Already chalking up one victory over Peoria Heights this season, the Bushnell- Prairie City High School girls basketball team was looking to repeat the feat Thursday night.
Facing a Patriot team on its home floor that was hungry for a win, the Spartans took care of business, recording a 46-29 Prairieland Conference crossover victory.
B-PC defeated Peoria Heights at the Princeville Holiday Tournament back on Dec. 29, winning 41-37.
But the Spartans had not won since, dropping eight straight games before improving to 4-18 with Thursday’s victory.
Meanwhile, Peoria Heights remained winless on the season, slipping to 0-29.
The opening eight minutes saw Jersey Jones and Jules Kreps each score five points, helping the Spartans build a 17-9 advantage.
B-PC worked its way to the free throw line 15 times in the initial period, sinking 10.
Kreps scored five of B-PC’s nine second period points, while Peoria Heights scored eight points, four by Sylvia Thornton. That left the Spartans with a 26-17 halftime lead.
Four players combined for 10 points in the third frame for B-PC, including four by Kendyl McCleery. Meanwhile Thornton scored all seven points for Peoria Heights, who trailed 36-24 entering the final stanza.
Mylee Chenoweth kept the visitors in control during the final minutes, scoring six of B-PC’s 10 points.
Peoria Heights managed just one basket and five points total as the Spartans closed out the victory.
Kreps topped B-PC with 14 points, 10 in the opening half. Chenoweth also reached double figures, scoring 10 points.
McCleery and Jones were next with nine points each.
Scarlett Countryman scored two points, while Justice Klinedinst and Jocelyn Johnson chipped in one point apiece for the Spartans.
B-PC finished the contest 16-of-32 from the free throw line.
Thornton topped Peoria Heights with 13 points.
Vanessa Menchaca added nine points for the Patriots, followed by Andrea Williams with four points, Haley Walters with two and Braylinn Ramsey with one.
Peoria Heights finished 8-of-15 from the free throw line.
B-PC has two regular season games remaining that started with Monday’s contest against West Prairie/Southeastern (1514) at Southeastern High School in Augusta.
The two teams played in Bushnell on Jan. 20 with the Cyclones winning 61-31.
On Wednesday, the Spartans will host South Fulton (4-19, 0-4 Prairieland South) in a conference contest.
The game was originally scheduled for Jan. 26 but postponed by wintry weather.
Following Wednesday’s contest, the Spartans will jump into Illinois High School Association Class 1A Regional play Saturday.
B-PC will head to Brimfield (11-15) to face the host Indians in a 1 p.m. quarterfinal contest.
Saturday’s winner will head to Abingdon on Feb. 16 to face Princeville in semifinal round action.
