EDWARDSVILLE – Alandyn Simmons led with 18 points, while Mia Semith added 16 points as Edwardsville took charge from the outset, taking a 64-16 win over Rochester in a girls' basketball game played Tuesday night at Lucco-Jackson Gym.
It was also the annual Senior Night game, where the Tigers’ two seniors – Simmons and Layne Logan – and their families were introduced, saluted, and thanked for their contributions to the Edwardsville program in pregame ceremonies. Also honored were the team manager, along with members of the EHS Broadcasting crew., who were participating in their final home game,
As for the game itself, it was Tigers all the way, as Edwardsville went out to an early 7-1 lead, and didn’t look back in a runaway.
“I’m pretty proud of the girls," said Edwardsville head coach Bryan Young. "They came out, took care of business just like we asked. So, it felt good to get a win for our two seniors tonight. They both deserved it, they’re hard-working girls, and we got some contributions from both of them.”
With her performance on Tuesday, Simmons indicated she’s ready for a big postseason run in her first year with the Tigers after transferring from St. Louis Lift For Life Academy.
“Every game, she’s coming along, finding her spots, making good passes, seeing the court," Coach Young said. "She’s playing well, she’s playing real well.”
Semith also had a good game with her 16 points, and is finding her way also.
“Mia knows her role," Coach Young said. "She came out tonight, and kind of established herself early, which helped her. "I think tonight, she established herself, made some good passes, made some good buckets, and she’s playing well.”
The Tigers improved their record to 17-9 with one regular season game remaining, then start their playoff quest in Granite City next Tuesday. Young is looking ahead to the postseason.
“We get (Belleville) West coming up this week, then we go play Quincy, who’s a lot better than they were the first time we played them, so we’re looking forward to that challenge," he said. "We get past that, we’re looking forward to challenging Alton at Granite City, rather than trying to pay them in a sectional. I was kind of disappointed in our seed, but a silver lining in it is that we get a chance in all that at Granite, and not have to go to the (Redbirds) nest and play them,”
Young is feeling confident about the Tigers’ chances in the IHSA Class 4A playoffs.
“We’re just going to buckle up, and we get some contributions out of our JV kids, Kennedy) Gieseking) and Kaylee Hauschild’s coming in and playing good offense for the JV," he said. "So we’re ready. We’ll look for it, and see what happens.”
The game started off on the wrong foot for Edwardsville, who was called for a technical foul after a scorebook error was discovered. Taylor Offer hit one of the two free throws to give the Rockets a 1-0 lead, but that would be the only lead Rochester would enjoy all night, as Sophie Shapiro hit a three, followed by three straight baskets from Simmons to take a 9-1 lead. Rochester cut it to 9-6, but Simmons took charge again, scoring twice more, then Gabby Cook scored to help Edwardsville to a 15-8 lead after the first quarter.
The second quarter belong to the Tigers, conceding two free throws by Kate Gross, while Semith, Shapiro, and Simmons all scored early to increase the lead to 21-8. After the free throws from Gross, Simmons, Logan, and Semith all scored, and both Semith and Gieseking hit threes to end the first half on a high note, as the Tigers took a 35-10 lead into the halftime break.
The third quarter was more of the same for the Tigers scored the first 12 points of the quarter before the Rockets scored to make it 47-12, as Simmons scored and both Gieseking and Lainey McFarlin hit threes to help make the third quarter score 58-12, triggering the fourth quarter running clock rule. The Tigers proceeded to outscore Rochester in the final period 6-4 to gain the 64-16 win.
Simmons led the Tigers with 18 points, while Semith added 16 points, McFarlin had nine points, Cook scored eight points, Gieseking hit for six points, Shapiro scored four points, and Logan had three points. Offer led the Rockets with 10 points, while Gross, Emily Thomas, and Jaelyn Watts all had two points each.
Rochester is now 8-21, while the Tigers are now 17-9, and play their final regular season game at Belleville West on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
The Tigers were seeded fourth in their regional complex, and face fifth-seeded Quincy in their opening playoff game Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. A win takes them to the final on Feb. 21 against the winner of Alton and Granite City, with the opening tip coming at 6 p.m.
The Granite winner plays the Belleville East winner at Alton Feb. 25 at 6 p.m., with the winner going to the sectional final against the winner of either the Normal Community West or Rock Island regionals Feb. 27 at 6 p.m.
The Alton sectional winner plays the winner at Bolingbrook in the Illinois Wesleyan super-sectional in Bloomington Mar. 3 at 7 p.m., with the winner going to the state finals at CEFCU Arena at Illinois State University in Bloomington-Normal. The Bloomington winner plays the Hinsdale Central super-sectional winner Mar. 7 at 11:30 a.m., with the semifinal winner playing for the championship Mar. 8 at 8 p.m., while the losers play for third place that morning at 9:30 a.m.
Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
