Loyola switches up its defense in win over Naperville Central

Loyola didn't start Monday's game against Naperville Central in its trademark man-to-man defense.

Instead, the Ramblers sagged off sophomore Jaliyah Brown, and had junior forward Emily Naraky providing help on Naperville Central star Trinity Jones.

Brown hit two early threes for the Redhawks, but the Ramblers were dedicated to the game plan. If she kept hitting threes, the Ramblers would adjust, but Brown didn't make a three-pointer the rest of the game.

Whether it was face-guarding Jones with senior guards Clare Weasler and Kaitlyn McGovern, or doubling her, the Ramblers were intent on mucking up the game as much as possible for Jones.

Jones, a Clemson commit, finished with 27 points — nine in the second half — because of her impressive mix of shot-making ability and touch around the rim, but the Ramblers made sure it wasn’t an efficient night from Jones.

Loyola’s defensive commitment was key in its 65-49 win against Naperville Central.

Jones saw multiple defenders seemingly every time down the floor. But Jones’ stature as a player warranted Loyola switching from its traditional defense — Jones scored 40 points in a come-from-behind victory last week against Maine South.

“[The win] definitely took a lot out of us,” said Naraky, who finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds. “It took a lot of tough offense, too. We knew what we had to do.”

Senior Marycait Mackie (13 points) finished with eight rebounds, a testament to her willingness to go in the paint and battle with players much taller than her. Her size belies her competitiveness as a player. For Loyola’s defensive strategy to work, it was going to take each player buying into a role.

“I feel like people definitely underestimate me because of my size,” Mackie said. “I always try to get in the right position because people don't assume I'd be there.”

Loyola pulled ahead in the third quarter. The Ramblers led by seven points before they went on a 7–0 run that was kick-started by junior forward Maddie Locke’s block that led to her getting an and-one. To cap the run, Locke picked off a pass and as she stumbled, she had the presence of mind to make a heads-up pass to Naraky, who was streaking toward the basket.

Naraky and Locke combined to score all 13 Loyola points in the third quarter. They give teams trouble because of their versatility. Naraky can score just as easily from the post as she can from the three-point line, and Locke is one of the best drivers in the state.

Locke didn’t play much last year because of how deep the Ramblers were, but she practiced with the team and got reps on JV. That development has proved crucial for her and Loyola as she’s stepped up in a big way for the Ramblers, scoring 20 points in Monday’s win. She and Naraky have been stabilizing forces for Loyola offensively.

Naraky is a talented offensive player. She's fluid with the ball in her hands and can score in a variety of ways. But her ability to defend without fouling and knowing the timing of her rotation's was critical in Monday's win.

“[Naraky is] starting to really learn the defensive end of the floor,” coach Jeremy Schoenecker said. “She does a lot for us in terms of what she brings to us offensively, but I think defensively too, she's just really taking another step up in that direction."

Offense has garnered headlines for the Ramblers over the past couple of seasons, but it’s their defense that has been the driving force behind their success. Weasler and Mackie’s ruggedness and relentlessness rubbed off on the entire team, and Monday's win was another example of that.

“Even though we are a little bit on the smaller side for our team, we know we definitely can get those rebounds and defend,” Naraky said. “I mean, [Mackie’s] one of our smallest players [and she] gets at least six or seven rebounds a game. We just want to be as aggressive as we can on the boards.”