Jersey Takes Second At Alton Tip Off Classic

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Jersey Coach Kevin Strebel said, "We go down to Columbia on Tuesday before Thanksgiving break kicks in. I told the players on the team, our players in the locker room that it’s game number four, against team number four. I feel like we’re going through several tough teams, and that’s what we want; that’s how we get better. Tonight made us better. We’re going to learn from this. Otherwise, we’re going to have disappointing results. Second place in a good tournament. A lot of good things happened there, and I’m very proud of the girls in general with what happened throughout the tournament. We’re disappointed with what happened tonight, though, in the second half."

"Did I think Mater Dei could come back on us? Absolutely. They are a tough team; they showed that tonight, they are returning a bunch of starters off of a very good squad last year, they’re well-coached, they showed a heck of a lot of heart. So, the idea that, we talked about it at halftime, we haven’t done anything at the halfway point. We had a lead, but it’s a 32-minute game, not a 16-minute game."

Springfield Lanphier took third playing Alton 60-51, while the consolation crown went to Springfield Southeast, who nipped Breese Central 60-59. 

Panthers’ sophomore guard Claire Breden was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, while the Redbirds’ Laila McNeal was named to the all-tournament first team. Joining her were Martrice Brooks and Diavian Mchundrew of Southeast, Kierra Winkeler of Mater Dei and Allyson Fehrmann of Breese Central.  

The second team consists of the Panthers’ Abby Manns, Abby Braundmeier and Shannon Lampe of Mater Dei, Sophia Lorton of Hardin Calhoun and Southeast’s Nora Duffy.