Senior guard Nawal Kaleel is going to squeeze every drop of fun she can playing for Andrew.

Kaleel, who plans on giving up sports to pursue a nursing degree in college, is in her fourth varsity season in basketball. She also played three years of soccer in the spring but isn’t this year.

Her goal right now? Just to enjoy the time she has left as a high school athlete.

“Do or die, we just have to try to win every game,” Kaleel said. “Basketball actually relates to nursing. You build relationships. My communication with my teammates will help me.

“We work as a team and basketball will help me in the future, even if basketball isn’t a part of it.”

Kaleel made sure she will have at least one more game, scoring 12 points Tuesday night to lift the Thunderbolts to a 64-47 win over the host Eagles in a Class 3A Sandburg Regional semifinal in Orland Park.

Andrew’s Nawal Kaleel (12) looks to pass as Sandburg’s Ellie Driscoll (4) defends during a Class 4A Sandburg Regional semifinal in Orland Park on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (James C. Svehla / Daily Southtown)

Ana Cisek led eighth-seeded Andrew (19-11) with 20 points and eight rebounds. Christa Olson had an unusual game. She was held scoreless until she got poked in the left eye with 1:22 left in the third quarter and then scored 11 points after that.

“That fired me up,” Olson said.

“She is as tough as nails,” Kaleel said of Olson.

Andrew also dedicated the win to the wife of coach Bobby Matz. Michelle underwent successful surgery Thursday to remove a noncancerous tumor from her head.

Andrew’s Nawal Kaleel (12) tries to find an opening as Sandburg’s Zoe Trunk (12) defends during a Class 4A Sandburg Regional semifinal in Orland Park on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (James C. Svehla / Daily Southtown)

“I missed the Lincoln-Way East game because I was with her in the hospital,” Bobby Matz said of his wife. “Everything went well. She was losing sight in her left eye and they figured it out.

“We’re very blessed that she’s taken care of and the girls wanted to win this for her.”

Makaleigh Terry led ninth-seeded Sandburg (14-18) with 13 points, while Ellie Driscoll and Zoe Trunk each had 12.

Andrew advanced to play in the 6 p.m. Thursday championship game against top-seeded Mother McAuley (21-6), which rolled to a 61-29 win over Perspectives Leadership (11-7) in the other semifinal.

Andrew’s Nawal Kaleel (12) and Sandburg’s Makaleigh Terry (23) reach for a rebound during a Class 4A Sandburg Regional semifinal in Orland Park on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (James C. Svehla / Daily Southtown)

Kaleel, meanwhile, was steady in her scoring but made a Caleb Williams-like play in the closing minutes of the third quarter for an assist.

Although the 5-foot-5 Kaleel was double-teamed 80 feet away from the basket, she was able to heave the ball down the court to a wide-open Makalya Terry for an easy layup.

“She’s the kind of player you love to coach,” Matz said of Kaleel. “She’s little undersized and I feel like she’s always sold short.

“But when you coach her every day, you can see that she knows the game and is a player like a coach on the floor. The knows the plays to make and who to get the ball to.”

Andrew beat district rival Sandburg twice during the regular season, 67-57 and 52-45. So when the Eagles took a quick 8-1 lead to start the game, Kaleel realized it was time to step up.

“We knew we had to play better defense,” Kaleel said. “We made some adjustments and that helped fuel our offense.”

Andrew’s Ana Cisek (22) pushes the ball up the court as Sandburg’s Makaleigh Terry (23) during a Class 4A Sandburg Regional semifinal in Orland Park on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (James C. Svehla / Daily Southtown)

Kaleel pointed out that she started playing basketball in kindergarten when her mother, Shamsa, coached her at the Tinley Park-Park District Recreation Center. Kaleel eventually became AAU teammates with Olson playing for the Illinois Defenders.

They also played together with the Junior T-Bolts team, which was coached by Michelle Matz.

“I really enjoy the relationships I’ve built being on this team,” Kaleel said. “Honestly, it’s fun to win games because I am a competitor.

“But it’s so much more fun to win games when we are dying laughing and having so much fun together.”

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/17/nawal-kaleel-andrew-sandburg-girls-basketball/