Diverse scoring leads St. Joseph-Ogden Girls’ Basketball to two wins

By FRED KRONER
fred@mahometnews.com

St. Joseph-Ogden’s girls’ basketball team opened the season with two wins in two nights this week and had different scoring leaders in each game.

On Monday, the Spartans handed Fisher a 39-22 setback in the first round of the Lady Falcon/Lady Bunny Tournament at Fisher.

Alyssa Hamilton drilled two three-point shots and led SJ-O with nine points. Teammate Payton Jacob added eight points, including one basket from three-point range.

The Spartans’ Payton Vallee scored seven points on Monday, two days after playing in the third-place state tournament volleyball match in Normal.

Fisher led 6-5 after one quarter, but SJ-O captured the lead at halftime, 19-14 and built its margin to 15 points after three quarters.

Taylor Barnes and Ashlyn Lannert each added six points for the Spartans.

On Tuesday, SJ-O overpowered Iroquois West 49-16.

Lannert knocked down a game-high 15 points.

Hamilton drained nine points. Barnes and Katie Cramer each hit six points.

All three of Cramer’s baskets after two games have been from beyond the three-point arc. Barnes also has three three-pointers.

SJ-O’s defense limited Iroquois West to one first-half basket while building a 26-5 lead at intermission.

SJ-O (2-0) returns to action tonight at Fisher in the 5:30 p.m. game against Villa Grove/Heritage (2-0).

The winner will advance into Saturday’s championship game. The loser will play in Saturday’s third-place game.