With a senior-night win well in hand late, Oak Lawn senior guard Bianca Fleitas cheered excitedly from the bench for her teammates.
She jumped and screamed. She called out plays.
Above all else, she was having fun. Setting a program scoring record — she scored 42 points in a win against Richards on Jan. 29 — will brighten anyone’s mood.
After missing two months a year ago with a knee injury, Fleitas returned healthy this year and has been a huge presence as a player and captain for the Spartans.
She finished with 17 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals on Feb. 11 as host Oak Lawn rolled to a 60-28 victory over Bradley-Bourbonnais.
“I’m having a blast this year,” Fleitas said. “I’m really having fun with this team. I push myself to be a player with a lot of energy and spread good, positive energy on the court. On the bench or playing, I want to scream, get loud and hype the girls up.”
Juniors Olivia Perry (14 points, five rebounds, three steals), Kenadie Haubenreiser (nine points, seven rebounds) and Riley Krzystof (six points) also starred for Oak Lawn, which finished the regular season at 19-11.
Fleitas is a four-year varsity player and two-year starter.
In the season opener of her junior year, she landed awkwardly going for a rebound, straining her right MCL.
It was an injury that cost her two months. She made the best of it, though.
“We had nine seniors who were a huge factor for the team,” Fleitas said. “This year as a captain, it takes a lot of responsibility and accountability. It opened my eyes.”
Senior Sara Abdelrahman is also a team captain.
She hit a program-record 10 3-pointers on Feb. 10 in a home win over Eisenhower.
Perry said Fleitas has been a great captain.
“Bianca has always been a great leader,” Perry said. “We see it. The coaches see it. She’s super vocal and so motivating. I couldn’t ask for a better leader than Bianca.”
Fleitas and Perry also play club together for Illinois Dream.
“I remember freshman year I wrote a list of goals on my phone,” Fleitas said. “Conference champs, be a good ballhandler, shooter and passer, all those things. I put breaking a high-school record too. That’s checked off my list.”
Fleitas is uncommitted currently, but plans on playing basketball in college.
“I just wanted to get better this high-school season,” Fleitas said. “I’m trying to maintain confidence and build so I can be good for the team and play with energy as part of the team atmosphere.”
Coach Mark Sevedge said Fleitas has been a strong building block for a young roster.
“Bianca’s grown. Her maturity level has risen,” Sevedge said. “She’s grown as a player and as a leader. The seniors last year, she watched them lead. When they were gone, it was in her hands.”
Perry said the roster found a big connection this season through all the ups and downs.
“It’s been a big year for us,” Perry said. “We’re really connected as a team. We always have been. We’ve been playing great.”