Lady Panthers downed by A-J; but take care of COR Lutheran

Posted March 10, 2021 12:00 am

Du Quoin Call staff report

Anna-Jonesboro 35, Panthers 25

"We did plenty defensively to keep the game within reach," said Lady Panthers Coach Alan Engelhardt after the girls lost to Anna-Jonesboro, "but we didn't finish possessions with checkouts, (as evidenced by Wildcat Anna Hess scoring 8 of her 16 points on stick-backs)."

Anna-Jonesboro led 14-9 after the first quarter and 21-16 after the first half. At the end of the third the Wildcats extended their lead slightly, 27-20, but Pinckneyville was never out of it until the end.

"We've talked a lot this year about the game rewarding people for doing things right and punishing you when you don't," Engelhardt said. "When we were calm and passed the ball and set screens, we got great scoring opportunities.

"When we were pressured and either put the ball over our heads or drove without purpose, we didn't find any success," he added.

Ultimately, the coach said, the Lady Panthers are playing the 2020-21 season to learn the game - "figuring out what things that we do to have success and what things we do to fail. If we learn the difference in the two," he added, "the season will have been a success."

Scoring by quarter

Anna-Jonesboro: 14 07 06 08 35

Pinckneyville: 09 07 04 05 25

Scoring by player

Anna-Jonesboro: Addison Denny*, 3 2-2 9; Jaley Watkins**, 4 0-0 10; Anna Hess, 7 2-8 16.

Pinckneyville: Mo Morgenthaler, 2 3-4 7; Olivia Wiggers*, 1 0-0 3; Emily Ruppert, 2 0-0 4; Emily Baggett, 1 0-0 2; Carly Heisner, 1 0-0 2; Lily Tanner, 1 1-1 3; Rileigh Harris, 2 0-0 4.

* includes a three-pointer

** includes two threes.

Panthers 38, Christ Our Rock Lutheran 33

Coach Alan Engelhardt said the Lady Panthers first quarter against Christ Our Rock Lutheran was the single best offensive quarter the team played all season.

"They came out in a half-court trap and we moved the ball really well around and through the defense, getting some great looks and knocking them down," he said. "Six different girls scored in the quarter and we rarely put the ball on the floor aside from taking a couple of dribbles to get a better shot."

As the game went along, however, and the Silver Stallions switched to a man-to-man defense, Engelhardt said the team started reverting to old habits, "driving into trouble and passing the ball just to get it out of our hands."

Engelhardt praised the play of Mo Morgenthaler, "not just (for) putting the ball in the basket, but making decisions as well," he said. "Every time she put the ball on the floor, it had a purpose and she got herself easy shots at the rim."

Defensively, the coach added, the Lady Panthers did a good job of forcing Christ Our Rock out of what they wanted to do offensively, taking away the post-up lob and ball-screen game.

"We did enough things right that our lead held up," he added.

Engelhardt reflected on a season winding down.

"Even though we are only 5-6 and there have been moments of frustration, especially on the offensive end, this season has been successful in getting us experience and showing what we need to do to improve," he said.

"All of the girls in our program can come back next year, so we have the potential to really make a jump if we put in the work."

Scoring by quarter

Christ Our Rock Lutheran: 10 11 06 06 33

Pinckneyville: 20 05 06 07 38

Scoring by player

COR Lutheran: Travis, 1 0-0 2; Podergris, 3 0-1 7; Pelles, 2 4-6 8; C. Carter, 1 0-0 2; K. Carter, 2 4-4 8.

Pinckneyville: Mo Morgenthaler, 9 2-2 21*; Olivia Wiggers, 1 0-0 3*; Emily Ruppert, 2 0-0 5*; Emily Baggett, 1 0-0 2; Carly Heisner, 1 0-0 2; Lily Tanner, 2 0-0 5*.

* includes a three-pointer