down the stretch. By the half it was only a two-point game at 26-24 fueled by eight missed open layups by the Cyclones, something they haven’t done all year. Sharnita Lloyd scored 10 tough first half points as she continued to attack the basket, drawing contact on a number of drives without the foul. Kristy Scialabba chipped in with six points.

As has been the case all year, Moraine Valley picked up the pace in the second half scoring 40 points, 17 coming from Lloyd. Ashley Teresiak threw in 10 buckets, which was enough to overcome a very determined Wright team. Lloyd finished the night with 27 points (13/14 from the free throw line). Teresiak had a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Scialabba scored 10 points and Nicole Wilk had nine points, six rebounds and four assists, including a huge 3-pointer down the stretch.

The Cyclones face their rival, Kankakee Community College, on Saturday, Feb. 27 for the semi-finals.

February 22, 2010
Cyclones end season with win before playoffs

To top off an already successful year, Moraine Valley won their final regular season game at home against Black Hawk East College 83-75 on Feb. 20. This was their fifth consecutive win before heading into the playoffs.

Moraine Valley had to fight from the start against this very respected, quality Division I school that boasted a strong offensive attack. The Cyclones, however, jumped to a 34-28 halftime lead. Sharnita Lloyd led the way in the first half with 11 points and three steals while Nicole Wilk had a solid six points, six assists and two steals.

As expected, Black Hawk East made a run to take a 46-44 lead midway through the second half. Offense lit up for both teams as the game continued to go back and forth. With three minutes left the Cyclones went on a 9-0 run to build a solid lead for the win.

Lloyd finished with 26 points, going 9/16 from the floor and 7/8 from the free throw line. Ashley Teresiak, playing sick throughout the game, contributed 18 points and went 7/11 from the floor with 12 points coming in the second half. Wilk banked 13 points and had eight assists. Fighting foul trouble, Kristy Scialabba finished with 12 points in limited play, including a huge 3-pointer to boost the lead at the end of the game.

The Cyclones face off against Wright College in the Region IV quarterfinals at home on Feb. 25.

February 19, 2010
Last conference game caps another repeat season

After clinching the conference championship Feb. 16, Moraine Valley ended their conference season with the same 13-1 record they racked up the previous three seasons. The Cyclones won 75-63 over College of Lake County on Feb. 18 at home.

There was no expectation that this game against Lake County was going to be another blowout like the 90-55 victory that Moraine Valley had earlier this season. Knowing that the Lancers had played close games with two nationally ranked teams kept Moraine Valley on its toes. As expected, Lake County came out firing, but the Cyclones were ready to fight. It was a defensive battle as Lake County fought to tie the game at 28 by the half. The Cyclones played hard in the first half but were sluggish offensively. The second half pace was accelerated by Moraine Valley as they pushed the ball well and got some easy looks at the basket. The Cyclones outscored the Lancers 47-35 in the second half for the victory. Nicole Wilk and Sharnita Lloyd led in scoring with 21 points each, and Lloyd added eight assists. Ashley Teresiak chipped in with 14 points and eight rebounds.

February 18, 2010
Cyclones clinch fourth consecutive Skyway championship

Crown the Cyclones once again for claiming a fourth consecutive Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference Championship on Feb. 16 after overwhelming Oakton Community College 78-55. This is the fifth time in the last seven seasons the Moraine Valley women’s basketball team has been crowned champs.

“We came out slowly in past games this season against Prairie State and South Suburban, which resulted in losses. So we wanted to maintain our focus for 40 minutes and compete at a high level. That effort made it a satisfying win. We played well,” said coach Delwyn Jones.

Even with five significant players, three of whom were projected starters, out with various injuries the Cyclones were able to put forth the same strong effort. Playing well all year and earning another championship are testaments to the teamwork and effort made by the players this season. Led by Nicole Wilk, who had 21 points, seven assists and six steals, the Cyclones shot 50 percent from the floor and 43 percent from the 3-point line. Sharnita Lloyd contributed 18 points adding to her three assists and four steals. Lynette Turner added 13 points. Two of the top five scorers in the conference are Wilk with an average of 19.1 points per game and Lloyd with 17.4.

“It’s an accomplishment to get a fourth consecutive conference championship. A lot of people didn’t think we were as talented as in previous years. However, we scored at a much higher clip than past Moraine Valley teams, averaging 75 points per game and only giving up 56 points per game,” Jones said. “We’re 12-1 and that’s not bad, we feel good about that.”

February 12, 2010
Strong shooting seals the ‘Clone win

Shooting 47 percent from the floor overall and 82 percent from the free throw line, Moraine Valley defeated a strong Waubonsee team 79-72 on Feb. 11.

“ Waubonsee played a very good game, and I think they are underrated in our conference. We had trouble stopping them at times, but we pushed the ball and got easy looks at the basket,” said coach Delwyn Jones. “We knew it’d be a tough game coming in, but we fought. The game was pretty close all the way through, but we maintained the lead and came out on top.”

Sharnita Lloyd was the top scorer for the night with 22 points and seven assists followed closely by Nicole Wilk who had 21 points (four 3-pointers), 10 assists and five rebounds. Ashley Teresiak shot 16 and grabbed eight rebounds, continuing her consistent play in recent games. Lynette Turner also added 14 points.

February 10, 2010
Cyclones blow away the Scots

In a dominating appearance Moraine Valley trounced McHenry County 79-39 in a home game Feb. 9. The Cyclones jumped out early, surging to a 14-4 lead and never looking back. Continuing to lead with a 44-21 advantage at halftime, the Cyclones cruised to victory. Nicole Wilk led in scoring with 21 and dished out six assists. Ashley Teresiak finished with 12 points and 15 rebounds. She has 30 rebounds in her last two games. Sharnita Lloyd chipped in with 14 points and six assists, and Kristy Scialabba finished with 13 points. Lynette Turner ended her night with nine rebounds.

February 8, 2010
Tough loss to Bulldogs

Although an 87-83 loss to South Suburban on Feb. 6 didn’t hurt the Cyclones’ standings in the conference, it could have implications for regional seeding in the playoffs.

Moraine Valley was down 24-8 early in the game, playing flat with poor shooting and a lack of energy. As has happened many times this season, the Cyclones fought back to get within 10 at the end of the first half. Sharnita Lloyd and Ashley Teresiak led the way with nine points each.

Moraine Valley came out of the gates with a continued fight to pull within four points at 44-40. Top Cyclone scorer Nicole Wilk, who was 0/10 in the first half, missed her first three shots of the second half. However, she found her stroke and hit four of her next six shots. Lloyd went 4/5 as the Cyclones surged to take a 72-69 lead with 30 seconds left in the game. The Bulldogs scored and attempted a 3-point play to tie the game. South Suburban rebounded a missed free throw, and another foul was called on Lloyd, who fouled out of the game with the call. The Bulldogs split the free throw for the tie. With 10 seconds the Cyclones had a chance to win, but could not close out the game. The Cyclones went into overtime without any of their scoring leaders and struggled to secure a win.

February 5, 2010
Cyclones back on track

After having a nine-game winning streak broken, the Cyclones bounced back with a 74-58 win over Morton College on Feb. 4. Moraine Valley jumped out early and fast against Morton hitting the first four 3-point shots attempted. At the half the Cyclones led 39-22. The Panthers made a run, but the Cyclones maintained the lead for the victory. Kristy Scialabba led in scoring with 18 points and four assists. Ashley Teresiak added 15 points and eight rebounds. Sharnita Lloyd and Nicole Wilk each chipped in 14 points. Wilk was one rebound away from a triple double with her 14 points, nine rebounds and 11 assists.

February 3, 2010
Winning streak halted

The Cyclones had a good nine-game winning streak, leaving them undefeated in the conference, until their matchup Feb. 2 with Prairie State. It was a tough battle by both teams, however Moraine Valley lost 63-67. Prairie State started out 7-0, setting the tone for the game and gaining their first ever victory over the Cyclones. Moraine Valley had a chance to tie the game with 20 seconds left but couldn't get the last bucket to fall for the comeback. Lead scorer for the night was Sharnita Lloyd with 25 points and four assists followed by Nicole Wilk with 17 points.

January 29, 2010
Cyclones outshoot Spartans

Although Moraine Valley has beaten Elgin Community College nine straight times over the last few years there have been two overtimes games, a two-point victory and very few blowouts such as the 77-53 Cyclone victory three weeks ago. The Cyclones’ latest 88-85 victory over the Spartans on Jan. 28 was just an old-fashioned shootout. Moraine Valley shot 55 percent while Elgin shot 51.5 percent for the game. The Spartans led 44-41 at the half, but the Cyclones came out with a blistering 8-0 run to start the second half, leading 49-44. Elgin tried to claw back a few times, but could not take back the lead. Moraine Valley shot 11/18 (61 percent) from the 3-point line, which made a huge difference this game.

Last week’s NJCAA Region IV player of the week Sharnita Lloyd led the team in scoring with 21 points (3/4 from the 3-point line), eight assists and four rebounds. Ashley Teresiak had 19 points (3/4 from the 3-point line) and nine rebounds. Kristy Scialabba added 18 points while Lynette Turner had a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Leading scorer Nicole Wilk chipped in with 13 points and eight assist, going 3/7 from the 3-point line.

January 27, 2010
Lucky number seven

In another dominating appearance the Cyclones took a 90-55 win over College of Lake County on Jan. 26, marking their seventh consecutive conference win. Moraine Valley jumped out early and never really looked back. Starting the game on a 13-2 run, the Cyclones led 46-22 at the half. The second half saw the lead swell to a high of 40 points before settling to the 90-55 final. Nicole Wilk led with 31 points and eight assists while Sharnita Lloyd added 21 points and eight assists. Ashley Teresiak chipped in with 10 points and seven rebounds.

January 22, 2010
Cyclones sweep up Raiders

Another solid 72-45 victory over Oakton Community College Jan. 21 kept the Cyclones firmly atop the conference. Moraine Valley led 36-22 at the half, which was nearly duplicated for the second half of the game. Sharnita Lloyd led the team in scoring with 21 points. Kristy Scialabba banked 14 points, with seven rebounds, four steals, and two assists. Nicole Wilk scored 13 points in limited minutes.

January 20, 2010
’Clones on a roll

After their last close win in triple overtime, the Cyclones put a little distance between their latest victim, Waubonsee Community College, with a 75-62 win on Jan. 19. Although they only led 26-24 at halftime, Moraine Valley stepped up the second half winning their fifth consecutive game. Ashley Teresiak banked 21 points followed by Nicole Wilk with 19. Kristy Scialabba grabbed 11 rebounds to go with her 10 points. Sharnita Lloyd scored 15 points and had eight assists for her third consecutive game.

January 19, 2010
Triple overtime win

Moraine Valley was able to stand up to a very determined Prairie State squad Jan. 16 for a 71-70 triple overtime victory.

With four minutes left in the game Prairie State had a 51-42 lead. A huge 3-point shot by Ashley Teresiak pulled the Cyclones to within six, but was quickly followed by a Pioneer bucket. Teresiak came back again with a 3-point play. The lead was cut again after Kristy Scialabba hit a big 3-point shot. An offensive rebound and bucket put Prairie State back up by four. Scialabba hit another long range shot just inside the 3-point arc for a 2-point game. After the Pioneers missed on the next possession, Sharnita Lloyd drove the lane for an impossible layup to tie the game with 17 seconds on the clock. A defensive push by the Cyclones sent the game into what proved to be three overtimes. Each overtime went back and forth with both teams having opportunities to put the game away. A big free throw by Nicole Wilk with a minute to go gave the Cyclones a 71-70 lead, and Moraine Valley held on for the victory.

Lloyd led the team with 22 points and eight assists. Teresiak, Scialabba and Wilk each scored 15 points. Teresiak added nine rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots while Wilk grabbed eight rebounds.

January 15, 2010
Cyclones win by more than half

For their third consecutive win in 2010, the Cyclones handily defeated McHenry County College 66-32 on Jan. 14. Moraine Valley started slow and was down by one with 13 minutes left in the first half. A 22-5 run by the Cyclones before halftime put them up 34-18 over the Scots. Nicole Wilk was the top scorer with 22 followed by Sharnita Lloyd at 13, Ashley Teresiak with 11, and 10 for Kristy Scialabba. Lloyd nearly had a triple double, adding eight rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and a blocked shot to her points scored. Moraine Valley shot 45 percent (9/20) in the game from behind the arc and pulled away in the second half for the win.

January 13, 2010
Two in a row for Cyclones

Moraine Valley had a solid 66-35 win Jan. 12 over conference opponent Morton College. Nicole Wilk led the Cyclones with 24 points, four assists and two steals. Sharnita Lloyd chipped in with 11 points, six assists, three rebounds, and three blocked shots. Lynette Turner had seven rebounds.

January 6, 2010
Cyclones topple Spartans

The Cyclones started the new year right with a 77-53 win over conference foe Elgin Community College on Jan. 5. Moraine Valley went up by 12 points early in the first half, but Elgin kept scrapping and pulled to within two points at the half making it a 29-27 game. After a half-time discussion and regrouping, the Cyclones came out ready to roll outscoring Elgin 48-26. Nicole Wilk led in scoring with 19 points. Ashley Teresiak followed with 16 points and seven rebounds. Jackie Sims added 12 points and seven rebounds while Lynette Turner banked 10 points.

December 19, 2009
Last game of 2009 ends in loss

It’s been a rough first half of the season for the Cyclones, ending 2009 with a 6-5 record. Moraine Valley finished its non-conference play with a 72-45 loss to Kishwaukee College on Dec. 18. The Kougars led at the half 26-24. The major difference in the game was 30 turnovers by the Cyclones, most were unforced errors. “It was finals week, and the Cyclones had not practiced all week until Thursday. Perhaps we also were looking forward to the semester break,” said coach Delwyn Jones. Jackie Sims led in scoring with 12 points and eight rebounds. Lynette Turner scored 6 points and led in rebounds with 12.

December 11, 2009
Three-pointers aid Cyclone win

It was 3-point kind of night Dec. 10 for Moraine Valley as the Cyclones defeated College of DuPage 66-54. Moraine Valley led most of the game, but the Chaparrals kept fighting throughout. When the Cyclones went to a 2-2-1 press, it shook things up a little and helped them pull away. Big 3-pointers by Nicole Mazor, Nicole Wilk and Sharnita Lloyd helped seal the deal. Moraine Valley finished 13/25 (52%) from the 3-point line.

Wilk led in scoring with 25 points (6/11 from 3-point line). Lloyd chipped in with 13 points (3/4 from 3-point line), five rebounds, five assists, and three steals for an all-around game. Mazor was 3/5 from the 3-point arc and finished with 11 points, four rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Jackie Sims had a game high 12 rebounds and added five assists.

The Cyclones have a game-free week until they play #9 ranked Kishwaukee College on Dec. 18 in the Cyclone Center.

December 9, 2009
Cyclones lose battle with rival

As hard as the Cyclones played, they could not match a strong rival Kankakee Community College team. Moraine Valley fell 91-62 on Dec. 8 against a team that routinely gives the Cyclones trouble. The Cavaliers led 39-30 at the half and had a run to start the second half, creating a deficit too large for Moraine Valley to overcome. Nicole Wilk led in scoring with 25 points while Sharnita Lloyd scored 21 and Jackie Sims chipped in with 13 points. Offensive rebounds killed the Cyclones with Kankakee holding a 21-3 advantage on the offensive glass.

December 7, 2009
Cyclones pounce Trojans

In another solid performance, Moraine Valley more than doubled Triton College’s score in a 70-34 win during the Triton College Tournament Dec. 4. The Cyclones jumped out to a 20-4 lead and never backed down. Triton rallied to close the score to 30-23, but the Cyclones went on an 11-4 run to end the half. To start the second half Moraine Valley had a 13-2 run to put the game away for good. Sharnita Lloyd led team scoring with 16 points, four assists and five steals. Ashley Teresiak had a solid 15 points with seven rebounds. Making her season debut in the starting lineup, Kristy Scialabba came up with 11 points, five rebounds and three steals. Lynette Turner was fantastic on the boards with 10 rebounds in limited play.

December 2, 2009
Ugly start to a pretty win

It took the Cyclones an entire first half and then some against Joliet Junior College on Dec. 1 to get in their groove. By the end of the game Moraine Valley had finished off the Wolves with an 85-69 victory.

At the end of the first half the game was tied at 37 and with 8 minutes left in the game the Cyclones trailed 66-65. Moraine Valley kicked in gear after halftime and went on a 20-3 run to close out the game. In the last 6:30 of the game the Cyclones held Joliet scoreless while scoring 19 points. Nicole Wilk led all scorers with 27 points, five rebounds, six steals, and three assists. Sharnita Lloyd chipped in with 17 points of her own and a team high six assists with five rebounds and three steals for a solid all around game. Ashley Teresiak had a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, adding four steals. Brittiney Winters had what is hoped to be her breakout game as she had a game high 16 rebounds to go with nine points and a blocked shot. Jackie Sims also had a double-double, 10 points and 10 rebounds, and another solid game since her return.

November 30, 2009
Disappointing Cyclone loss

In a close game, Moraine Valley lost 58-55 to Ancilla College on Nov. 24. Jackie Sims led in scoring with 22 points, in rebounding with nine and in steals with four. Nicole Wilk chipped in with 10 points and four assists.

November 20, 2009
Cyclones stomp out Olive-Harvey

The Cyclones dominated the court all night Nov. 29 when they crushed Olive-Harvey College 88-18. Moraine jumped to a 28-0 lead and led 56-8 at the half. Sharnita Lloyd and Jackie Sims scored 17 points apiece in limited action. Nicole Wilk, also with limited play, finished the night with 14 points. There were six Cyclones finishing with double digit points scored. Ashley Teresiak had a season high 11 points and 10 rebounds, Lynette Turner finished with 12 points and Brittiney Winters added a season high 10 points with seven rebounds and a block. Lloyd also added eight steals while Nicole Mazor led with eight assists.

November 18, 2009
Cyclones dominate Harper

Moraine Valley jumped out to an 8-0 lead against Harper College on Nov. 17 and never looked back. The Cyclones won 52-38. Harper made a run towards the half to narrow the score to 27-24. Moraine Valley continued to lead throughout the second half and began to pull away to their eventual win. Nicole Wilk finished with 17 points, five rebounds and three steals to lead the way. The surprise return of Jackie Sims, who has been injured, added a huge spark as she scored eight points and grabbed seven rebounds in only 20 minutes of restricted playing time. Ashley Teresiak led in rebounding with eight and chipped in with seven points.

The Cyclones have their home opener Thursday, Nov. 19, against Olive Harvey.

November 16, 2009
Lloyd and Wilk top scorers in region

All-star guards Sharnita Lloyd and Nicole Wilk have started the basketball season with a bang. They are ranked the top two scorers in Region IV, which includes Divisions I, II and III. Both athletes have averaged 23 points per game and have scored 69 points over their last three games. “This is the first time in my tenure as the women’s basketball coach at Moraine Valley that I’ve seen two players from the same school at the top of the list,” said coach Delwyn Jones. “It’s early, but we have two dynamic scorers in Lloyd and Wilk. Many of their points are also coming down the stretch in close games and both are very good free throw shooters so they are tough when they attack the basket. A 1-2 start goes to show that you need more than scoring to be successful in basketball, but with Lloyd and Wilk leading the way, the future looks bright.”


Cyclones fall short

In another exciting game the Cyclones fell short, losing 78-73 to Lincoln College on Nov. 13. Sharnita Lloyd led the scoring with 28 points and Nicole Wilk chipped in with 25 points, 22 of which came in the second half. The game was tied at 73 when Moraine Valley corralled the rebound and turned it over. The Lynx were fouled and hit their free throws to close the game out.

November 13, 2009
First loss of the season

The Cyclones lost their first game this season in a 73-65 battle against Kennedy King College on Nov. 12. Nicole Wilk scored a high 23 points followed by Sharnita Lloyd with 18. Center Brittiney Winters grabbed six rebounds for the night.

November 11, 2009
Cyclones start off with a tight win

In their season opener Nov. 10 the Cyclones held on to win 73-72 over Wright College. Sharnita Lloyd led in scoring with 23 points followed closely by Nicole Wilk, who threw in 21 points. Lloyd also had five rebounds, four assists and six steals. Ashley Teresiak chipped in with 10 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Nicole Mazor had eight points, seven rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Wright led 61-54 with four minutes to go, but Moraine Valley rolled on an 18-12 run. With the scored tied at 72 Wright College had the ball and missed a short jump shot with 12 seconds remaining. A big rebound by Jessica Groszek and a long full-court pass to a streaking Brittiney Winters created a foul. Winters hit of one of two free throws with 6.1 seconds left to seal the victory.

October 30, 2009
Cyclones have all the pieces for title run

Expectations are high this year for the thrice consecutively crowned Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference championship Moraine Valley Community College women’s basketball team. With the three top scorers returning and some top recruits on board, this season is shaped to wear a fourth crown.

In the last three years the Cyclones have compiled a 39-3 conference record and were runners-up twice in the NJCAA Region IV Division II championship. The team is poised for some domination thanks to its lineup.

“We should be good this year. How far can we go is the question. But we have a great core of players. Our three top scorers are back and ready,” said coach Delwyn Jones.

All-Region and All-Conference team guards Sharnita Lloyd (5’7”/Eisenhower) and Nicole Wilk (5’7”/Lemont) return this season after having a stellar first year at Moraine Valley. Both players also competed this summer in the junior college Top 120 tournament, which recognizes the best junior college basketball players in the country. Team leader and forward Jackie Sims (5’9”/Eisenhower) missed most of last season due to an injury, but is another solid scorer who continued to hold rank among the NJCAA Division II players for her rebounding and free throw percentages weeks after being injured.

A couple of sophomores back this year are 5’7” point guard Jessica Groszek (Tinley Park) who has grown as a player and playing well in the pre-season, and at 6’1”, post player Jill Gamauf (Chicago Christian) is expected to make things happen with her strong offense. Gamauf plays volleyball at Moraine Valley as well.

Three transfer students are expected to further elevate the team this year. Guard Nicole Mazor (5’6”/Shepard) is one of the best passers in Jones’ tenure as coach, and she sees the court well. Center Brittiney Winters (6’1”/Thornwood) and forward Lynette Turner (5’10”/Thornridge) have the length and strength necessary in the paint. Freshman forward Ashley Teresiak (5’11”/Sandburg) is a versatile player who is able to play all five positions on the court. She has rebounding skills and can shoot from the outside. Oak Lawn alum Kristy Scialabba, is a 5’6” guard who plays hard and gives 100 percent on the court.

“This will be a cohesive team, but it always takes time for a diverse group like ours to gel and learn each other’s playing style. We have very good people on the team, and if we get that chemistry together we’ll be dangerous,” Jones said. “We’re the favorites to win conference again, and we expect to win. Our team goal is to win the conference and region. On paper we should get it done, but every year our opponents change so we can’t put our guard down. Other teams are better this year so we need to stay competitive.”

The Cyclones open their season Nov. 10.

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.