Senior guard Kendra Brown has spent a bunch of her time at Kaneland trying to become a more well-rounded player — not just a proficient outside shooter.
The way she’s played in the last few weeks shows her transformation is reaching its peak.
“Just hitting milestones and setting records is a huge thing,” Brown said. “Just having all that support from my teammates, coaches believing in me, it’s a huge thing.”
Brown put together a memorable performance on senior night Monday against Bartlett. The Judson recruit scored a game-high 34 points in a 74-27 nonconference win, surpassing 1,500 career points in the process.
Sam Kerry added 14 points for the Knights (19-9). Megan Kron led Bartlett (5-23) with 10 points.
The 5-foot-7 Brown was scoreless early in an 8-8 tie. That didn’t last long, though, as Brown dug deep into her whole bag on a personal 9-0 run as the Knights began to pull away from the Hawks.
She hit a 3-pointer, extending a program record she recently set. She then converted a driving layup, a putback and a lay-in off a steal. She scored eight more points in the second quarter, fittingly hitting a three to hit 1,500 points before halftime as Kaneland built a 38-14 lead.
“She needed 17, so she got that in the first half,” Kaneland coach Brian Claesson said. “She had 31 on Saturday, too, so back-to-back 30-point games. She knows it’s her senior year.
“She’s taken her game to another level. It’s one of those things where her all-around game is unbelievable. She’s not just a shooter. Hopefully, we can make a run and extend her career.”
Putting together yet another signature game on senior night was icing on the cake for Brown.
“Being able to play with all my friends that I’ve had for a long time, just leaving the court knowing that we got to play together, it’s special,” Brown said. “It definitely feels good.”
Bartlett’s Pat Ryan used to coach at Kaneland, so he knows Brown’s game well. He knows she has taken that next step in her career.
“She’s a very good player,” Ryan said. “It’s hard because you put your best player on her and she can still do it all. That’s a good team. She’s a good player, but all around they’re pretty talented.
“It’s tough because you take her away and they have a bunch of other girls that are good players.”
It gives Claesson confidence the Knights are playing their best right now. This week, they take a five-game winning streak into crucial Interstate Eight Conference games at Sycamore and Morris.
“We’re playing really well right now,” Claesson said. “I like where we’re at. We’re heading in the right direction at the right time, which is good to see.”
Brown has been at the center of that surge. She averaged 26.5 points in four wins last week.
“This is my third year and I’ve had Kendra the whole time,” Claesson said. “Hopefully, it’s something we don’t take for granted. It’s one of those things where that type of athlete doesn’t come through your program every year.”
Brown has seen her achievements pile up as the season goes on. It has led to several records and a college commitment. All that’s left is a deep postseason run.
“I believe right now I do have a lot more confidence,” Brown said. “Going into the season, I feel like I didn’t have much. Right now, I definitely do, and it comes from my teammates believing in me.
“Our goal is definitely to win. We’re trying to push for first place in conference and moving on to the playoffs, hoping to go further. That’s been our goal since the start of the season.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
