O'FALLON - Freshman point guard Kiyoko Proctor and junior forward Laila Blakeny both scored 18 points and led a fourth quarter surge that helped Alton's girls basketball team to a historic 52-47 win over O'Fallon in a Southwestern Conference game Thursday night at the OTHS Panther Dome.
The win was the first for the Redbirds at O'Fallon since 2005, and only the fifth overall since the Panthers joined the league for the 1999-2000 season.
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Proctor went eight-for-eight from the line in the final minutes to help seal the win, and Blakeny converted a three-point play with 55 seconds left in regulation to put Alton ahead for good.
O'Fallon took a 14-8 lead after the first quarter, but the Redbirds rallied to hold the Panthers to only two points in the second period, taking a 25-16 lead into the locker rooms at halftime. O'Fallon then cut the lead to 38-32 after the third quarter, and outscored Alton in the fourth 15-14, but the Redbirds were able to pull off the upset.
Shannon Dowell led the Panthers with 19 points, while Laylah Jackson added 12 points, Zsana Hawkins had 11 points, Klaire Keel had three points and D'myjah Bolds had two points.
The Redbirds are now 7-1, their best start in 30 years, and play at Civic Memorial Monday night, then are at Belleville East next Thursday, with both game starting at 7:30 p.m. The Panthers drop to 7-2 and next play at home next Thursday at Collinsville in a 7:30 p.m. start.
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