Rocks over Alleman

From Argus....

By Dan Tomlin, dtomlin@qconline.com

The Rock Island girls' basketball team showed their dominance, finished the season sweep of Alleman and moved one step closer to the Western Big 6 Conference championship. Move on down the road. The win, a 47-31 drubbing, is their third consecutive win, all by double-digits as the Rocks have been cruising since the holiday tournament season. Thursday, led by a defensive gem, the Rocks (16-4, 5-1 Big 6) put the Alleman Pioneers (15-7, 4-3) in their rearview mirror. Thanks to a Galesburg (4-3) win over Moline (3-3), Rocky is now two games up on the field with just four to play. Highlighting the defensive effort was Rayven Morrow, who played one of her best all-around games of the season. Coming to life in the second quarter, she scored seven of her nine points, pulled down three rebounds, ripped away two steals and dished off an assist on a breakaway to Shavonne Brewer. Morrow ended the game with a game-high five steals. "We knew that defense was going to be the key to this game and I just tried to do my part," Morrow said. "The main key is preparation and we were prepared tonight." On the flip side, Alleman couldn't respond to the size of the Rocks, as Sarita Goldsmith dropped in 13 points and pulled down eight rebounds. When the Pioneers sagged to help in the post, Brewer made them pay. She ended with a game-high 17 points. The Rocky defense was so stifling that for a 10-minute stretch between the second and third quarters, the Pioneers made just one basket. During that time, the Rocks took what was just a 23-18 lead and exploited it to 36-20. That ended up being the largest lead of the game and the final difference as well. "We played tentatively all game and you have to give Rock Island credit for that," Alleman coach Jay Hatch said. "We just never got into a rhythm, ever. If we could have gotten the other team to not guard us, maybe we would have made some shots." The Rocks looked like the veteran ball club they should be, playing with four seniors in the starting five, including a pair of forwards, Morrow and Shamell Mangrum who also helped the Rocks volleyball team to a regional championship and sectional semifinal berth. "It took us a while to get into basketball shape, especially with a number of the girls going so late into the season with volleyball," Rock Island coach Thad Hoover said. "The big thing is that we're improving offensively, and we made strides toward that again tonight." Several of Goldsmith and Brewers baskets came in isolation and both players were able to create their own shots and finish in marvelous fashion. "Those two really did a lot tonight," Hoover said of his guard-forward tandum that combined for 30 of the Rocks points. "I think all of our posts can go 1-on-1 with anybody and score." For the Pioneers, the loss drops them two games back with just three to play as they'll start the 2A postseason a week before the rest of the Western Big 6. "We don't get Rock Island again, so we just need to win and we're going to need some help," said Hatch who again was led by Zoe Kelso with 12 points and seven rebounds. "We have to control what we can control. If we win out, we'll be 7-3 and that might give us a chance (at a conference title)." Things don't get any easier for the Rocks, as they will be packing their bags the next three weeks for road games at United Township, Galesburg and Moline before coming back home Feb. 9 to finish the conference season against Quincy (0-6). Going on the road is no easy thing in the Big 6 and Hoover is no stranger to that. "We've got a lot of work ahead of us," Hoover said.