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Lady Jackets win 2020 LJMWC; Destiny Williams breaks CHS scoring record

The Chester Lady Jackets came in seeded first and met expectations, winning the 14th Annual Lady Jackets Mid-Winter Classic Basketball Tournament last weekend.

Led by tournament MVP, Destiny Williams, the Lady Jackets were able to turn the tables on Marissa-Coulterville in the championship game 49-30. Marissa-Coulterville beat Chester last month in the Lebanon tournament and also beat them in last year's Lady Jackets tournament championship game.

Williams, who had 26 points and five rebounds in the title game, became Chester's leading scorer of all time during the tournament. She broke the record set in 1997 by Jennifer Knowles (1,566 points) with her first basket of the second game against Sparta. She finished the tournament with 1,604 points during her career so far.

Williams' scoring prowess was on full display in the third quarter of the championship game when she tallied 11 of Chester's 13 points on four hard drives to the hoop and making 3-for-3 from the free-throw line.

Kendall Williams added 9 points in the winning effort. With the three wins in the tournament (Chester also beat Sparta 62-29 and Valmeyer, 60-8) the Lady Jackets improved to an overall record of 15-4. It was the first time in four years that Chester won its own tournament.

Reese Chandler led the Jackets in scoring against Sparta with 21 points, nine rebounds and three steals. Destiny Williams was high scorer against Valmeyer with 13 points. In that game, 11 Lady Jackets contributed offensively.

Named to the All Tournament Team, are, from left: Destiny Williams (33), Chester, team captain; Reese Chandler (24), Chester; Kendall Williams (11), Chester; Macey Schreiber (31), Marissa-Coulterville; and Emily Smith (3), Marissa-Coulterville. Not pictured: Danika White, New Athens; Sam Cottom, Trico; Jenna Hartline, Cobden; Lainey Morris, Elverado; and Sydney Rheinecker, Sparta. Jim Beers photo