The Sentinel

SJO girls close out tournament with a loss, Miller leads team's scoring effort

NORMAL - Atleigh Miller, a freshman, came off the bench to score eight points, leading St. Joseph-Ogden's offensive production in their 59-26 loss to Rockford Lutheran (11-4) at the State Farm Holiday Classic on Saturday. The Spartans (6-8) finished the tournament with a 1-2 record.

The Lady Crusaders held the Spartans to just 12 points in the first half while padding their half of the scoreboard with 37 of them. Rockford Lutheran kept their foot on the gas in the second half, scoring another 23 points to advance to the Small School division's consolation championship game five hours later against Sacred Heart-Griffin.

Trying to help dig the Spartans out of the hole early on, Addison Brooks, normally an outside shooting threat, was held to just six points from a pair of three-pointers. Timera Blackburn-Kelley contributed a pair of baskets also finishing with four points.

Lady Crusaders' Soraya Parker led all scorers with 23 points. Teammate Wrigley Meanovich added another eight points with Shauna Jones finishing the semifinal with seven points, rounding out the top three scorers.

St. Joseph-Ogden returns to action in the new year on January 4 in a home non-conference game against Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley.