It was five seconds into the Feb. 21 game against the Joliet Junior College Wolves when MATC’s All-Conference and All-Region guard Trisha Patton swished her first of five 3-pointers in the 90-79 victory for the Stormers that clinched the school’s first-ever women’s basketball N4C championship.
Patton’s three was followed soon after by another 3-pointer, this one coming from guard DeAndrea “Dede” Jones. Patton and Jones, along with All-Conference and All-Region guard Shonnice Vaughn, combined for 77 of the Stormers’ total points.
Jones led all scorers with 29 while adding five rebounds and four assists. Jones acted as the team’s primary ball handler throughout the game as well. It was a position Head Coach Jeff Lorenz felt confident putting Jones in because of her ability to read the game and keep cool.
“Dede is mature beyond her years on the basketball floor,” Lorenz said after the game. “She understands how to handle the ball. She understands situations. She’s one of the leaders on the team. When you become a leader, it’s by your actions and not by your words. And Dede leads by her actions.”
Jones demonstrated some of that savvy leadership from the free-throw line, hitting nine of her 10 shots there. “Solid player all-around,” Lorenz added.
Vaughn brought the pain once again, finishing with 26 points, nine rebounds, six steals, three assists, and two blocked shots. Like Jones, Vaughn also had an impressive game from the charity stripe, hitting 15 of her 17 free throw attempts. Vaughn’s style of play reminds this writer of Russell Westbrook and Metta World Peace during his prime because of her explosiveness, tenacity, and penchant for disrupting passing lanes.
Patton ended the game five of six from 3-point land and five of six from the free-throw line, finishing with 22 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. It was a typical performance from the lengthy and graceful sophomore from Green Bay who has had no issues exerting her dominance over the competition from the moment the season started.
The Stormers finished the regular season with an overall record of 22 wins and eight losses and a conference record of 12 wins and two losses.