Even though three of her four older brothers were standouts on the court, Homewood-Flossmoor’s Zoey Ratliff took a while before she made basketball her top sport.
Growing up, she gained a wealth of experience and toughness while getting clobbered by Jermiaire, JayQuan, Jovi and Jamir in backyard games, but she maintained a variety of interests.
“I played soccer, volleyball, and I did dance and cheer,” Zoey said. “Now, I do basketball and track. I think I could have executed in soccer and volleyball, but I just found a love for basketball more.”
Jermiare was a standout football player at H-F. JayQuan played basketball at Hillcrest. Jovi, a senior guard, and Jamir, a junior guard, are still making a difference in basketball for the Hawks.
Zoey, who said she looks up to all four, has been doing the same thing for H-F. The freshman guard worked her way into the starting lineup on varsity and has shown flashes of brilliance.
It was more than that Tuesday night as Ratliff erupted for 18 points on six 3-pointers as the host Vikings wrapped up the regular season with a 59-43 SouthWest Suburban Conference win over Lincoln-Way West in Flossmoor.
Aunyai Deere scored 14 points and Jenesis Moore added 13 for H-F (22-9, 13-3), which finished second in conference. Jemiyah McDonald had eight points, five rebounds and three steals.
Caroline Smith led Lincoln-Way West (20-10, 12-4) with 18 points and nine rebounds.
The 5-foot-5 Ratliff was on fire in the first half with five 3-pointers to help H-F take a 36-24 lead. Interestingly, she only started getting serious about her outside game this season.
“Honestly, I’ve never been a shooter until I came to H-F,” Ratliff said. “I took some 3-point shots, but it wasn’t my specialty. Then, that became my role.”
It’s a role Ratliff is starting to enjoy.
“I like the feeling of it when it goes in,” she said of shooting 3-pointers. “It builds up your confidence and makes you want to just keep going.”
H-F coach Anthony Smith likes having an extra threat outside and wants to keep Ratliff out there the rest of the season. But he also knows she’s itching to take her game inside as well.
“You can tell her brothers never took it easy on her,” Smith said of Ratliff. “She’s feisty. She wants to try to take it to the hole.
“I’m trying to get her to just stay outside, but she says she wants to take it to the hole and do everything. I’m proud of her.”
Smith said he calls the regular season the “preseason” and that Ratliff and fellow freshmen Laila Williams and Katelynn Jones were productive.
Now comes the big test as the Vikings are seeded fourth in the Class 4A Rich Township Sectional behind Marist, Lockport and Lincoln-Way West.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what they can do come playoff time,” Smith said of his freshmen trio. “That’s when the bright lights come on. I’m looking forward to seeing that growth because they have a chance to really do something.”
McDonald, one of five seniors for the Vikings, said H-F is thinking big about the postseason. Having an emerging option in Ratliff could help that narrative.
“She’s kind of fast and she can make some shots for us,” McDonald said. “She can get up and down the court and stop people on defense.”
Smith confirmed that, with the makeup of this team, H-F could either lose in the first round of the regional or win the sectional.
Ratliff hopes it’s the latter.
“We had a rough start this season,” she said. “But we definitely learned how to play together.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.