Schools
Joliet area high schools see improvement in language arts scores on state report card
By Anita Patel
Young St. Bede girls basketball team looks to improve throughout season
Anita Patel
Anita Patel
Sports Reporter · Naperville, IL
Anita Patel, a graduate of DePaul University, has over 8 years of experience covering high school athletics for various local publications. She has a deep passion for sports and youth development, often championing the stories of student-athletes making an impact in their communities.
More from Anita →Sports Reporter · Saturday, November 14, 2026 at 12:00 AM · 1 min read
The St. Bede girls basketball team lost a lot of talent to graduation after last season.The Bruins must replace 1,000-point scorer Lili McClain, a NewsTribune and BCR All-Area first-team pick, along with strong post players Savannah Bray and Ava Balestri. McClain and Bray now play basketball at IVCC, while Balestri plays softball at IVCC.Sophomore Hannah Heiberger also did not return to the team this season.
The Details
“Our numbers are down this season, and we have a young roster,” St. Bede coach Tom Ptak said. “Some players will contribute at both [varsity and JV] levels, giving them valuable experience and opportunities to grow. Our goal is to improve throughout the season, become a better team than we are today and enjoy competing together.”Junior Parker McClain is the team’s lone returning starter.
She averaged 2.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game last year.“Parker is entering her third year on varsity,” Ptak said. “Parker will be our primary ball handler and one of ou
About This Story
Local news from Orland Park Current
Coverage Area
Orland Park, Illinois
Section
Schools
Published
Saturday, November 14, 2026
Reading Time
1 min
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