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Aunyai Deere delivers for HF in super section

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In the end, while he lost the sting, there was more to the game for the sophomore guard Aunyai Deere.

Yes, a great season for Homewood-Flossmoor ended Monday night, but what Deere took away from the journey was what really mattered to him and his teammates.

Think of it as a holistic perspective aided by senior guards Layla Pierce And Jaeda Murphy.

What did he learn from them?

“I continue to keep myself afloat; I continue to help the team stay afloat when they feel their morale is dropping,” Deere said afterward. “And keep pushing each other.”

The 6-foot-11 Deere was tough as nails for HF in a 48-32 loss to Nazareth in the Class 4A Hinsdale Central Supersectional. He scored nine points, added six rebounds and two assists.

Three of those rebounds came on offense, and he also had a blocked shot for the Vikings (23-8). sophomore guard Jenesis Moore He scored 10 points, including a pair of three-pointers.

Search for Homewood-Flossmoor coach Tony Smith affected.

“He’s a basketball player,” Smith said of Deere. “This is what he loves to do. He does a lot of things for us.”

Homewood-Flossmoor’s Jenesis Moore (4) launches a fast break against Nazareth in the Class 4A Hinsdale Central Supersectional on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, in Hinsdale. (Steve Johnston/Daily Southtown)

Although Nazareth (31-3) was as good as advertised, it was a worthwhile outing for the Vikings. senior forward Olivia Austin Scored 18 points and senior guard Amalia Dray There were 13 of them.

In fact, the Roadrunners eliminated H-F’s vaunted 3-point shot by stacking the court with three defenders. He forced the Vikings to move into the lane where Austin and the others were waiting.

Deere, junior guard Dear Pryor, and advanced in second grade Ihuoma Ozoh He gained plenty of experience coming from behind against Class 3A state champion Nazareth.

In many ways, Deere has shown how he will take on a leadership role in HF next season.

“Aunyai came in as a kid ready to go and wanted it from day one,” Smith said. “I’m proud of her. He will really be a leader for us next year. “He will take on this leading role.”

Homewood-Flossmoor's Aunyai Deere (3) defends Nazareth's Stella Sakalas (32) during the Class 4A Hinsdale Central Supersectional on Monday, February 26, 2024 in Hinsdale, IL.  (For Steve Johnston/Daily Southtown)
Homewood-Flossmoor’s Aunyai Deere (3) defends against Nazareth’s Stella Sakalas (32) during the Class 4A Hinsdale Central Supersectional on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, in Hinsdale. (Steve Johnston/Daily Southtown)

Pierce said the lesson in leadership he teaches Deere and the young people who will return is simple.

Live in the moment.

“We have a tough coach,” Pierce said. “So me and Jaeda tried to teach them, to understand everything he said. As a leader, you have to carry your teammates and show them what they can do.”

Deere isn’t the only person Pierce and Murphy helped. junior guard Jemiyah McDonaldThe player, who had 3 rebounds and 2 points on Monday, said they were tough when needed.

“They see us laughing at practice and tell us to focus so we don’t get in trouble,” McDonald said. “We can get everything we need into our brain and focus on it.”

Moore was a freshman starter but has come off the bench for much of this season.

Homewood-Flossmoor's Layla Pierce (11) continues to dribble and waits for her teammates to catch up during the Class 4A Hinsdale Central Supersectional on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, in Hinsdale, IL.  (For Steve Johnston/Daily Southtown)
Homewood-Flossmoor’s Layla Pierce (11) continues to dribble and waits for her teammates to catch up to Nazareth during the Class 4A Hinsdale Central Supersectional on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, in Hinsdale. (Steve Johnston/Daily Southtown)

At 6-foot-4, Moore is about the same height as Murphy, so the offense should look pretty similar when it comes to shooting next season.

“Just being a dog,” Moore said. “Because that’s what Jaeda did. He is a dog. “He’s pushing everyone to step up and come together, just encouraging his teammates to keep going.”

Smith said he and his coaching staff are excited about what they will achieve with returning players like Deere and Moore, who have seen the amount of playing time typically reserved for upperclassmen.

“I was happy with the seniors this year,” Smith said. “It was more like they were holding each other accountable. If a kid was making a joke and they had to confront him, they’d say, ‘Hey, you did it.’ We need to handle A and B, you need to handle this.’

“That’s what I liked about these kids.”

Gregg Voss is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

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