EDWARDSVILLE – Jaylen Townsend led the way with 15 points while Maria Smith added 10 as the Edwardsville High girls’ basketball team came from behind in the first half to defeat Normal Community 42-29 in the Southern Illinois Shootout Series games played Saturday evening at Lucco-Jackson Gym.
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The Tigers trailed 19-17 at halftime but outscored the Iron 25-10 in the second to raise their record on the young season to 5-0. Earlier in the day, the Tigers defeated Danville Schlarman 49-42.
The game against Normal was a tough and scrappy affair that saw the Tigers make the adjustments and execute well in the second half.
“It was a tough game, especially for the second game today,” said Edwardsville coach Lori Blade. “We played two really good teams. This one was pretty physical, but they’re awfully talented and awfully big, so it was a good conditioning for us, and a good win.”
The Tigers were able to hold their own against the Iron, regarded as one of the top teams in the state in Class 4A.
“I think, both teams were tired, with it being the second game, but we held our own," Coach Blade said. "We’ve gotta rebound a little bit better, consistently. But we made a couple of good adjustments at the half, and the kids really executed in the second half to pull away a little bit.”
Both Townsend and Smith were able to come through with key baskets and free throws in the final term.
“It was a good team win,” Blade said. “We score in spurts, it seems like, but we executed well, ran some good things as far as being early in two tough games, but really pleased with where we’re at.”
Townsend scored on a reverse lay-in, but Maya Wong countered with a three to give Normal an 8-2 lead. Baskets from Smith and Townsend cut the lead back to two, and the Tigers got a three from Sydney Harris to pull back to within one, but three free throws after the buzzer from Schneringer gave the Iron a 13-9 lead at the end of the first.
A free throw from Kylie Burg cut the Normal lead to three early in the second, and Madelyn Stephen’s basket off a great feed cut it to one at 13-12. Schneringer scored four of the next six points to give the Iron a 17-14 edge, and a free throw by Morgan Hulme and a Townsend basket sandwiched around an Abby Felt score made it 19-17 for Normal at halftime.
A three by Katie Broad gave the Iron a 22-18 lead early in the third quarter and extended it to 25-20 on a three by Wong. The Tigers then scored the next 12 points to take the lead for good, getting a three from Townsend to tie the game, and two free throws from Harris to take the lead for good. Another Harris free throw and both a driving basket and two free throws by Quierra Love gave Edwardsville a 32-25 lead at three-quarter time.
A Townsend drive to the hoop for a score extended the lead at the start of the final quarter, and Townsend took the lead to ten with a basket underneath to make it 36-26. Cassi Kraft’s three cut the lead to 36-29, but Normal would get no closer as a three-point play by Smith and free throws from both Love and Smith made the final 42-29 for Edwardsville.
Harris ended up with seven points while Love had six to help the Tiger attack, while no one on the Iron ended up in double figures. Schneringer had seven for Normal, while Wong and Kraft had six each.
Burg tosses in 15, Townsend 11 as Tigers defeat defending 1A champs
Earlier in the day, Burg scored 15 and Townsend had 11 to help the Tigers defeat the Hilltoppers, the defending Class 1A champions. Anaya Peoples led the way for Schlarman with 20 points.
“They’re awfully talented as well,” Blade said about the Hilltoppers. “They got a kid going to Notre Dame, so we actually defended her pretty well, and again, rebounded just OK; we’ve got to rebound a little bit better. But we just found a way and competed hard, and I’m proud of their effort.”
The Tigers open Southwestern Conference play Thursday night at home against Collinsville, then play twice more on Saturday, hosting Highland in the Scott Credit Union Shootout in the morning, then playing against Ladue, Mo., at O’Fallon in the evening. The Tigers then travel to Belleville East Dec. 3.
“We’ve got a tough stretch,” Blade said. “We’ve got Collinsville Thursday, and then two more Saturday, and Belleville East Monday. We open up with it Thursday with Collinsville, and they’ll be awfully good as well, so we’ll see.”
The Kahoks’ head coach, Lori Billy, recently won her 100th game at the school, and Blade congratulated her.
“She did,” Blade said. “She’s very deserving, and does a great job with them, so congrats to her.”
And Blade is looking forward to the conference season as well.
“It’s a tough one this year, for sure,” Blade said.
Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
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