SJ-O finishes 11th at State Farm Classic
By Fred Kroner
St. Joseph-Ogden’s girls’ basketball team split its four games in the small-school division of the State Farm Classic and finished in 11th place.
On Friday (Dec. 29), the Spartans fell to Port Byron Riverdale, 59-42, and then recovered to defeat El Paso/Gridley in the 11th-place game, 48-30.
Against Riverdale, Addison Frick drilled three three-pointers and tallied a team-leading 15 points. Timera Blackburn-Kelley netted seven points. Katie Ericksen and Addison Seggebruch each collected six points. Addy Martinie ended with four points, Addison Brooks hit three points and Sara Kearney chipped in with one point.
Riverdale led, 17-8 after one quarter and 32-17 at halftime.
Against El Paso/Gridley, Frick notched 12 points and Martinie totaled 11 points while knocking down three three-pointers. Seggebruch registered seven points.
Other point-makers for SJ-O were Kayla Osterbur (six points), Kearney (four points), Brooks (three points), Ericksen (three points) and Blackburn-Kelley (two points).
The Spartans surged into a 17-7 lead after one quarter and held a 25-17 halftime cushion.
In the second round on Thursday (Dec. 28) at Bloomington High School, SJ-O doubled the score on Rockford Lutheran in the first quarter, 15-7, and held on for a 45-42 conquest.
Ericksen poured in a career-high 20 points and became the third different Spartan with a 20-point game this season.
Martinie tossed in 11 points. Frick made seven points. Brooks and Seggebruch each contributed three points. Kearney knocked down a free throw.
SJ-O led at halftime, 25-22.
The Spartans opened tournament play on Wednesday (Dec. 27) with a 50-18 loss to Kankakee Bishop McNamara.
Martinie led SJ-O with seven points. Brooks and Seggebruch each finished with five points. Osterbur added one point from the free throw line.
McNamara led, 21-2, after one quarter and pulled away from limiting the Spartans to just two second-half field goals.
On Thursday (Dec. 21), Martinie and Brooks each drained three three-point shots as SJ-O overpowered visiting Oakwood, 53-23, in a non-conference game.
Martinie tallied a game-high 17 points. Frick scored 12 points, followed by Brooks with nine.
Kearney chipped in with six points. Also reaching the scoring column were Seggebruch (four points), Ericksen (three points) and Mackenzie Loschen (two points).
SJ-O held an 11-7 lead after one quarter and carried a 24-9 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Spartans converted 8 of 10 free throws. Besides the three-pointers by Brooks and Martinie, Frick hit once from beyond the arc.
The Spartans (7-8) return to action on Thursday (Jan. 4) at Pontiac.
