CANTON —
Bill Davis is 1-0 as a varsity coach and Morton has its third consecutive Mid-Illini Conference championship after a 55-38 win over Canton on Thursday night.
Davis, the sophomore coach and varsity assistant, was filling in for head girls basketball coach Bob Becker, who was attending his father-in-law’s funeral. Davis used Becker’s absence as a motivating factor for the Potters (23-4, 12-0), who won their 31st conference game in a row and had clinched a share of the M-I title Tuesday night.
“I said, ‘You’re not playing for anything else or to keep the streak alive. You’re playing for your coach, who would do anything for any of you,’ ” said Davis. “He does so much for each and every kid.”
Senior Sarah Livingston, who led all scorers with 19 points, said the team took that to heart.
“He’s only missed one practice in 14 years of coaching so to miss a game took a lot for him,” said Livingston. “We definitely wanted to win for Coach Becker and Coach Davis just to give them both a win.”
The Potters came out firing at Alice Ingersoll Gym and hit three 3-pointers in the first quarter on the way to a 17-11 lead. They held Canton (18-6, 8-4) to just eight points in the second quarter and had a 30-19 lead by halftime.
“They’re running on all cylinders and obviously Sarah’s back to 100 percent and that’s as well as I’ve seen her play,” said Canton coach Layne Langholf.“Not that she hasn’t played well before but she caught it and if she wasn’t passing it out, she was scoring. And then when you’ve got a kid like (Kate) Byrne who can see over everything and run the show and is one of the best defenders in the league, it’s a great combination. Morton’s a great team and they deserve the conference championship. They played the best over the course.”
Morton shot 56 percent from the field (19-of-34) and out-rebounded Canton 25-16.
Chandler Ryan was 4-for-6 from the field, including 3-for-5 from the 3-point line, for 11 points.
“Chandler played a real good ballgame,” said Davis.
Ryan and Livingston had seven rebounds each. Byrne added eight points and Abbie Cox six.
Cloe Churchill led the Little Giants with 17 points and Michaela Kumer added nine despite missing most of the first quarter after taking an elbow near her right eye.
“She just kept bleeding,” said Langholf.
Her play drew high praise from Davis.
“She’s tough,” said Davis.“I’ve appreciated her career for four years. I knew she’d be back in. I told the kids at halftime, she’s a hockey player in a girls body and basketball uniform.”
The game was a reunion of former freshman coaches. Davis and Langholf both started their careers at that level in 2000.
Davis, the sophomore coach and varsity assistant, was filling in for head girls basketball coach Bob Becker, who was attending his father-in-law’s funeral. Davis used Becker’s absence as a motivating factor for the Potters (23-4, 12-0), who won their 31st conference game in a row and had clinched a share of the M-I title Tuesday night.
“I said, ‘You’re not playing for anything else or to keep the streak alive. You’re playing for your coach, who would do anything for any of you,’ ” said Davis. “He does so much for each and every kid.”
Senior Sarah Livingston, who led all scorers with 19 points, said the team took that to heart.
“He’s only missed one practice in 14 years of coaching so to miss a game took a lot for him,” said Livingston. “We definitely wanted to win for Coach Becker and Coach Davis just to give them both a win.”
The Potters came out firing at Alice Ingersoll Gym and hit three 3-pointers in the first quarter on the way to a 17-11 lead. They held Canton (18-6, 8-4) to just eight points in the second quarter and had a 30-19 lead by halftime.
“They’re running on all cylinders and obviously Sarah’s back to 100 percent and that’s as well as I’ve seen her play,” said Canton coach Layne Langholf.“Not that she hasn’t played well before but she caught it and if she wasn’t passing it out, she was scoring. And then when you’ve got a kid like (Kate) Byrne who can see over everything and run the show and is one of the best defenders in the league, it’s a great combination. Morton’s a great team and they deserve the conference championship. They played the best over the course.”
Morton shot 56 percent from the field (19-of-34) and out-rebounded Canton 25-16.
Chandler Ryan was 4-for-6 from the field, including 3-for-5 from the 3-point line, for 11 points.
“Chandler played a real good ballgame,” said Davis.
Ryan and Livingston had seven rebounds each. Byrne added eight points and Abbie Cox six.
Cloe Churchill led the Little Giants with 17 points and Michaela Kumer added nine despite missing most of the first quarter after taking an elbow near her right eye.
“She just kept bleeding,” said Langholf.
Her play drew high praise from Davis.
“She’s tough,” said Davis.“I’ve appreciated her career for four years. I knew she’d be back in. I told the kids at halftime, she’s a hockey player in a girls body and basketball uniform.”
The game was a reunion of former freshman coaches. Davis and Langholf both started their careers at that level in 2000.
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