On a night where the offense struggled, it was defense that came to the rescue for the Macomb High girls basketball team.
Despite those difficulties, the Bombers found just enough offense to defeat Illini West 36-29 Wednesday night at The Hangar.
“You don’t win a lot of games when you score 36 points,” said MHS coach Justin Elbe. “But we just kept changing the defenses up and ran four different things defensively.”
“We were so much better defensively than we were offensively,” he added. “That’s what it took to win.”
Macomb improved to 17-11 on the season, while Illini West dropped to 13-15. The win by the Bombers also allowed them to claim a share of the Prairieland Conference South Division title with a 4-1 mark.
Illini West also finished 4-1 in league play, as did Havana (21-6), who lost at Illini West 42-38 on Feb. 5.
“There’s been a lot of really good Bomber teams that have never won a conference (title),” said Elbe. “So it’s something for them to hang their hats on for this season for these girls.”
But the offensive struggle Wednesday night was real – for both teams.
The game was tied 6-6 after the opening period. The second frame saw senior guard Sophie Wilson score seven of Macomb’s 11 points as the Bombers led 17-14 at halftime.
“It was an offensive struggle for both teams,” said Elbe. “We were just taking too long to get into our sets. We were just really out of sync.”
“The last couple of teams we played played zone,” he added. “Illini West plays man and we just couldn’t run our man-to-man sets very quickly. We were just too late. And when you’re too late, then you’re just not in sync with each other.”
Illini West nearly doubled its point total in the third quarter, outscoring Macomb 13-10 to draw even at 27-27 entering the final eight minutes.
Both teams managed just one basket in the final stanza. But the Bombers knocked down 5-of-6 free throw attempts in the final 45 seconds to secure the win.
Senior Jordan Hines and Wilson were both 2-for-2, while Reese Watson was 1-of-2. Both teams finished the contest with 10 baskets. Illini West had six 3-point baskets and four 2-point baskets, while the Bombers had five treys and five 2s. But MHS finished 11-of-17 from the free throw line, compared to 3-of-4 for Illini West. Macomb had just four players score in the win. Wilson topped the Bombers with 14 points, including 4-of-4 from the line, while Watson added 12 points, including three treys. Hines added nine points and Aubrey Holthaus a free throw for the Bombers.
Lanie Housewright topped Illini West with 13 points.
Prior to Wednesday’s game, the Bombers headed to Lincoln Monday for a contest against the Class 3A Railsplitters.
The home team grabbed the lead in the second period and maintained the upper hand the rest of the way in recording a 45-32 victory.
Lincoln upped its record to 20-8 with the win.
Wilson knocked down a pair of threes in the opening quarter as Macomb took a 10-7 lead.
But Lincoln bounced back in the second frame as Grace Bivin and Mesa McCloud each scored six points. The Railsplitters outscored the Bombers 16-8 in period to take a 23-18 halftime lead.
The scoring pace slowed in the third quarter with Lincoln outscoring Macomb 8-4 to build a 31-22 advantage heading into the final eight minutes.
The Railsplitters secured the victory sinking 11-of-12 free throws.
Wilson topped MHS with 10 points. Hines, Watson and Holthaus added six points apiece, followed by Brooklyn Lyles with three and Dakota Thorman with one.
Bivin and Mia Clark paced Lincoln with 14 and 12 points respectively.
Lincoln finished 15-of-19 from the free throw line, compared to 1-of-6 for Macomb.
The Bombers will return to Washington Street Gym Saturday to begin IHSAClass 2A Regional play against Farmington (9-19).
Jordan Hines Photo by Shelby Burget
Macomb is the No. 7 seed, while Farmington is the No. 10 seed.
The two teams played on Jan. 26 at Washington Street Gym with the Bombers winning 66-17.
Saturday’s winner will move on semifinal play Monday evening at Farmington facing No. 2 seed Illinois Valley Central (26-5) in the 6 p.m. contest.
Monday’s second semifinal will have No. 3 seed PORTA/ A-C Central (24-6) playing No. 6 seed Canton (16-15).
The title game is scheduled for Feb. 19 at 6:30 p.m.
