MACKINAW — TV cameras and sports reporters have become a pretty regular presence at Deer Creek-Mackinaw practice and games.
This shouldn’t be surprising for the state’s No. 1-ranked Class 1A girls basketball team. The Chiefs are 24-2, winning 14 of their last 15 as they head into Friday’s nonconference road test with Havana (21-5).
“We definitely are on our way to playing our best basketball,” Dee-Mack senior Dalia Dejesus said. “… I’m proud of all of us just as a whole (for being ranked No. 1). I don’t want sound conceded and say, ‘I’m not surprised,’ but I really just do think our hard work and dedication it’s beginning to pay off.”
However, it wasn’t long ago that Dee-Mack was on no one’s radar. During the 2021 pandemic-shorten spring season, the Chiefs finished 2-10 after winning 13 games the previous season.
“Five years ago,” Dee-Mack coach Joni Nightingale said, “the fact that we would have any kind of media coverage was a pipe dream for us, so that’s not out of our not-so-distant memory. We are so appreciative of the fan base that we have, the media coverage that we get. The girls have put in time.
“We knew that that’s all earned.”
Success, though, for D-M has come in a big way. Since the 2022-23 campaign, Dee-Mack has won 138 games (and counting), three successive regional championships and made the program’s first Elite Eight appearance in 2023.
Plus, it has been the top-ranked small school for three consecutive weeks.
“We have to show up every game,” Nightingale said, noting the top spot is “flattering” but “it’s just a ranking,” and put in the work and compete. … We know that we’re going to get everybody’s best game and we have to be prepared for that.”
No one seems to have honed their game more than Dejesus.
The 5-foot-11 forward has been a dominant force since setting foot on campus. Her growth from freshman year to now has put Dejesus among the state’s top players, regardless of class.
She’ll head to Quincy University to continue her playing career, but not before wrapping up her time as the all-time leading scorer at Dee-Mack with more than 2,000 points.
“People have known who No. 24 is for four years now,” Nightingale said. “… She’s on everybody’s scouting report. She’s getting double and tripled teams and she’s still performing. I think that in itself is impressive. … She has commanded such respect from other girls in the program just by her actions and who she is.
“The thought that we’re down to a month left with her in this program is really kind of heartbreaking.”
But Dejesus can’t do it alone.
Senior sharpshooter Jaelyn Nunley, junior point guard Riley Durbin, junior defensive stalwart Kate Schmidgall and junior all-around up-and-comer Anna Schmidgall have all stepped up in a big way. Lexi Cottingham and Kenzie Knowles graduating left some big holes to fill.
“Everybody can score on our team,” Nunley said. “It’s possible if they double-team me or they double-team Dalia, we have other players that are capable of and willing to score.”
“As much as I enjoy scoring,” Dejesus added, “I do enjoy passing, just getting my teammates open looks. … I just have really good teammates that are just available at all times and ready to shoot whenever we need them to.”
A loss to Peoria Notre Dame in last season’s sectional championship has turned into a positive this season. In that Sweet Sixteen defeat to the eventual Class 2A state runner-up, Dee-Mack led by five in the fourth quarter but was scoreless in the final 3:44.
There was plenty of reflection well into the offseason about that game.
“Last year was unique,” Nightingale said, “I hate to say, ‘You end your season with a loss on a high,’ but it really did feel that way. Our girls, our program felt like that was our best foot forward. We ended with the very best we could have played against amazing competition that made it into the state final.”
Dee-Mack’s endgame is winning that sectional title and making a run to the state finals.
“Our main goal, we just want to go to state,” Nunley said. “We want to win. That’s our main drive.”
Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: How Dee-Mack girls basketball went from a two-win team to ranked No. 1
Reporting by Adam Duvall, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
