Robinson Daily News

Lady Maroons edge Olney, 44-43, for third place at LIC tourney



Robinson High School's girls' basketball team finished third at the Little Illini Conference Tournament with a 44-43 win over Olney Thursday. The Lady Maroons went 2-1 in the tournament with wins over Mt. Carmel (50-30) and Olney (44-43), while losing to eventual champion Paris (65-16). Contributed photo

Robinson High School’s girls’ basketball team finished third at the Little Illini Conference Tournament with a 44-43 win over Olney Thursday. The Lady Maroons went 2-1 in the tournament with wins over Mt. Carmel (50-30) and Olney (44-43), while losing to eventual champion Paris (65-16). Contributed photo

Bouncing back from a rough outing Tuesday night was the goal for Robinson High School’s girls’ basketball team Thursday night and they did that, although it took them a bit longer than they had hoped.

The Lady Maroons were able to erase the memory of Tuesday night’s loss to top-seeded Paris in the semifinals of the Little Illini Conference Tournament by rebounding for a 44-43 win over Olney in the third-place game at Paris High School.

“I am very proud of the girls,” RHS head coach Scott Zane said. “We needed this victory.”

Robinson had a bit of a sluggish start to Thursday’s game, as they fell behind 11-3 after one quarter. However, the Lady Maroons pulled to within 20-13 at halftime, then outscored Olney 17-11 in the third quarter to close the gap to 31-30 heading into the fourth quarter.

After Olney scored the first basket of the period, Marisa Zane scored six straight to give RHS a 36-33 lead with 5:30 to play. Olney would score at the 5:05 mark, but Zane countered with a three-pointer to extend the Lady Maroons’ lead to 39-35 with 4:54 remaining. Two free throws pulled Olney to within 39-37 at the 3:50 mark, then neither team scored until Taylor Blank’s layup with 1:31 left gave the Lady Maroons a 41-37 lead. Olney then missed a three-pointer and had to begin fouling. Lucy List would miss the front end of a one-and-bonus opportunity for RHS, but Blank secured the offensive rebound, then found a cutting Zane at the basket and she laid the ball in to extend the RHS lead to 43-37 with 1:09 remaining.

Olney would battle back, hitting two free throws at the 1:02 mark, then after a turnover on the ensuing inbound play, Kenzie Weiler scored to make the score 43-41 with 58 seconds remaining. Robinson had two chances to extend the lead, but List missed another free throw with 36.4 seconds left, only for a jump ball to be called on the rebound and RHS retaining possession. Zane was then fouled with 29 seconds left, but she also missed the front end of a one-and-bonus opportunity, giving Olney a chance to tie. That is exactly what the Lady Tigers did, as Grayce Burgener drove the lane and scored inside to knot the score at 43-43 with 10.5 seconds to play.

Robinson quickly inbounded and had numbers up the floor, with Elizabeth Shea all alone near the basket. However, Olney was whistled for a foul near mid-court and List went to the free throw line again with six seconds remaining, this time shooting two shots because Olney was in the double bonus. List would miss the first foul shot, then after a time-out, she made the second one to give the Lady Maroons a one-point lead. Olney inbounded the ball to Weiler, who was fouled at mid-court with 4.6 seconds left, as Robinson had a foul to give before reaching the bonus. Weiler received the ensuing inbounds pass again and drove to the top of the key, where her runner at the buzzer missed everything and the Lady Maroons escaped with the win.

Marisa Zane led RHS with 17 points, while List tossed in nine points, Shea and Katelyn Jones scored six points apiece, Alexia Zane netted four and Blank added two.

Burgener led Olney with 16 points, while Weiler and Danielle Brown were also in double figures for the Lady Tigers with 13 and 10 points, respectively.

In other final round games, Mt. Carmel downed Newton 36-26 in the consolation championship game and Paris got past Marshall, 53-41, in the championship game.

Robinson (13-4) will play at Mt. Carmel for a make-up LIC contest Saturday at 6:15 p.m.

2022 Little Illini Conference Girls Basketball Tournament

At Paris High School

Third Place Game

Olney 11  9 11 12 – 43

Robinson   3 10 17 14 – 44

OLNEY (43)

Kenzie Weiler 4 5-5 13, Sarah Ingram 0 0-0 0, Rylee Bloomer 0 2-2 2, Kyrstin Weiler 0 1-3 1, Jocelyn Van Matre 0 1-2 1, Grayce Burgener 7 2-2 16, Danielle Brown 4 2-2 10, TOTALS 15 FG, 13-16 FT, 43 TP.

ROBINSON (44)

Lucy List 3 1-4 9, Taylor Blank 1 0-0 2, Alexia Zane 2 0-0 4, Katelyn Jones 3 0-0 6, Marisa Zane 8 0-2 17, Elizabeth Shea 3 0-0 6, TOTALS 20 FG, 1-6 FT, 44 TP.

3-point goals – List 2, M. Zane.

Team fouls – RCHS 13, RHS 11. Fouled out – none. Technical foul – none.

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