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Girls basketball: Lady Panthers beat Sparta, Mascoutah; lose to Collinsville, Woodlawn

<b>Pinckneyville 58, Sparta 40</b>

Coach Alan Engelhardt: We had a lot of girls contribute tonight, which is always a fun way to play. Three starters picked up two fouls in the first quarter, so our depth was tested a bit tonight.

In the second quarter, I thought Olivia Wiggers, Emily Baggett and Shea Pyatt really stepped up for us, adding 12 points there to help us not only hold the lead but extend it.

I really liked how we got out in transition tonight, and I thought Mo Morgenthaler was excellent at attacking the rim, getting to the line 17 times.

Defensively, we did a good job of containing Rheinecker's dribble drive and limiting her to being a jump shooter. Also, as a whole, we did a pretty good job on their two really big kids inside.

Rileigh Harris doesn't always get her name in the scorebook on offense, but she has done a nice job this year limiting the big kid she is guarding.

<b>Nashville Tournament

Pinckneyville 49, Mascoutah 47

Collinsville 56, Pinckneyville 38</b>

Coach Alan Engelhardt at the Nashville Tournament: We played three really good quarters against Mascoutah and then had to hold on. It was good to find a way to win and get off our slide.

Lily Tanner did a bit of everything in the game, handling the ball as well as putting it in the basket. When she picked up her fourth foul late in the third quarter, we really struggled. Moe Morgenthaler also had a nice couple of games on the offensive end, adding 21 against Mascoutah and 16 against Collinsville.

The Collinsville game was another tough test, and their physicality really bothered us. Ultimately, I think that we were really tested in this tournament, and we have a chance to be a better team after facing this competition.

<b>Woodlawn 45, Pinckneyville 35</b>

Coach Alan Engelhardt: This was an ugly game from execution to the hand-to-hand combat when the ball went to the lane. I was disappointed in our attention to detail with the game plan. We knew they were going to drive and kick to the corner, and multiple times, we played right into that, giving them wide-open looks from the corners.

Offensively, we didn't stand up for ourselves very well. The first six games we played in were very well-officiated, and I think our kids got used to that. In this game, we were going to get fouled when we went to the rim, so we needed to play stronger, take the hit and finish. It didn't happen, and we didn't get to the line, so we really struggled to score.

It wasn't until the fourth quarter when we got fed up with it, that we finally started to get more physical and do what needed to be done. If we learn anything from tonight, it needs to be to play stronger and play with urgency from the start.