The Bushnell-Prairie City High School girls basketball team fell behind early and was unable to rally in dropping a 47-38 decision at Brimfield Saturday afternoon.
The game was an Illinois High School Association Class 1A Regional opening round contest.
The No. 6 seeded Indians used scoring from four different players in the opening eight minutes in building a 16-7 lead.
The lead was 10-2 before Justice Klinedinst scored the first basket for B-PC at the 2:29 mark. She added a second basket for the Spartans, the No. 11 seed, while Jersey Jones added a pair of free throws and Kendyl McCleery a free throw for the Spartans.
Brimfield also took advantage of early free throws, sinking six of its nine attempts.
The hosts built their biggest lead of the game in the second frame at 27-11 after a Katie Doe basket with 2:14 remaining before halftime.
But a 3-pointer from Jules Kreps and a steal and layup by McCleery helped B-PC close the gap to 28-16 at halftime.
The third quarter saw Layni Linthicum score eight of Brimfield’s nine points as the Indians maintained control in leading 37-23 heading into the final stanza.
Mylee Chenoweth scored eight of B-PC’s 15 points in the fourth quarter. But Brimfield hung on, despite making just 4-of-14 from the free throw line.
Seven different players scored for B-PC, who finished the season with a final record of 4-21.
McCleery topped the Spartans with nine points, followed by Chenoweth with eight and Jones with seven.
Kreps added five points, followed by Klinedinst with four, Scarlett Countryman with three and Lilly Griffitts with two.
Linthicum topped Brimfield (13-15) with 19 points, while Doe and Schyer Meinders added 10 points each for the Indians.
Brimfield moved on to Monday’s regional semifinals at Abingdon, facing No. 4 seed Priceville (18-13).
Monday’s first game had No. 2 seed and host Abingdon-Avon (24-5), who is ranked No. 8 in Class 1A by the Associated Press, facing ROWVA/Williamsfield (10-15).
The No. 7 seeded Cougars defeated No. 10 seed Peoria Christian 37-20 in Saturday’s other opening round contest.
Monday’s winners will meet for the regional title Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
The regional champion advances to sectional play at Bushnell on Feb. 24.
