Riding a four-game winning streak, the Macomb High girls basketball team had another opportunity to host a state-ranked opponent and another chance at some redemption Jan. 15 at Washington Street Gym.
The Bombers battled Liberty in a rematch of the Dec. 29 contest played at the Lady Tiger Classic in Beardstown that was won by the Eagles 38-31.
The second meeting went much like the first as Macomb dropped a 37-31 verdict to the Eagles, who entered the contest ranked No. 8 in Class 1A by the Associated Press.
Macomb slipped to 11-9 on the season, while Liberty improved to 16-3.
“We’re never going to be happy with a loss,” said MHS coach Justin Elbe.”But we’re happy to play good teams.”
“I’m happy to say that we’re evenly matched with a top 10 team in the state of Illinois. They’re a good ballclub,” Elbe added. “But for us to compete at that level, we’re still disappointed that we lost at home, because this is one we’ll think that we let slip away.”
Like the previous meeting, the Bombers dug themselves a hole as the Eagles flew out to an early lead.
Freshman point guard Weslee John led the charge for Liberty, scoring seven points. Older sister Chandler, a junior, added a 3-pointer for the Eagles who led 13-8 after the opening eight minutes.
Macomb managed just six points in the second period, five by Aubrey Holthaus as the Bombers found themselves trailing 23-14 at halftime.
MHS worked its way back into contention in the third frame as Dakota Thorman scored four points, while Reese Watson, Holthaus and Jordan Hines also added baskets.
Meanwhile, the Bomber defense allowed just four points as the home team inched within 27-25 as the final quarter arrived.
“We did a good job with our man-to-man defense,” said Elbe. “I’m happy with that. It’s something to build on.”
But try as it might, the Bomber offense struggled in the final period, managing just a Watson trey, a Holthaus basket and a Hines free throw.
“The girls executed everything that we wanted to do,” said Elbe. “We were getting the shots that we wanted. They just didn’t go down.”
That included the free throw line, where the Bombers finished the game just 4-of-12.
Meanwhile, Weslee John scored seven points, including 5-of-6 from the free throw line in helping Liberty seal the contest.
Holthaus topped Macomb with 13 points.
Hines added seven points, followed by Watson with six and Thorman with five.
Senior point guard Sophie Wilson, who scored 23 points in the team’s recent win over state-ranked Abingdon-Avon, was held scoreless by Liberty.
“They did a good job on Sophie,” said Elbe of Liberty’s defense against Wilson. “They know she’s our catalyst. They just kept running girls at her all night long.”
Weslee John topped Liberty with a game-high 19 points. Meanwhile, the Macomb JV squad improved to 12-1 on the season with a 51-35 victory in the preliminary contest.
Liberty raced out to a 15-7 lead after the first quarter, but the Bombers dominated the middle periods.
Olyvia Clark scored eight of Macomb’s 17 points in the second frame as MHS narrowed its deficit to 25-24 at the break.
The Bombers took over in the third stanza, outscoring the guests 16-3 in flying out to a 40-28 advantage heading into the final minutes.
Brooklyn Lyles led Macomb with 12 points, 10 in the second half.
Clark, Watson, Grace O’Hern and Taylor Mann added eight points apiece for the Bombers, while Kinley Sloan scored six points and Haley Daugherty a free throw.
Iyla Cramsey topped Liberty with 11 points. The Macomb High varsity girls returned to action Monday, heading to Carthage to face Mendon Unity as part of the Jerry Logan Shootout.
The Bombers (1-1 Prairieland South Division) will head to Colchester Thursday to face West Prairie/Southeastern (1210, 0-1) before traveling to Table Grove Saturday morning to face South Fulton (3-12, 0-1).
