LDN - Sports

Lady Toppers defeat Illini Bluffs 44-37

[January 24, 2022] Mount Pulaski hosted Illini Bluffs on Thursday night and overcame a 10-point third quarter deficit to beat the Lady Tigers 44-37.

Alexis Wade and Je’Na Rentmeister started the game hitting threes for Mount Pulaski and Riley May tossed in a basket, but it was not enough offense against the Lady Tigers in the first quarter.

Mount Pulaski trailed 15-11 after one quarter of play.

Wade, May and Hailee Daigh provided the offense for Mount Pulaski in the second quarter but at the half the Lady Toppers still found themselves down 26-21.

According to Head Coach Ryan McVickers, the Lady Toppers trailed the Lady Tigers 31-21 at the mask timeout in the third quarter. With Grace Davis hitting a three and Wade, Daigh and May continuing to hit shots, the Lady Toppers went on a 9-0 run and pulled to within 31-30 as the third quarter ended.

Davis poured in eight points to lead Mount Pulaski’s offense in the fourth quarter. With the Lady Toppers defense shutting down Illini Bluffs, Mount Pulaski comes from behind to win 44-37.

As Coach Ryan McVickers pointed out, “We outscored them 23-6 in the final twelve minutes.”

This might have been the first time since 2013 that Mount Pulaski beat Illini Bluffs. That win in 2013 happened on Valentine’s Day as Mount Pulaski won the Sectional Championship over Illini Bluffs by a final score of 72-60. Many times over the past decade the Lady Tigers beat Mount Pulaski by a 20-30 point margin. In fact, last year during the Covid shortened season, Illini Bluffs clobbered Mount Pulaski 73-35 in regular season play.

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