East Peoria, IL - Lorene Ramsey Gym hosted yet another active day of basketball on Sunday, as the 17th-ranked Illinois Central College Women's Basketball team (8-4) hosted the Semifinal round of its 43rd Annual ICC Holiday Tournament. A mixture of margins saw #6 Lake Land (10-3), #16 North Central Missouri (10-5), #1 Kirkwood (14-0), and (RV) Schoolcraft (12-1) all come away with victories, capped off by (RV) Schoolcraft downing #17 ICC in the nightcap in a nailbiting double overtime game, 76-73. The full day is transmitted below.
#6 LAKE LAND 78, KANKAKEE 63
Motivated to bounce back after a tough loss on Saturday, the #6-ranked Lake Land Lakers stormed out to a 18-8 lead after a quarter. From there, however, the Cavaliers managed to keep the margin relatively close, getting within 10 points in the second half. The Lakers were able to pull away down the home stretch, eventually going 11-16 at the free throw line to the Cavaliers' 8-13. Sydney Richards, the tournament's leading rebounder coming in, turned in a double-double (stats below). Kankakee's offense finished strong, out-scoring Lake Land in the final frame, 27-24.
Lake Land Leaders
Charleece Davis | 20 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals, 4 assists
Sydney Richards | 19 points, 14 rebounds, 5 blocks
Kaylee Niebrugge | 15 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
Emily Maple | 7 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists
Kyla Bullington | 4 points, 3 rebounds
Audri Spencer | 3 points, 6 assists
Josie Armstrong | 2 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists
Kankakee Leaders
Alyssa Ross | 13 points, 7 steals, 5 rebounds, 4 assists
Alana Ross | 13 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
Kayla Lacombe | 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
Mariya Babilius | 10 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
Ava Simpson | 8 points, 8 rebounds
Adriana Barber | 6 points, 7 rebounds
Janessa Wallace | 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
Quotes from Coach Dave Johnson on his team's victory
On his team bouncing back from the loss on Saturday
"Yesterday, we went back and practiced for awhile after the game and worked on some things that I felt like we didn't do well. I thought our kids responded well from that. I thought we played really well in the first three quarters. Good defensively. I don't know, we kind of let up a little bit in the fourth quarter. Give Kankakee credit - they didn't quit and they kept coming at us."
On learning from the response mentality going into Monday's game
"I think it's to play every possession defensively like it's our last. We have to value every defensive possession. We have to continue to work on our communication, and just our overall understanding of what the other team is trying to do offensively."
On what he's trying to get out of his team for the tournament this week
"It emulates the National Tournament really well. First of all, you have great competition here. A lot of nationally-ranked teams. To play three games in three days is just the mentality you have to get into when you go to the National Tournament. You got short turnarounds, so you have to learn how to prepare quickly, and how to bounce back quickly."
#16 NORTH CENTRAL MISSOURI 93, McHENRY COUNTY 79
The Pirates from North Central Missouri, also coming off a Saturday loss, found a rejuvenated offense against McHenry County to advance to the Consolation Championship. The game was a three-point shooting fest, with both teams combining to go 17-68 from distance. The Scots kept it close in the first half, within a singular point at 40-39 at the halftime break. It was then, though, that the Pirates really charged up the scoring. From a 40-point half to 30 points in the third quarter, it took the game from one point to an eight-point lead after three. The Pirate defense was able to hold the Scots to 32.6% shooting in the second half, conversely shooting 50% themselves. All in all, North Central Missouri would score the second most points in a game for the tournament, and take the 14-point victory.
North Central Missouri Leaders
Jacie Morris | 18 points, 10 rebounds
Gladys Brown | 15 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists
Kayanna Cranmer | 12 points, 5 assists
Tailer Morrison | 11 points, 6 rebounds
Jessica Reeter | 10 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals
Oliviya Tinoco | 9 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists
A'Myah Bankston | 7 points, 4 rebounds
Maddie Fisher | 5 points, 6 rebounds
Keylie Beane | 4 points, 3 rebounds
McHenry County Leaders
Adriana Gerstung | 18 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds
Bella Frohling | 15 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists
Cassidy Serpe | 15 points, 2 rebounds, 2 blocks
Reese Kominoski | 11 points, 5 rebounds
Zoie Lewis | 9 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists
Keatyn Velasquez | 7 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists
Mikayla Saas | 5 assists
Quotes from Coach Jenni Croy on her team's victory:
On the bounce back, particularly offensively
"We wanted to come out and thought we might jump in on the defensive side early and we didn't. We couldn't get them stopped defensively. They were making shots, hitting shots from the outside. We needed our offense to step up. I felt like Jacie Morris did a great job underneath the basket for us, finishing around the rim. We got points from others, and so we rely a lot on Jessica Reeter to be our scorer, and she was that for us yesterday."
On the 30-point quarter being key to the victory
"Yeah, I think that was absolutely huge. Any time you can put up those kind of points in one quarter is big. We were able to finish around the rim. We were able to hit some shots from the outside, and hit some shots from the free throw line, which I think was good too."
On where the team's at going into a rematch with Lake Land from December 18th
"We played them down in Florida a week ago. Lost by seven. Got off to a sluggish start. Got it tied late and just didn't do enough to finish. They're very fundamental, very well coached. I think it'll be very similar in a lot of ways. I think it'll be a competitive game. They run some really good sets, set some good screens to get their kids open, so we're going to have to do our job on the defensive end."
#1 KIRKWOOD 71, #12 PALM BEACH STATE 42
The Eagles were not messing around and took a 21-8 lead after a quarter. As much as it was their offense, the Kirkwood defense was critical in this one, limiting Palm Beach State to 15.6% from the field in the first half, versus their own 40.6%. That defense also held the Panthers to single digit points in the first three quarters. Perhaps the 'usual suspects', but the Eagles' Jenna Twedt, Kaliyah Sain, and Lizzy Puot would all finish in double figures. Palm Beach State finished the game on a high note of sorts, tying Kirkwood at 16-16 in the game's final frame, but the Eagles had led by as much as 32 points in the fourth quarter. It was one of the tournament's highest-blocking games, with Kirkwood out-blocking Palm Beach State 10-7.
Kirkwood Leaders
Jenna Twedt | 17 points, 4 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals
Kaliyah Sain | 15 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals
Lizzy Puot | 10 points, 17 rebounds, 2 blocks
Jariah Harris | 6 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks
Ellah Kissell | 6 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
Ella Pritchard | 4 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists
Palm Beach State Leaders
Kyana Poitier | 6 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks
Mia Lewis | 6 points, 2 assists
Isabella Rivera | 5 points, 5 rebounds
Sarah Gorman | 5 points, 3 rebounds
Taylor Blackshear | 3 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals
Bree Williams | 3 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks
Quotes from Coach Kim Muhl on his team's victory
On how much of a factor Palm Beach State's defense vs. Lake Land was in their pregame prep
"It was not a big point of emphasis. It was more like how we were going to defend them. I thought against Lake Land, I bet over half the shots they got were layups. We did not think about that."
On the efforts of Lizzy Puot thus far in the tournament
"It's kind of what we do expect out of her. She's starting to get better. It's taken maybe this first semester to realize she's as good as she may be. She's a nice player. We do expect big things out of her."
On where he thinks the team's at going into Monday's Championship
"We do some things really well, and just typical this time of the year - kids screw up a little bit. I like where we're at. We got a nice group. Whether we win this thing or don't win this thing, it's all part of preparing us for our league (Region 11 / ICCAC). Our league's going to be difficult to win. This is always a good tournament."
(RV) SCHOOLCRAFT 76, #17 ILLINOIS CENTRAL 73 (2OT)
This game was the best game of the day, and perhaps an instant classic as well. The Ocelots got off to a quality start on both sides of the ball, as their early 14-3 advantage would ultimately be either team's largest for the evening. The Cougars would storm back to tie the game at 23-23 in the second quarter, and get within a point at 30-29 Schoolcraft at halftime. That fight back to the tied game was followed by a heavyweight bout the rest of the way. The extra basketball saw layups thinking there had just been buzzer-beating wins, only to be scored on again at the end to extend this thriller. At the end of the day, it would be free throws. After missing eight free throws between the fourth quarter and the first overtime, the Ocelots went 4-4 in the second overtime to take the narrow three-point victory.
Lily Luczkowiak turned in a double-double for the Cougars, and Garyana Overton for Schoolcraft nearly had a triple-double, coming just two blocks short.
Schoolcraft Leaders
Sharon Smith | 15 points, 13 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 assists
Garyana Overton | 12 points, 10 rebounds, 8 blocks
Reagan Byrd | 12 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals
Mariah Scott | 11 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds
Mia Wright | 7 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals
Nevaeh Cable | 6 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
Cougar Leaders
Lily Luczkowiak | 26 points, 11 rebounds, 5 steals
Savannah Orgeron | 18 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks
Cora DeSutter | 9 points, 11 rebounds
Kamryn Heider | 8 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Addy Engel | 5 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks
Kaitlin White | 5 points, 2 rebounds
Quotes from Coach Shay Lewis on her team's victory:
On the intensity of a double overtime game
"I feel like I played. It's hot in here, and it was just a really intense game, pretty back and forth. It was exciting. That's why you coach, and you love to coach in games like this."
On the efforts of Garyana Overton and Sharon Smith, even outside the scoring column
"We only have three returning kids, and they're two of them. We needed that leadership and that experience that was out there. They know the ups and downs of a game. We always talk about how we're going to out-wear teams - that's what we're built to do."
On going from 8 missed free throws in Q4/OT to 4-4 in 2OT
"We emphasize free throws all the time. Our free throw percentage is in the dumpster right now. It's just really about giving them some confidence, and even if we do miss one, that hey, we're still cheering them on and cheering them up."
On what she took away from playing Illinois Central
"You guys are talented. All of your players can shoot. We really emphasize that we gotta get out and nobody can get anything open at all. Your offense keeps moving. A lot of screens - elevator screens, back screens, cross screens, back door cuts, and because of that, we can not fall asleep."
On the team's mentality going to battle against #1-ranked Kirkwood
"We're happy to be in the Championship Game. It's 'next play' for us. We can't think about those (ranking) things. I will say that I wish we could play them full strength, that would be nice, but we're going to go and fight. That's what we do."
WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
Holiday Tournament Third Place Game
vs. #12 Palm Beach State Panthers (8-5)
Monday, December 30th - 4:00 PM
at Ramsey Gym - East Peoria, Illinois
Watch Live (HUDL-TV)
FULL MONDAY (12/30) SCHEDULE
7th Place Game | 10AM | McHenry County vs. Kankakee
Consolation Championship | 12PM | #6 Lake Land vs. #16 North Central Missouri
3rd Place Game | 2PM | #12 Palm Beach vs. #17 Illinois Central
Championship Game | 4PM | #1 Kirkwood vs. (RV) Schoolcraft
