Edwardsville's girls basketball team finished a perfect 26-0 regular season with a 58-34 triumph over Alton on Thursday night at Alton.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
Freshman Rachel Pranger exploded for 22 points after an off night against O'Fallon in the previous Edwardsville girls game.
Pranger has not played in a losing game since her final game of her seventh grade season when her team lost by three points. After her slow shooting performance against O'Fallon, she returned to the gym and fired away, taking extra shots, and it paid with such a strong outing on Thursday against Alton.
Pranger, a team player first, was mostly excited that her squad finished the season undefeated, more than her 22-point display.
"I focused on my shot more in practice," she said after the O'Fallon game. "I settled down on my shot."
The freshman standout and the other players knew the odds were against them for being unbeaten this year with such a young team, but she said they brought their best to practice and each game.
Edwardsville coach Lori Blade was ecstatic after the victory to give the Lady Tigers another unbeaten season. This is the second time in three years Edwardsville's girls have been undefeated.
"Winning 26 games is awesome," she said. "They are a good competitive group of kids. I love this group. Now we have to get in a playoff mode."
Blade said she was proud of Pranger for having such a strong game after an off shooting night against O'Fallon.
"She is a worker and is going to get her points," Blade said. "We had an advantage inside."
Edwardsville held Alton's Lajarvia Brown to only 10 points in the game, but she started to break out in the second half. Konnie Miller had eight points for Alton; Chayvon Buckingham had seven points; and Jordann Wilson added four points.
Makenzie Silvey and Criste'on Waters added nine points for Edwardsville and Kate Martin had six points.
Edwardsville finished the Southwestern Conference season unblemished with a 14-0 mark. Alton falls to 5-21 overall and 3-11 in the Southwestern Conference.
