Girls Basketball continues to shock the high school sports world with a stunning 54-51 comeback victory against GBS to claim the regional title. The win against the Titans adds to the list of accomplishments by the 2025-26 squad who have already claimed the programs first CSL title since 2020, and won 17 regular season games, marking a remarkable turnaround from last season where they finished 12-20.
“It just feels so magical. At the start of the season our first goal was just to be competitive. So I could not be more proud of these girls who have managed to achieve what we have achieved this season,” praised Head Coach Brittanny Johnson.
The game itself was a thriller, the Kits were down 44-35 with five and a half minutes left in the fourth. Incredibly, it only took coach Johnson’s team a litter over a minute to completely wipe away the deficit. A sophomore Charity Bryant free throw would get the ball rolling for the Kits, before freshman Simone Hewitt socred consecutive buckets inside the paint to reduce the Titans lead to four. After a steal by senior Sandra Deeney, junior Payton King rose above two defenders to sink a midrange jumper to get the Kits within one score, which they did not need to wait long for, as Bryant stole junior Norah Rogers pass right under the basket for an easy game time tying layup. With just under four minutes left Hewitt, located senior Havana Van Wyk who sunk the go-ahead corner three, nailing the biggest shot of her career after going 0-17 from behind the arc previously this season at the Titan Dome. Bryant would score a pair of baskets to cap off a 16-0 Kits run to put the Kits up 51-44 with a minute to go.
“GBS thought that they had wrapped up the game,but we practiced for this situation all week, simulating impossible situations like being down twelve with a minute left. So tonight our girls never stopped believing,” commented Johnson.
The Titans fought to the very end, almost pulling off an improbable comeback of their own. They scored seven points in the last 47 seconds, and a three pointer from sophomore Niki Davorija pulled the Titans within two with twenty seconds to go. King was sent to the line to ice the game for the Kits, after missing the first, she hit the second to force her opponents to make a three on the games final possession. The Kits defense held firm with Bryant making the season saving block as time expired. The CSL player of the year scored a game high 25 points while playing with an injured shoulder.
“I love what Charity does so much. She could barely raise her arm yet somehow led us to this victory,” remarked Johson.
Hewitt scored a double-double for the Kits (12 rebounds and 10 points), while King contributed 13 points. The visitors took a 25-24 lead into half time, after being down seven midway through the second quarter. The Kits held the Titans to 33% from the field in the first half, but the Titans responded with a stifling zone defense in the third that gave them a 38-35 lead going into the final frame.
“We tried our best to be unpredictable. We pressed a lot tonight, even though we are not really a pressing team, and we found ways to make plays late in fourth after struggling to break their down defense for most of the game,” noted Johnson.
The Kits now have the tall task of taking on Loyola, the consensus top team in the State, in the sectional semifinals on Tuesday night at Maine South.
“No matter what happens, the next few years will be a pretty good time to be an Evanston basketball fan,” commented Johnson.
