Illinois girl sets national girl's high school three-point record

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Illinois girl sets national girl's high school three-point record

MACHESNEY PARK, Ill. (AP) — When the fifth of Courtney Weibel's seven three-pointers swished through the net Tuesday night, the Rockton Hononegah player surpassed a national girls high school basketball record that had stood for eight years.

Weibel's fifth three-pointer of the game against Harlem came 2:11 before halftime and broke the record of 455 career three-pointers set in 1999 by Nikki Tibbs of Butler High School in Huntsville, Ala., according to the National High School Sports Record Book.

Weibel's 7-of-10 performance from behind the arc in Rockton Hononegah's 67-34 victory put her at 458 career three-pointers by the end of the night.

"That's nice," Weibel told the Rockford Register Star on Tuesday night. "I'm glad it's over with. No more pressure. Now I can just go out and play and help our team get far in the tournament."

Weibel said she hadn't realized she was closing in on the record until a sports writer mentioned it about two weeks ago when she broke the previous Illinois record of 437, set in 1999 by Ashley Luke of Aurora Waubonsie Valley. When the word got out, it started a countdown.

"There was a little pressure because everyone was asking, 'How much do you have left?' I tried not to think about it," Weibel said. "I don't think it's really hit me yet. To have the most in the nation is pretty cool."

Weibel insists on making at least 100 three-pointers every day in her 40-minute gym class, and then shoots again at practice.

But she gave her teammates credit for her record-setting performance, pointing out that she takes advantage of the screens to get a clear shot.

"I wouldn't be able to get open without our picks or score without our point guard's passes," Weibel said. "It's not just me. It's everybody."

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Posted 1/31/2007 1:14 AM ET 

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