GIRLS BASKETBALL: Lady Panthers strike early, cruise past Sparta 40-23

Pinckneyville jumped ahead 10-2 in the opening quarter and never trailed in their 40-23 victory over Sparta on Tuesday night, improving to 4-2 in SIRR Mississippi Division play with the win.

"I thought the girls did a really nice job of just being solid and grinding out a win tonight," said Lady Panthers head coach Alan Engelhardt. "We did a good job of running offense and getting some really good looks, really sharing the ball well."

"Raygan Yates and Kiya Hagene supplied some perimeter offense for us again, helping to open up the post and Caitlyn Anderson found some offense in the high post. I thought Mayci Doerflein did a nice job getting some points in the paint off of drives as well."

The Lady Panthers were in control 21-8 at the half and the Lady Bulldogs could never mount a serious charge after the break. PCHS held Sparta's Kira Kiner to 12 points.

"Defensively, we were very good, taking away a lot of what they were trying to do," Engelhardt said. "I thought Caitlyn Anderson did a really nice job of taking away Kiner's primary option and then we really doubled her well from the backside. Our help defense was really good across the board tonight, and any time you can hold a team to 23, you feel pretty good about how your kids have guarded. This was a nice, just solid win."

Yates' 11 points led the scoring for Pinckneyville. Doerflein had 8 points, Anderson 7, Hagene 5, Mariah Clark 4, Sophie Keith 3 and Gabby Bartnicki 2.

PCHS (14-8, 4-2) begins the West Frankfort Mid-Winter Classic on Saturday at 5 p.m. against the tournament host Lady Redbirds.