GIRLS BASKETBALL: PCHS defeats depleted Du Quoin
Sophie Keith grabbed 24 rebounds and scored 12 points for a double-double and Andrea Morgan put in 15 points off the bench for visiting Pinckneyville as the Lady Panthers took care of the depleted Lady Indians 47-37 on Tuesday night.
It was Morgan's first action of the season for PCHS, and she showed up big in the first half with 11 points, 9 coming on three-pointers.
"It was good to have her back," said Pinckneyville head coach Alan Engelhardt. "That spreads the defense out a little bit and stretches things, opens up things inside. She's another ball handler, someone who's a threat offensively. We're exceptionally happy to have her back."
Keith's 24 boards helped her get closer to the school's rebounding record, which she could reach by the end of the calendar year.
"She's averaging double figures in rebounds this year," Engelhardt said. "She cleans up the glass really well."
As for Du Quoin, they again played without four regulars including leading scorer Kate Smith, who is scheduled to have an MRI on her sprained ankle. Her replacement in the lineup on Monday night, Kat Robison, also sat out with a consussion.
"The effort is there, it's just trying to get people in the best spots that they can succeed," said DHS head coach Shawn File. "Right now we're trying to do that, and it's very helter skelter. I think the last half that's kind of how we played, a lot of run, jump, trap, press. Offensively get to the rim if we can and try to get fouls and make free throws. Our girls never quit and that's one thing I'm very proud of."
Morgan scored the first 8 points for the Lady Panthers, but Du Quoin fought evenly through the first period for an 11-11 tie.
In the second quarter, though, Pinckneyville created some separation. Already up 17-15, PCHS went on an 8-0 run that began with a stick-back bucket by Keith with 4:42 left in the half. Morgan added her third triple of the night before Mayci Doerflein's steal and fast-break lay-up completed the run with 1:56 left in the second quarter to make it 25-15 in favor of the Lady Panthers.
Pinckneyville took a 26-17 lead into the half and never let Du Quoin get any closer after the break. The lead got as big as 18 at 42-24 before a late push by the Lady Indians. Sadie Day got going with 9 fourth quarter points, but it was too little, too late for DHS.
"Sophie Keith is really athletic and so long, that was probably their best match on Sadie Day," File said. "We had a couple really nice passes on some dribble drive penetration and kicks over to Sadie where she was able to finish."
Day led all scorers with 18 points in the game, Tarynn Mays added 10 for Du Quoin, Jordyn Bullar had 4, Hannah Baxter 3 and Katie Smith 2.
Gabby Bartnicki and Doerflein each added 8 points for PCHS and Raygan Yates and Taylor Smith both had 2 points, but were extremely active on both ends of the floor for the Lady Panthers.
"I got a little aggravated with (Smith) early because she was kind of losing sight of the ball and lost her man a couple times, but she handled it the way you want a senior to handle it," Engelhardt said. "She got back in and got after it on defense, was in the right spot on offense to get the ball out to. It doesn't always show up in terms of points, but she gets her hands on the ball and gets it to somebody else too."
Pinckneyville (7-2) hosts Carlyle this Saturday at 1 p.m. The Lady Indians (4-5) get a week off before next Tuesday's trip to Sparta.