PAXTON - Junior
Kayla Osterbur scored 13 first-half points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead St. Joseph-Ogden to a 39-25 conference road win over Paxton-Buckley-Loda on Monday. The Spartans improved to 5-4 in the Illini Prairie and 11-16 overall, closing the season with back-to-back wins.
Kayla Osterbur looks for an open teammate during SJO's Country Financial Shootout game in December. The junior has grown into the role of the Spartans' top performer.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Trailing 10-8 after the first quarter, Osterbur scored 10 points in the second quarter to give SJO a 23-16 halftime lead.
The Spartans held PBL to nine points in the second half, with senior
Katie Ericksen contributing nine of her 11 points during this stretch.
Addison Brooks and
Hayden Dahl hit three-pointers in the third quarter to help secure the win.
For the Panthers (4-26, 2-7), Tanner Graham led with 10 points, all scored in the first half. Sophomore Kylie Rust came off the bench to add six points, while Aubrey Busboom contributed with a field goal and two free throws. Addison Lavender rounded out the scoring with a basket in the fourth quarter, totaling two points.
St. Joseph-Ogden will begin their postseason on Monday, February 17, at home against the winner of Saturday's quarterfinal between St. Thomas More and the #6 seed, Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin. SJO earned the #3 seed in the regional.