Alleman Takes Care of Us

From the Argus- Dispatch.....

By Marc Nesseler, nesseler@qconline.com

Alleman girls' basketball coach Jay Hatch doesn't send in reserves in the same five-at-a-time way that the Galesburg Silver Streaks do. Nonetheless, the Pioneers' bench can be just as much of a factor. It was the Alleman reserves who pushed the Pioneers' first-half lead to double figures in Western Big 6 Conference play Thursday night, as the hosts hung on for a 62-56 victory at Don Morris Gymnasium. "Our teams like to do the same thing," Alleman reserve guard Josie Beckwith said of the bench strength of the two teams. "It's everyone's contribution. As a team, we do what we can do together." With Alleman (14-6, 4-2 WB6) moving ahead of the Streaks (13-3, 3-3) in the conference, it was a case of key contributions by those at the end of the Alleman bench. "We go a little shorter sub-wise," Hatch said of the comparison, "but we always make sure we have a couple of ballhanders on the floor, especially the way they trap you. There's not a lot of strategy to it." The Nos. 10, 11 and 12 players into the game for Alleman made key contributions. Maddie McGuire had four points and four rebounds in the second quarter, Paige Taghon was 4-for-4 for the game for eight points to go with three rebounds, and Taylor Johnson hit a pair of key second-quarter free throws. "We had Anna Wetherell, Zoe Kelso and Ciera Davis on the bench in the second quarter, and yet we still increased our lead," Hatch noted. "We are a team where all 13 players can come in and make a difference, and that's really important," said Taghon. "It's about keeping up the intensity and doing what you have to do." With Alleman combining the 10-through-12 with Beckwith, Jenna Zmuda, MaryAnne McLaughlin and Ellen Kaschke, the Pioneers went from being up 25-23 to a halftime lead of 41-29. "We had Jenna at the 1 (point guard) and she hasn't done that for two years," Hatch said. The Streaks made a game of it with a strong fourth quarter. Jessica Lieber and Sharron Diggins were the sparkplugs, combining for 10 of their 15 points. They finished with 22 and 13 points, respectively, but combined to shoot 12-of-41 in doing so. In fact, it was a night where the 3-pointer, a key to Galesburg's arsenal, failed the Streaks. They were 3-of-30 beyond the arc. Conversely, Alleman did not take a 3. "If we took a 3 against that team, I'd be upset," Hatch said. "You're going to be guarded tightly behind the 3-point line." Alleman also had big performances from its starters. Davis was 8-of-12 shooting for a team-high 19 points to go with nine rebounds. Kelso had a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds and Anne Bohnert chipped in with eight points. Margaret Wendell had seven boards.