The Collinsville girls basketball team held big leads late in both of their games Friday, but could manage only one victory.
The Lady Kahoks (2-1) struggled in the first half of their 10 a.m. contest against Triad (2-4), scoring only 15 points. Perhaps it was the tryptophan in the Thanksgiving turkey that slowed Collinsville or, as Head Coach Lory Billy suggested, they simply are not a morning team.
After trailing the Knights 16-15 at the intermission, the Lady Kahoks opened the second half with a press defense. “The press worked really well, the group we had out there to start the second half did a nice job,” Billy said.
Collinsville went up by as many as 16 in the half on their way to a 46-34 victory. The large second-half margin allowed Billy to rotate players into the game to keep the team fresh for their 7 p.m. contest with Nashville that evening.
Junior Samantha Buettner led the Lady Kahoks with 13 points. Sophomore guard Julie Scheiter (11) and sophomore forward Gabby Morgan (10) also scored in double figures for Collinsville. Senior forward Kassidy Smith tacked on six points and sophomore guards Caitlyn Brombolich and Carlee Mahan scored three points apiece.
Nashville 39, Collinsville 37
The Lady Kahoks opened cold against the Illinois Class 2A defending state champions Friday evening, scoring only five points in the first quarter. Collinsville fought back to take a 22-16 halftime lead and a 35-25 lead entering the final quarter.
Youth and inexperience caught up with Collinsville in the fourth quarter. Instead of being patient and waiting for good shot opportunities, the Lady Kahoks relaxed too much and quit trying to score, Billy said.
When the Hornettes made a run, Collinsville began forcing shots and made some turnovers out of panic, Billy said. Despite poor fourth quarter play, the Lady Kahoks were in a position to win, when Jordi Harre pulled the ball off her hip and flicked it toward the basket with under 10 seconds remaining.
Billy thought Hare may have committed a traveling violation on the play, but it was not called and the ball trickled through the net to give the Hornettes a 39-37 lead. After Collinsville called a timeout, the clock ran down to 2.5 seconds. Billy successfully argued to get time added back to the clock, but it did not matter in the end. Collinsville inbounded the ball, which was promptly stolen on a rough strip play that sealed the victory.
The Lady Kahoks will be able to build on the game, despite the loss, Billy said. “I think it was a statement they needed. To know they were able to go out and play with a team that won state last year, and to have the lead late, I think it will be a confidence builder,” Billy said.
Sophomore guard Julie Scheiter (13) was the only Lady Kahoks player in double figures. Sophomore forward Kassidy Smith added seven and sophomore forward Gabby Morgan scored six. Sophomore guard Caitlyn Brombolich scored four, as did freshman guard Andrea Frerker. Junior forward Samantha Buettner scored two points and senior guard Lexie Thompson scored 1.
Collinsville will play Mascoutah (2-1) at 6:30 Saturday in the third place game of the Nashville Tournament.
