Admittedly, senior guard Addi Lowe has been in a bit of a shooting slump this season for Batavia.
She was determined to turn that around Monday night.
“My threes haven’t been on this year,” Lowe said. “I’ve been hesitant to shoot.
“(Monday) I was like, ‘Why not, let it fly?’ It paid off.”
Lowe shot 3 of 5 on 3-pointers to help the Bulldogs come close to cashing in, cutting Fremd’s lead down to one point during the third quarter of Monday’s Class 4A Bartlett Supersectional.
Fremd pulled away in the fourth quarter, however, ending Batavia’s deepest postseason run with a 65-46 decision.
Brooke Carlson scored 19 points and Lowe added 15 for Batavia (29-6). Ella Todd paced Fremd (29-6) with 21 points, while Coco Urlacher had 14 points and 16 rebounds.
Lowe and Hallie Crane hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the third to cap a 15-4 spurt and pull the Bulldogs within 36-35.
Ellie Thompson’s step-back 3-pointer to end the quarter, though, gave Fremd a 41-37 lead. That ignited a decisive 18-2 burst that put the game again.
“I felt like we had a lot of energy,” Lowe said. “Fremd is a good team — props to them. They came in really well-prepared and they were able to turn it around.”
Batavia coach Kevin Jensen said he had a hunch Lowe was going to have a big game Monday.
“I told them before the game, I have this feeling that Addi is going to hit some big threes,” Jensen said. “She didn’t really shoot the ball well all year long. She was due. She buried a couple.
“I was so happy for her.”
Carlson said the third quarter was more indicative of how the Bulldogs wanted to play in a game that was closer throughout than the final score indicates.
“I feel like they were playing with a different intensity,” Carlson said. “I think the third quarter we were playing like us, but we started the game not playing like us. We got ourselves into a slump.
“We still got it to within one and showed everyone was can play.”
The 5-foot-7 Lowe only averaged 3.6 points coming into Monday’s game, but that doesn’t show her true value to the team.
“She’s kind of a linchpin for us,” Jensen said. “She guards the ball so dang well. Despite her size, she can guard just about anybody, and she did that again (Monday).
“She was playing as physical as she could — really proud of her.”
Carlson was happy to see Lowe end her Batavia career on such a high note.
“Addi had an amazing game,” Carlson said. “She’s been our defensive player all year. It’s amazing to see her get some shots in because she was in a little scoring slump.
“She got it going, and that was amazing to see.”
The Bulldogs made the deepest run in program history, winning their first sectional title. Jensen said that their legacy will be felt by more than just their on-court accomplishments.
“I don’t think these seniors realize the groundwork they’ve laid for future years,” Jensen said. “I know this has been a historic run for us. I wish it was a little bit further, but we’re to a place where the margins are so small.
“At the end of the day, it’s one night and they got us.”
Lowe also knows that she and her fellow seniors left their mark.
“This year has been the best I’ve ever had,” Lowe said. “This team is the closest team I’ve ever had. We all love each other so much. Next year, I think everyone will want to carry on the legacy.
“These memories will last forever.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
