Addie Leonard, Lake Zurich top South Elgin

Addie Leonard of Lake Zurich doesn’t shy away from playing with a black sleeve on her right knee and a black brace on her left knee.

Leonard underwent two knee surgeries – first on his right, then on his left – within a span of 11 months. So the 5-foot-10 junior guard is happy to be healthy and contributing to the Bears.

“It was really hard watching all my teammates play,” Leonard said. “I wanted to get back on the field so bad and I tried to do everything in my power, like my rehab, to try to get back sooner. I worked hard in training to show that I was capable of getting back out there.

“Being away, it made me realize how much I love basketball and want to play at the next level.”

Leonard was all over the court during an Elgin South Class 4A semifinal game Tuesday. She finished with six points, three rebounds, three steals and a blocked shot as fourth-seeded Lake Zurich beat Storm, 36-20.

The Bears (21-10), who will face fifth-seeded Rolling Meadows (18-10) in the regional championship game at 6 p.m. Thursday after beating South Elgin (17-15), have lost just three games since Leonard was shut out for heavy minutes on Jan. 1. She played for the first time this season in a North Suburban Conference game against Lake Forest on December 19.

“Addie came back and was basically on the pitch count until Jan. 1,” Lake Zurich coach Chris Bennett said. “Since then, we’ve been a different team. She’s guarding the other team’s best player. In my opinion, she’s the best defender in the conference.

“Her offense is developing and when she puts her feet down, she’s a very good shooter. She’s aggressive and plays at a different speed. She’s a physical kid and she doesn’t do anything at half speed.”

Leonard, who suffered her last knee injury during the flag football season, prides herself on playing solid defense and is averaging 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 steals. She guarded star Lily Fisher in the Bears’ 50-28 win over conference champion Libertyville on Jan. 28.

Leonard, an all-conference pick in both sports, is also averaging 8.7 points after hitting 19 3-pointers on a team-high 45.2 percent shooting.

“I feel like I can do a lot of things, like score and shoot and give other people opportunities, and I like to rebound,” she said. “I do a lot of different things.”

Lake Zurich senior point guard Layne Nordstrom agrees that Leonard sparks the Bears on both ends of the court.

“It’s like a whole different energy since she came back,” Nordstrom said. “She’s always been our No. 1 girl to pick the best player on the other team. It’s been a real change in energy on defense. We’re getting more stops.

“Offensively, she’s great in transition. She runs the court so well and is super strong in the paint. She adds a whole new layer to our team.”

Leonard also impressed junior forward Kaitlin Wahlund.

“She has improved so much,” Wahlund said, “and seeing her come back from her injuries has been very inspiring for her teammates.”

Bobby Narang is a freelance journalist.