Senior guard Alaina Vargas made sure Lincoln-Way East stayed on course Monday night.
Especially since the Griffins were playing against district rival Lincoln-Way Central for the second time in seven days and the Knights had nearly pulled off an upset in that last game.
“We had to come in with a strong mentality,” Vargas said afterward. “We just knew we had to start strong and finish even stronger. We knew we had to play hard.
“I like to get the other girls organized and together. My style is to play fast but calm, mentally sharp, and just really poised with my team and doing whatever I need.”
The sixth-seeded host Griffins got what they needed from Vargas, who converted five 3-pointers and scored 21 points for a 52-21 victory in the Class 4A Lincoln-Way East Regional semifinals.
Sophomore guard Ellie Guyette added 11 points for Lincoln-Way East (20-12), which advanced to play third-seeded Lincoln-Way West (21-11) at 6 p.m. Thursday for the regional championship.
Senior forward Brooke Baechtold came up with 12 points and seven rebounds for the 11th-seeded Knights (10-22). Senior guard Kiya Newson-Cole hit three 3-pointers in scoring nine points.
Vargas connected on back-to-back 3-pointers and scored 15 of her points in the first half as Lincoln-Way East shut out the Knights during the second quarter for a 23-6 halftime lead.
“I was in rhythm, my hands were in place and my arm felt right,” Vargas said. “My first two shots went in and I knew I wanted to have a good game with my shooting.
“That’s why I felt so confident and strong with the ball. I had to find my open looks, but I always had to get teammates good looks. That’s how we were able to get breakdowns on their defense.”
Junior forward Kennedy Johnson credited the hot early hand of Vargas for setting the perfect mood the rest of the team could play off after the Griffins beat the Knights 41-35 on Feb. 11.
“The way she shot the ball, it just brought great energy to the rest of the team,” Johnson said. “She was ready to step up and make the plays that we needed.
“She’s a great teammate. Everybody knows her. She’s very social. She’s helped me out a lot with school, and she does a great job with school outreach programs.”
In her third season, Vargas has come of age in her first year as a starter as an elite off-the-ball threat and connector who’s a crucial part of the Griffins’ motion offense.
“We graduated probably our top players last year,” Lincoln-Way East coach Jim Nair said. “It was maybe tough for her at times because Alaina’s a really good player. She waited her turn and has had a phenomenal year.
“Her 3-point shooting percentage is higher than any other girl we’ve had the last couple of years. She shoots with great confidence. After the game last week, we added a couple of new wrinkles to get Alaina some more shots.”
If Vargas projects a cool authority on the court, leadership comes naturally to her. She’s the senior class president and president of the student council. She’s also a defender for the soccer team.
Most significantly, she forged her assertive and bold personality from being the youngest of five and having four accomplished brothers who also played basketball.
Even growing up, she never backed down.
“I was always into sports, then my brothers got me into basketball and I fell in love with it,” she said. “They would never go easy on me, and I think that has really built my charger. They helped mold me into what I am.
“The relationships I have now are what I’m most fond of. I’ve created some of my best friends growing up. I’m always going to have a place in my heart because of basketball and what we’ve had here.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
