EDWARDSVILLE - Sophomore point guard Mia Semith scored a career-high 19 points as Edwardsville executed a zone press successfully, especially in the first half, to create turnovers that led to points as the Tigers defeated Belleville East in a Southwestern Conference girls basketball game 59-48 Thursday night at Lucco-Jackson Gym.
The Tigers used the press to take a lead at halftime, then withstood a Lancer rally that saw East come back with 39-35, going on to the win. Edwardsville scored 13 points off turnovers in the first half and 17 for the game.
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Edwardsville led at the half 32-20, but the Lancers went on a 15-5 run in the third, which was climaxed by a Taylor Smith three to cut the lead to 39-35. Semith then scored back-to-back to give the Tigers a 43-35 lead at the end of the third, and from there, a 14-5 run by Edwardsville, led by Semith, Blakely Hockett and Olivia Kolnsberg, gave the Tigers a 57-40 lead, clinching the game.
To go along with Semith's 19 points, Lainey McFarlin added 11 points, Sophie Shapiro hit for nine points, Hockett had seven points and Gabby Cook scored six points. Deja Smith led the Lancers with 12 points.
East is now 2-5, while the Tigers move to 3-6 and will have a break before traveling to Normal Community for a game Dec. 16 at Normal Community in a 1 p.m. tip-off. The Tigers will then compete in the Visitation Academy Christmas Tournament, one of the biggest Holiday tournaments in the St. Louis area, starting Dec. 23, and continuing Dec. 26-28, with opponents and tip times to be announced.
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