Alton coach Bob Rickman talks with Alton High girls basketball team members. (Dan Brannan Photo)GIRLS BASKETBALL

O'FALLON 68, ALTON 63: Two O'Fallon players scored 20 or more points, and the Panthers needed every one of them to defeat Alton 68-63 in a Southwestern Conference girls basketball game at O'Fallon's Panther Dome Tuesday night.

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The Redbirds took a 26-25 lead into the locker room at halftime, but a 20-11 third term was the difference as the Panthers held off Alton's challenge.

Lajarvia Brown led Alton with 16 points, with Avonna Clanton adding 11 and Megan Paulda 10.

"This was a tough game, our team scored enough points to win the game, but defensively we did not do the job. At the end of the day, I have to teach our team to be better defensively or figure out who can get it done,” Alton coach Bob Rickman said. “Tonight....I did not have those two things figured out."

He added: "I am very proud of the improvement we have made in ball movement, and executing our offense. I have felt all year we were a better shooting team. It is easier to shoot a high percentage when you are getting open looks. The down side is they shot much better than us. Tonight we did a much better job taking care of the ball, but we have to continue to improve. We have to see how much better we can get in the next 4 games, and see where we are going into regionals."

Next up for Alton is Missouri's Number 1 ranked Incarnate Word, and Napheesa Collier, a UConn recruit, Team USA player and ranked in the top 5 in many player ranking for the 2015 class.

CARROLLTON TOURNEY

NORTH GREENE 49, CARROLLTON 41: Destyne Powell's 13 points paced North Greene to a 49-41 quarterfinal win over host Carrollton in the Lady Hawk Invitational Tournament Tuesday night.

The Spartans led the Hawks 18-13 at halftime and kept control of the game to advance to the semifinals.

Arika Hall added 11 for North Greene, who take on Hardin-Calhoun in a semifinal match Thursday night.

Madison Mountain led the Hawks with 12 points.

HARDIN-CALHOUN 66, ALTON MARQUETTE 22: Grace Baalman had 22 points and Emma Baalman added 20 as Hardin-Calhoun defeated Alton Marquette 66-22 in a quarterfinal match at the Carrollton Lady Hawk Inviational Tuesday night.

The Warriors took a 40-12 lead into the locker rooms and coasted the rest of the way into the semifinals, where they'll take on North Greene Thursday night.

C. Holland chipped in eight points for Calhoun; the Explorers were led by Andria Pace with nine points.

JACKSONVILLE ROUTT 39, CARROLLTON JV 28: Marie Langdon and Sarah Worrell each had eight points as Jacksonville Routt downed the Carrollton junior varsity in a consolation quarterfinal match of the Lady Hawk Invitational Tuesday night.

The win put Routt through to the consolation semifinals, where they will take on Greenfield Thursday night.

C. Williams led the Hawk JV with 11 points.

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BOYS

PIASA SOUTHWESTERN 66, GILLESPIE 51: Piasa Southwestern stormed out to an 18-3 lead at quarter time, then used a 26-point final quarter to defeat Gillespie 66-51 in a South Central Conference game at Gillespie Tuesday night.

The Miners bounced back from the opening term to pull to within three points down to the Piasa Birds at three-quarter time, but Southwestern’s big final term gave them the win.

Briston Johnson led Southwestern (16-5 overall, 4-1 SCC) with 17 points, wth Collin Baumgartner adding 14 points and 15 rebounds.

BREESE MATER DEI 74, CIVIC MEMORIAL 31: Breese Mater Dei stormed out to a 46-16 halftime lead and rolled past Civic Memoiral 74-31 in a non-conference game at Breese Tuesday night.

The Eagles only broke double digits in the third quarter, scoring 10 as the Knights controlled the game throughout the evening.

Jakob Lowrance led CM with 14 points, with Jaquan Adams adding six.

JERSEY 48, MASCOUTAH 47: Jake Varble's basket with 26 seconds left gave Jersey a big 48-47 Mississippi Valley Conference win over Mascoutah on the road Tuesday night.

Varble's score came in a sequence where he had four shots at the basket before the match-winner fell in.

Zac Ridenhour led the Panthers (14-8 overall, 2-2 MVC) with 17 points, with Luke Shively adding 16 and Varble 10.

The Indians (6-16 overall, 2-2 MVC) were led by Thomas Trumbull with 16 points, with Brian Pettiford adding 15.

HARDIN-CALHOUN 67, BROWN COUNTY 51: Mitch Bick had 12 points to lead Hardin-Calhoun to a 67-51 win over Brown County Tuesday night.

The Warriors nursed a 36-32 lead into the locker rooms at halftime, then held Brown County to eight points in the third term to take control.

Wes Klocke added 11 points for the Warriors, now 12-4 on the season. They travel to Payson-Seymour for a Wednesday night match.

CARROLLTON 56, MIDWEST CENTRAL 49: Carrollton topped Midwest Central 56-49 on Tuesday night.

“We struggled to put Midwest Central away after leading 13-4,” Carrollton coach Jeff Krumwiede said after the game.

Carrollton, 13-4, faces Rushville on Thursday.

If you have a score and leading scorers to report e-mail Danbrannan@riverbender.com or text him at 618-623-5930.

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