By ANDREW FEEBACK
UPLAND— An athletic Eastbrook Panthers squad made quick work of the Southern Wells Lady Raider basketball team Saturday night, turning the visitors away by a score of 60-17.
It was a rough game for the Raiders (1-3) in just about every statistical category. They connected on just 7 of 26 shots from the field and finished with more turnovers than shot attempts.
They also struggled to keep the Panthers off the boards. Eastbrook (2-1) was 8 of 25 beyond the arc, but the Panthers rebounded many of their missed shots and got extra chances under the basket throughout the game.
“We didn’t box out on the boards and gave them plenty of second-chance opportunities,” coach Jessica Killingbeck said. “Speed-wise, too, they’re just faster than us. Their transition points were easy for them because we just weren’t getting back defensively.”
The Raiders kept it close for a quarter with some good energy early. Four of their made field goals came in the first quarter, and they trailed just 16-9 at the first stop.
But they failed to put up any points in the next frame and went into halftime trailing by 20.
The Panthers scored the first six points of the second half before the Raiders finally got their next bucket.
Eastbrook extended its lead to 51-16 by the end of the third quarter, and the Raiders managed only one point in the fourth.
For the Raiders, Faith Blair had six points, and Avah Miner added four.
Three players scored in double figures for the Panthers. Sophia Morrison had 20, Audri Prater had 14, and Olivia Howell had 12.
Turnovers were a huge problem for the Raiders as well. They finished with 29, while the Panthers had just three.
“We’ve got to be able to handle that pressure,” Killingbeck said. “We can’t shoot the ball 26 times, turn it over 29 times, and expect to win basketball games.
Southern Wells will host Lakewood Park Thursday evening.
In a two-quarter JV game, Southern Wells defeated Eastbrook 21-20.
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SOUTHERN WELLS 17
EASTBROOK 60
At Eastbrook
SOUTHERN WELLS (1-3): Hailey Duncan 1-1 0-0 2, Avah Miner 2-11 0-0 4, Zoe Needler 0-0 0-0 0, Collena Reeves 0-2 0-0 0, Kenzie Paxson 1-2 0-0 2, Faith Blair 2-5 0-0 6, Ashlie Needler 1-3 0-0 2, Breanna Leidig 0-1 0-0 0, Gracie Reeves 0-1 1-2 1. TOTALS: 7-26 2-8 17.
EASTBROOK (2-1): Kortney Goff 2-8 2-2 6, Makayla Fox 0-1 0-0 0, Olivia Howell 6-9 0-1 12, Audri Prater 5-16 0-0 14, Sophia Morrison 7-16 2-3 20, Estah McKim 1-5 0-0 2, Karmen Swindall 0-0 0-0 0, Talia Alsup 2-4 0-0 4, Mia Bustos 1-2 0-1 2. TOTALS: 23-60 4-7 60.
SW 9 0 7 1 — 17
E 16 13 22 9 — 60
Three-point Goals: Southern Wells 2-8 (Blair 2-3, Miner 0-5), Eastbrook 8-25 (Prater 4-10, Morrison 4-9, Goff 0-5, McKim 0-1). Rebounds: Southern Wells 20 (Paxson 5, Miner 4, Blair 3, Ashlie Needler 3, Duncan 2, Collena Reeves 2, Zoe Needler 1), Eastbrook 19 (Prater 6, Alsup 4, Bustos 4, Howell 3, Morrison 1, McKim 1). Turnovers: Southern Wells 29, Eastbrook 3. Fouls: Southern Wells 10, Eastbrook 8. Fouled out: None. Technicals: None.
JV: Southern Wells 21, Eastbrook 20.
