East Peoria, IL - Excitement was in the air on Saturday, as the 17th-ranked Illinois Central College Women's Basketball team (8-3) hosted the Quarterfinal Round of its 43rd Annual ICC Holiday Tournament. There were plenty of exciting moments to talk about over the course of the day, and those are included below. #12 Palm Beach State (7-4), #1 Kirkwood (13-0), (RV) Schoolcraft (11-1), and the #17 Cougars were the Quarterfinal Round winners.
#12 PALM BEACH STATE 74, #6 LAKE LAND 56
The Panthers led throughout and were able to prevail after a second half push from the Lakers. The Panthers shot nearly 50% from the field (49.3%). Palm Beach State also won the rebounding battle (44-26), assists (17-10), and turnovers (13-14) in a Top 10 win for the Region 8 members.
Palm Beach Leaders:
Mia Lewis | 15 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists
Isabella Rivera | 12 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
Taylor Blackshear | 12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals
Gabriella Toledo | 10 points, 2 rebounds
Bree Williams | 9 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
Kyana Poitier | 9 rebounds, 2 steals
Lake Land Leaders:
Charleece Davis | 11 points, 2 steals
Sydney Richards | 10 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 assists
Audri Spencer | 10 points, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 rebounds
Quotes from Palm Beach State Head Coach Maureen Smith on the Victory:
On her team's defensive efforts, particularly on the perimeter (Lake Land was 21.4% from three)
"Shoot, we were just able to contain and jump some lanes and get out on their best perimeter shooters. They didn't get a whole lot of clean looks, at least not until the second half. They did make a nice push, but we were able to sustain that. We're very proud of our girls' effort."
On what she'd like to get out of this experience from her team, considering the length from home (1,295 miles)
"We love coming here. It just gives us good experience, coming out of our region, seeing a different style of basketball, and it's just quality talent every time we come to this tournament. This is a premier tournament, I think, in the country."
#1 KIRKWOOD 116, KANKAKEE 38
The Eagles stormed out to a 31-7 lead after the opening quarter and really never looked back. The Kirkwood offense was impenetrable all afternoon, with all four quarters seeing 20+ points scored, including a 34-point effort in the third. Their scoring effort was paced by 11 three-pointers, including four from Ellah Kissell. The Eagles also won the rebounding battle (44-31), assists (30-9), steals (21-6), and turnovers (12-31).
Kirkwood Leaders:
Lizzy Puot | 21 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
Kaliyah Sain | 14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
Ellah Kissell | 14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks
Jenna Twedt | 10 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
Eva Steffensen | 10 points, 4 rebounds
Shyla Moore | 9 points, 6 steals, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Ella Pritchard | 4 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists
Olivia Wren | 4 points, 6 assists
Kankakee Leaders:
Kayla Lacombe | 8 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
Alyssa Ross | 8 points, 2 rebounds
Mariya Babilius | 6 points, 2 rebounds
Janessa Wallace | 4 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds
Quotes from Kirkwood Head Coach Kim Muhl on the Victory:
On how he thought his team executed the scouting report on the Cavaliers
"I thought our kids guarded pretty well, early. It looked like Kankakee got a bit frustrated and we were able to capitalize on that. I thought we played okay. Nothing great, but we were okay."
On the ability to use the whole active roster in results such as this one
"I'm not so sure it's getting those girls the minutes, but giving those top eight or nine rest. That's maybe more important to me in a tournament like this. Somewhere along the line, you're going to get tired."
On his team's goals out of this tournament as a long-standing participant in it
"I think it's important to play three games in a row. If you go to the National Tournament, that's what you got to do. I don't like having two weeks off at Christmas break, either, because our league (Region 11 / ICCAC) starts January 4th. I think it's good in multiple ways."
(RV) SCHOOLCRAFT 56, #16 NORTH CENTRAL MISSOURI 47
A tough, physical, grind-it-out battle between the Schoolcraft Ocelots and North Central Missouri Pirates culminated in the closest game by point margin of the day. The Pirates' Jessica Reeter (tournament's leading scorer coming in) was hot from three early, eventually shooting 4-8). Down the stretch, it was players like Sharon Smith for the Ocelots who paved the route to victory, getting a double-double (stats below). The interior presence of one Garyana Overton was quite fierce, with the 6'1" sophomore bringing in 12 rebounds and getting eight blocks. In the end, the Ocelots out-scored the Top-25 Pirates 25-16 in the second half to take the narrow nine-point victory.
Schoolcraft Leaders:
Sharon Smith | 21 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists
Brooklynn Vickers | 11 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 4 steals
Siena McNitt | 5 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals
Garyana Overton | 2 points, 12 rebounds, 8 blocks, 3 steals
North Central Missouri Leaders:
Jessica Reeter | 21 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
Kayanna Cranmer | 5 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists
Oliviya Tinoco | 5 points, 7 rebounds
Tailer Morrison | 2 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks
Quotes from Schoolcraft Head Coach Shay Lewis on the Victory:
On her team prevailing through as physical a game as it was
"We talked about it before we came. We're all coming off Christmas break, so we expected it to be a little bit sloppy. Expected us to get a little bit tired. We talked about the type of team that we know we are. Our depth is an advantage for us, and that we're going to wear teams down."
On the interior presence of Garyana Overton
"She's a rim protector for us. Obviously, with eight blocks tonight. She saves us a lot of times as well. We're happy to have her back. She was out for awhile. She started the season with a really bad ankle sprain. Just her presence on the inside, knowing we have that cushion if our guards do get beat down the middle, that she's going to be there."
On her team's goals in participating in this tournament after hosting ICC last year, and playing in the October jamboree
"We're a really young team. We have 11 freshmen. We only have three returners with the experience of college basketball. One of the things that we wanted to do was to give them that exposure, but also, we want to be that elite program, so we gotta play these teams. This is such great competition. It's a great learning experience for our girls."
#17 ICC COUGARS 87, McHENRY COUNTY 52
The Cougars got off to a bit of a slow start (17-10 after a quarter), but pulled away as the game progressed. The Cougars shot just under 50% for the game (46.3%). Perhaps most evident from the Cougar victory other than two 20-point quarters, was the ball distribution. ICC had five players tally three or more assists, with
Addi Swadinsky (the tournament's leader in assists coming in) dishing out five. By game's end, the Cougars had 29 assists to 37 made baskets. The defense also forced 27 Scot turnovers. The ICC bench held up their end of the bargain as well, out-scoring the Scots' bench 42-6. This game did, however, see a fair amount of turnovers (49 combined), with ICC committing 22 and McHenry County committing 27. The Cougars would swipe an impressive 23 steals as well, with
Kaitlin White and
Cora DeSutter both leading that category (see full leaders below). ICC's 35-point victory behind four different double figure scorers puts the hosts in the Championship Semifinal tomorrow afternoon.
Cougar Box Score:
Lily Luczkowiak | 17 points, 4 rebounds
Savannah Orgeron | 14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
Cora DeSutter | 12 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 assists, "I Beat the Dean"
Kaitlin White | 11 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists
Addy Engel | 9 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
Larissa Taylor | 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 blocks
Madison Jobe | 8 points, 2 rebounds
Emily Dana | 7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
Khalise Thomas | 1 point, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals
Addi Swadinsky | 5 assists, 3 steals
Lauren Maas | 4 assists, 2 rebounds
Kamryn Heider | 2 assists, 2 steals
Gracie Heckert | 2 rebounds
McHenry County Leaders:
Zoie Lewis | 17 points, 7 steals, 6 rebounds, 2 assists
Adriana Gerstung | 14 points, 2 steals
Bella Frohling | 7 points, 7 rebounds
Cassidy Serpe | 4 points, 4 steals, 2 rebounds
Mikayla Saas | 4 points, 6 rebounds
Reese Kominoski | 4 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
Mia Hansen | 2 points, 4 rebounds
Quotes from Coach Karrie Redeker on the Victory:
On her team's ball distribution efforts (29 assists)
"I thought we had some really good ball movement - some kick-ins, kick-outs, a lot of penetration and kicks. You have to hit those shots to get the assists, so I liked our action in transition as well."
On the turnover situation for the game (22 in total, 49 between both teams)
"Boy, it's the giving season. We have to have much better ball security. We've talked to our team, we've been a good-shooting team so far this year, so you want to get more shots. That's definitely something we have to correct. Take care of the basketball. Value the basketball."
Early thoughts on how the matchup with Schoolcraft sets up
"I know they're a very balanced team. They play extremely hard - that game with North Central Missouri was really, really tough. To hold them to 47 points is really good. So we know their defensive intensity is something we're going to have to work really hard off of."
WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
2024 Holiday Tournament Semifinal
vs. (RV) Schoolcraft Ocelots (11-1)
Sunday, December 29th - 4:00 PM
at Ramsey Gym - East Peoria, IL
Watch Live (Hudl-TV)
Listen Live (Mixlr)
FULL SEMIFINAL SUNDAY SCHEDULE:
10AM | Consolation Semifinal | #6 Lake Land (9-3) vs. Kankakee (4-10)
12PM | Consolation Semifinal | #16 North Central Missouri (9-5) vs. McHenry County (7-5)
2PM | Championship Semifinal | #1 Kirkwood (13-0) vs. #12 Palm Beach State (8-4)
4PM | Championship Semifinal | #17 ICC COUGARS (8-3) vs. (RV) Schoolcraft (11-1)
FULL BRACKET - CLICK HERE
