In a performance defined by sheer willpower, Dalia DeJesus made her presence was felt on both ends of the floor in Dee-Mack's opening statement in their Class 1A state semifinal game.
Deer Creek-Mackinaw senior Dalia Dejesus dribbles past Rockford Christians' Shea Ludwig during their state semifinal game on Thursday at CEFCU Arena. Dejesus led the Chiefs with 31-points in the rout.
by Alan LookBest Look Magazine
NORMAL - The beauty of March basketball isn’t always found in the fluidity of a fast break or the perfection of a swish. Sometimes, it’s found in the grit of a defensive stance and the steady hand of a player who refuses to blink under the bright lights of CEFCU Arena. On Thursday afternoon, the Deer Creek-Mackinaw girls' basketball team embodied that resilience, securing a 48-35 victory over the Rockford Christian to claim a Class 1A semifinal win.
Shea Ludwig takes a shot for Rockford Christian. The senior forward scored a team-high 11 points in the semifinal contest. Later, the Royal Lions faced Brown County in the third-place game, falling 59-47 to finish fourth in Class 1A.
Rockford Christian struggled to find a consistent rhythm against that pressure, shooting just 27.3% from the field for the game. Shea Ludwig provided a spark for the Royal Lions with 11 points, while Lucy Gargani added nine, but the team’s outside shooting went cold, finishing 2 of 14 from beyond the arc. Dee-Mack’s separation occurred in the third quarter, a period when it found its offensive stride by shooting 56%. By the 4:06 mark of the third, the Chiefs had extended their lead to 16 points, a margin that proved too high for Rockford Christian to overcome. Despite a late push by the Royal Lions, Dee-Mack’s composure at the free-throw line, led by DeJesus’ 12-of-15 performance, sealed the result. It was a game where the intangibles outweighed the aesthetics. Dee-Mack controlled the boards 29-24 and capitalized on second-chance opportunities to keep the Royal Lions at bay. For the Chiefs, this wasn’t just a win; it was a statement of poise. They led for more than 26 minutes of the contest, proving that when the stakes are highest, they have the defensive edge to match their offensive focal point.
Alan Look is a Central Illinois photographer with more than two and a half decades of experience documenting sports, agriculture, automotive subjects, editorial assignments, and commercial projects across the Midwest. His work blends high‑impact action photography with long‑form documentary coverage, creating a visual record of regional sports history, rural life, and the people and industries that define Central Illinois.
To view the complete visual story from the DeeMak-Rockford Christian game, visit the game gallery from Alan Look Photography.
