The Macomb High girls basketball team hit the floor running Friday afternoon as it started play in the Lady Tiger Classic at Beardstown against tourney newcomer Dwight.
In a battle of the Nos. 8 and 9 seeds, it was the eighth seeded Bombers that posted a 53-39 victory in moving to the quarterfinals.
The following evening proved to be a different story however as top-seeded Brown County pulled away in the third quarter to record a 68-45 victory to remain undefeated.
“When we get off the bus, the girls have it in their minds they’re going to play hard and they do for 32 minutes,” said MHS coach Justin Elbe.
“That’s what I like about this team,” he added. “They’re all hard-nosed and ready to go hard. When I call them to go in, they get in there and do what we ask.”
They needed to do that against the Trojans, who play an uptempo style with fullcourt pressure defense and perimeter shooting.
It was the second contest of the day for Dwight, who started by defeating No. 24 seed Barry Western 51-40 in the tournament’s opener.
The contest was close in the opening half as both teams scored 14 points in the first quarter. Dakota Thorman and Jordan Hines led the early charge, combining for 11 of Macomb’s points.
The scoring slowed in the second period with the Bombers taking a 23-22 lead into intermission.
The MHS offense came to life in the third frame, scoring 20 points, including 10 by Aubrey Holthaus. That helped Spur the Bombers to a 43-35 advantage heading into the last eight minutes.
Macomb hung on as Dwight managed just four points, while Hines tallied eight of the Bombers’ 10 points in securing the victory.
Hines topped Macomb with 19 points, while Holthaus added 11 for the Bombers.
Thorman finished with eight points, followed by Reese Watson with five and Sophie Wilson with four.
Josie Elbe, Destiny Monroe and Kinley Sloan chipped in two points apiece for MHS.
Mikayla Chambers topped Dwight (11-4) with 23 points.
The Troans finished with 12 field goals, including six 3-pointers.
“That Dwight team was a really good nine seed,” said Elbe. “To be able to beat them was really good. I was happy with that.”
Against Brown County, the Bombers started well as Wilson and Holthaus combined for 11 points in the opening period. That helped MHS edge out to a 15-12 lead.
But the Hornets stung the Bombers for 23 points in the second stanza, including eight from Kenzie Kassing and seven by Maggi Henry.
That help Brown County fly into halftime with a 35-17 lead.
The turning point of the game came during the third period.
A basket by Holthaus at the 5:17 mark closed the MHS deficit to 38-34.
But the Bombers failed to score on their next six possessions and the Hornets made them pay.
Kassing scored three baskets, while Jamie Loehr added a 3-pointer, pushing the Brown County lead to 47-34 with 2:06 left in the period.
“Those possessions were the difference in the ballgame,” said Elbe. “Give credit to (Brown County), they buckled down and got stops and we just couldn’t stop them.”
Macomb managed just seven points in the quarter as Brown County built a 51-34 advantage heading into the last frame.
“That’s when they stretched it out,” said Elbe. “We just couldn’t get into what we were wanting to do there (offensively).”
“We had a plan at halftime to attack them in a different way,” he added. “We just couldn’t get into it.”
Wilson and Holthaus topped the Bombers with 14 and 10 points respectively.
Hines was next with eight points, followed by Watson with six, Thorman with four and Taylor Mann with three.
Kassing topped Brown County with 35 points, 19 in the second half.
Henry and Loehr also reached double digit scoring for the Hornets with 12 and 10 points respectively.
Macomb (7-6) was set to face Liberty (10-2) in a fifth place semifinal contest Monday evening.
The Bombers will face either Havana (11-2) or Abingdon-Avon (11-2) on Tuesday in wrapping up tournament competition.
“We’re down here to finish some stuff,” said Elbe. “Hopefully we can come away with another win or two.”
