There were glimpses of the scoring ability Oak Lawn Community High School junior Shatha Abdeljaber showed last year on the junior varsity team as a sophomore. This season, those glimpses came into sharp focus. She burst on the scene as an instant scoring threat off the bench and became a crucial cog in the Spartan machine that won its second consecutive South Suburban Conference Red Championship. Only this time the title came with a perfect 13-0 record in conference and an overall mark of 23-7.
Abdeljaber established herself as a prolific scorer in a win over Providence Catholic earlier in the season. She scored 17 points, including hitting a perfect 4-of-4 three-point attempts. Then, she followed that performance by assisting in a huge come-from-behind win over Oak Forest where the Spartans overcame an 18-point halftime deficit. She scored 19 points, going 4-for-5 from behind the arc.
“Shatha had a breakout junior season for the Spartans,” head coach Mark Sevedge said. “Her ability to score the ball and knock down big shots in crucial moments was instrumental in the team securing back-to-back conference titles.”
Abdeljaber was recognized for her outstanding season as she was named to the all-conference team. Individually, she advanced downstate as one of only 16 players left in the Illinois High School Association three-point shooting contest.