Sophomore guard Ansley Ruh could see the writing on the wall for Kaneland.

The Knights entered the season with only two seniors, meaning there would be plenty of opportunities for playing time. Ruh took notice right away and was ready for the challenge.

And as her minutes have steadily increased?

“Every opportunity I get in and out of the game, I always take advantage of,” she said. “There’s a lot of good competition on our team. Everybody was kind of fighting for a spot.

“It was like working hard to get your spot, always making sure you’re working hard.”

Ruh worked hard Thursday night to fuel Kaneland’s comeback, scoring all five of her points at crucial moments for the host Knights in a 42-36 nonconference victory over Oswego.

Kaneland’s Ansley Ruh (22) gets in position for an inbounds pass against Oswego during a nonconference game in Maple Park on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (Jeremy Toney / The Beacon-News)

After trailing by as many as 13, Kaneland (19-12) cut the deficit to 31-30 on Ruh’s 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter. With 4:18 left, her layup off a steal gave the Knights a 35-33 lead.

Kyra Lilly led all scorers with 13 points for the Knights. Amani Meeks added 11 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals, while Grace Brunscheen scored eight points off the bench.

Kendall Grant and Peyton Johnson picked up nine points apiece to pace Oswego (13-17).

The trust in Ruh from Kaneland coach Brian Claesson has grown all season. She didn’t start Thursday but was on the court for the entire fourth quarter as the Knights completed the rally.

Kaneland’s Ansley Ruh (22) scores the go-ahead basket against Oswego during a nonconference game in Maple Park on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (Jeremy Toney / The Beacon-News)

“The first half, the shots just weren’t falling,” Claesson said. “It was just one of those things where we went into halftime and said, ‘Hey, we’re good. The next shot’s falling.’

“She had that mentality and hit that shot.”

For her part, Ruh pointed out that she and her teammates were just sticking together.

“We were all just trying to do whatever we can, really focusing on offense at that point of the game and trying to make game-winning plays,” Ruh said. “I really think that (Claesson) has helped me, building my confidence and my team too. They’ve definitely helped a lot.”

Kaneland’s Ansley Ruh (22) high-fives teammate Kyra Lilly (21) after drawing a late foul against Oswego during a nonconference game in Maple Park on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (Jeremy Toney / The Beacon-News)

Kaneland, which snapped a three-game losing streak, fell behind 23-10 at halftime. The Knights shot only 2 of 20 from the floor and 3 of 10 from the free-throw line in the first half.

They gave up just 15 points in the second half, though, allowing them to creep back into the game.

“We had plenty of opportunities, missed way too many shots,” Oswego coach Venita Parsons said. “Turnovers at key points in the game, that’s what it comes down to.

“I think what they need to understand is that you have to finish. You can’t play only half a basketball game.”

Ruh’s emergence this season has been steady. With the rash of injuries Kaneland has suffered in the last month, that emergence was accelerated.

“She’s been building on it,” Claesson said of Ruh. “It’s been rough on us the past three weeks. We’re just trying to find people to step up. (Thursday) she did step up.”

Kaneland’s Ansley Ruh (22) looks on as a teammate shoots a free throw against Oswego during a nonconference game in Maple Park on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (Jeremy Toney / The Beacon-News)

Having a largely new team after heavy graduation losses, Claesson knew this could be an unpredictable season. He’s happy with how everything turned out, however.

“Only having two seniors, there are a lot of different roles that are happening this year and people are stepping up,” Claesson said. “Hopefully, this is the right momentum going into the playoffs.”

Battling injuries, the Knights had lost seven of eight games going into Thursday. But they rallied for a big win and will carry that momentum into Monday’s playoff opener against Geneva.

“We’re feeling a lot better,” Ruh said. “We’ve been suffering with losses from injuries, but now everybody is getting back and it’s really nice.”

Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/13/ansley-ruh-kaneland-osewgo-girls-basketball/