Urbana suffers non-conference loss at home, but still has room to grow

URBANA - Going toe-to-toe in the first quarter with St. Teresa (7-7), the Urbana girls' basketball team used three treys - one each from Gabrielle Mboyo-Meta, Jasmine McCullough, and McKenzie Sprague - for a competitive frame and 16-14 lead.

Unfortunately, plagued by too many turnovers and missed shots, the Tigers (2-9) dug a hole too deep to recover in the second quarter on their way to a 60-44 non-conference loss on Saturday. Destiny Baker's field goal and free throw along with another free throw from Mboyo-Meta were overshadowed by St. T's 18 points run before the half.

Urbana's Savannah Blanden wrestles the ball away St. Teresa's Zakyrie Mayes during second half action on Saturday. After a strong first quarter, the Tigers' could not make up a second-quarter deficit to snag another victory at Oscar Adams Gymnasium. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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"As a team, we got off to a great start in the 1st quarter. In the second quarter we just got into too much of a hurry and couldn’t finish our shots," said Urbana head coach Bobby Boykin reflecting on the miscues. "We also missed a few closeouts on (Lucy) Corley from St. Teresa. She is a great scorer for them and we just lost track of her a few too many times."

Corley led St. Teresa's offensive effort with 19 points. Two other Bulldogs also finished in double figures. Grace Lees knocked down 15 points, and senior Jaida Taylor contributed another 11.

   "For the 2nd half, we tried to change things up defensively and St Teresa had answers for it. St Teresa just did a great job executing their game plan," said Boykin, praising the Bulldogs.

Urbana's Mia Schroeder is fouled while going up for a shot by St. Teresa's Grace Lees in the second half. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

St. Teresa used the third quarter to extend their 12-point advantage at the half to 20 by the time the game clock showed less than two minutes to play before the final quarter. Meanwhile, Mboyo-Meta, who finished with a team-high 13 points, converted four of her five free throw attempts and collected another bucket for seven points. McCullough, who closed out the contests with 10 points, hit a three-pointer, and Savannah Bladen made the second of two shots she earned from the line.

Invigorated by McCullough's trey, the Tigers' played an aggressive fourth quarter offensively and defensively, outscoring the visiting team 14-10. The outcome might have been significantly different if Boykin's squad could play with the same intensity and tenaciousness displayed in the final eight minutes on Saturday.

"Playing four quarters has been a struggle for us this season. We just need to be ready to play for 32 minutes," Boykin said. "We have room to continue to grow and we still have some great opportunities to get better." 

An Urbana fan holds up a sign while spectators cheer after Tigers' Gabrielle Mboyo-Meta scores on hard-charging shot to the rim for two of her 13 points at Saturday's home game. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Still improving, Urbana Tigers just misses their first win

The Urbana girls' varsity basketball team was just a stone's throw away from winning their first basketball game of the season on Saturday. Though they delivered a solid defensive effort, the Tigers (0-9) fell at home 42-32 to Peoria Manual (2-5).

McKenzie Sprague brings the ball down the court in the fourth quarter of the Tigers' home game against Manual. She finished the game with eight points.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

"Defensively, when you hold a team to 42 points that is a great defensive effort. Throughout the game we had some really great defensive moments with our press where we were forcing turnovers and getting points off of those turnovers," said head coach Bobby Boykin. "We just need to continue to be smarter defensively, and continue to work on our communication."

Urbana took a one-point lead, going up 4-3, midway into the first quarter. The home team later stretched their advantage to as many as three before Manual's Alexis Smith hit a jumper to erase the deficit and tie the score at 11-all with 1:39 left in the period.

After a free throw from Thiah Butler with 7:48 left in the half, the Tigers enjoyed a brief lead for the last time during the conference game at Oscar Adams Gym before falling behind at the end of the second quarter, 22-18.

Gabrielle Mboyo-Meta played her best game of the season, collecting a season-high 12 points. By the end of the first half, she tallied all but two of her game-high finish.

Starting the second half with an 18-22 deficit, Urbana held the Rams scoreless for 3 minutes and 45 seconds. Back-to-back steals, the first by junior McKenzie Sprague followed up another from Gabrielle Mboyo-Meta, helped fuel a 10-point run to put the Tigers up 28-22 with 5:15 left in the third quarter.

Unable to sustain their dominance, Urbana gave up six unanswered points in the last two minutes and 42 seconds of the quarter only to fall behind, 34-30.

"We are improving as a team," Boykin added. "We just need to put everything together for four quarters."

Senior Zineria Edwards pulls down an offensive rebound in the fourth quarter for the Tigers. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Despite their best effort, the Tigers could not get a ball through the rim until Jasmine McCullough came off the bench with almost a minute left on the game clock to hit a field goal for the team's only points in the second quarter. The nearly nine-minute shooting drought starting in the third quarter quashed Urbana's chance to notch their first victory of the season.

"Offensively, we did a great job of getting the ball into their zone and then relocating. We just have to finish our shots." "As a team, this was probably our best performance of the season thus far," Boykin said.

Sprague was 2-for-2 from the free throw line and contributed eight points as the team's second-leading scorer. Butler and Destiny Barber added another four points apiece. Mboyo-Meta was also perfect from the charity stripe sinking the ball on both attempts.

The Rams were led on offense by sophomore guard Antaya Taylor who matched Mboyo-Meta's 12 points. Manual also got double-digit output from senior Jazzlyn Latta.

"This was a game that we were really close to pulling out," the first-year Urbana coach pointed out. "The turnovers at the end really took a toll on us. It just comes down to execution at the end."

Box Score

Final: Manual 42 - Urbana 32

Urbana --
Mboyo-Meta 10-2-12, Sprague 6-2-8, McCullough 2-0-2, Barber 2-2-4, Butler 2-2-4, McCullough 2-0-2, Hall 2-0-2

Manual --
Mack 4-3-7, Bryant 2-2-4, Taylor 8-4-12, Latta 9-1-10, Randle 3-0-3, Hinkle 2-0-2, Smith 2-0-2.

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The drought ends, Urbana girls enjoy first win of the season

RANTOUL -- It finally happened. The Urbana girls basketball team earned their first win after beating Rantoul Township, 38-35. It took 14 games this season for the Tigers to finally sample the taste of victory.

"It is a great feeling for all of the team," said head coach Bobby Boykin. "They have worked so hard, and their dedication finally paid off. We are hoping to build upon this win, and just continue to work as a team to get better."

Urbana used a 14-point second-quarter run to erase a two-point deficit in the first quarter. Gabrielle Mboyo-Meta, Zineria Edwards, and Jasmine McCullough contributed two points each in the frame. Kenzie Sprague and Destiny Barber dumped four points apiece during the quarter to give the Tigers a 21-14 halftime lead.

Rantoul's Tashay Jackson-Roper was the leading scorer in the non-conference matchup with 13 points, 11 manufactured in the second half. Sheila Navarette buried three treys for nine points to help the Eagles' cause.

Barber led the Urbana (1-13, 0-6 Big Twelve) offense with 11 points. Mboyo-Meta chipped in nine points, and Edwards was good for another eight points.

Rantoul (0-9, 0-3 IPC) went to the free-throw line 31 times. Jackson-Roper, who found herself on the charity stripe 22 times, made seven of the team's 10 free throws.

Meanwhile, Urbana's McCullough was the only player who made 100% of her free throws, draining both in the second quarter. Mboyo-Meta was 3-for-6 from the line, and Barber found the net during three of her eight trips to the line.

While pleased with the outcome, Boykin knows there is a lot of work to be done and hoops to be played.

"We still have a ways to go and are going to face some great teams down the home stretch of our season."

Box Score

Final: Urbana 38 - Rantoul 35

	1	2	3	4	F
Urbana	7	14	7	10	38
Rantoul	9	6	10	10	35

Urbana --
Mboyo-Meta 3 (0) 3-6 -- 9, Sprague 4 (0) 3-8 -- 11, J. Hall 0 (1) 1-4 -- 4, McCullough 0 (0) 1-4 -- 1, T. Hall 4 (0) 0-3 -- 8, Blanden 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Blanden 0 (0) 0-1 -- 0, McCullough 0 (1) 2-2 -- 5, T. Hall 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Blanden 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0.

Rantoul --
Walton 1 (0) 0-0 -- 2, Emery 0 (0) 0-2 -- 0, Jackson-Roper 3 (0) 7-22 -- 13, Polk 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Dixon 0 (0) 3-6 -- 3, Sutherland 0 (1) 0-0 -- 3, Autman 1 (1) 0-1 -- 5, Martin 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Sheila 0 (3) 0-0 -- 9, Naverette 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0, Ortiz 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0.

Barber and Mboyo-Meta lead Tigers in conference win over visiting Danville

URBANA - It took 34 months, to the day, for the Urbana girls' basketball program to finally post a win on their home court at Oscar Adams Gym. A week ago Thursday, after holding visiting Danville to just eight first-half points, the Tigers (2-4) posted a 40-24 win over the Vikings.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Destiny Barber goes up for one of three first-quarter scores during Urbana's home game against Danville on December 8. Barber finished with eight points in the Tiger's first home win since 2020.

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The last time the girls' program celebrated a victory on their hardwood dates back to a 64-47 win over visiting Bloomington High School when most of the squad were playing freshman ball back on February 8, 2020.

"It's been almost two and half years since we had a home win. They earned this one," Head coach Bobby Boykin said after the game. Despite their current record, he is pleased with the strides his team is making this season. "They have really grown and are starting to come together."

The Tigers return eight players who saw significant playing time from the previous season. Many of last season's familiar faces contributed to last week's win.

Destiny Barber and Gabreille Mboyo-Meta led the Urbana offensive effort with a game-high eight points a piece. Junior guard Aziyaha Davis finished with seven points, and Jasmine McCullough rounded out the top four scorers for the Tigers with six points.

Barber, a senior, scored six of her eight points in the first quarter with assists from Davis, who forced turnovers to create an abundance of scoring opportunites for UHS in the first half. With the help Mboyo-Meta and McCollough, the Tigers put up an 11-point lead on scoreboard.

Urbana continued to stretch the gap on the scoreboard all the way to the end of the third quarter boasting a 22-point advantage.

"Danville is definitely a hardworking team," Boykin said, acknowledging Danville's attempt to dig themselves out of an impossible situation. "We tried our best to be the same tonight."

Layla Johnson paced the Vikings with seven points.

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Box Score

Urbana 40 - Danville 25

	1	2	3	4	F
Urbana	14	6	14	6	40
Danville	3	5	4	13	25

Urbana --
Barber 4(0)-2-0--8, Davis 3(0)-3-1--7, Mboyo-Meta 2(1)-4-1--8, Schroeder 1(1)-0-0--5, McCullough 2(0)-4-2--6, Sprague 1(0)-3-0--2, Hall 1(0)-0-0--2, Blanden 0(0)-2-0--0, Lange 1(0)-0-0--2, Hall 0(0)-2-0--0.

Danville --
Johnson 3(0)-2-1--7, Blandeo 0(0)-0-0--0, Rudy 0(0)-6-1--1, Berryhill 2(0)-4-2--6, Longfair 1(0)-0-0--2, Walls 1(0)-3-1--3, McFarland 0(0)-0-0--0, Brown 0(0)-0-0--0, Parker 0(0)-0-0--0, Johnson 0(0)-0-0--0, Taylor 1(0)-0-0--2, Foley 2(0)-0-0--4, Winston 0(0)-0-0--0.

Prep Sport Notebook | Hall big on the boards for Urbana, Unity loses first game

URBANA - Janae Hall hauled in nine of her team's 28 rebounds in Urbana's 51-10 loss to visiting MacArthur on Thursday.

"Urbana was shorthanded tonight but worked hard," said head coach Bobby Boykin.

Hall and newcomer Zion Reid finished with just four points apiece on offense. Freshman Lai'yonna Harper rounded out the Tigers' scoring effort with a field goal.

Urbana hosts Mahomet-Seymour in a non-conference contest on Monday.

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Rockets suffer first loss

GIBSON CITY - Raegen Stringer exploded in the second half of Unity's Lady Falcon/Bunnie Tip Off game against Tri-Valley scoring 12 of her 18 points. Her effort was not enough to overcome the 13-point halftime deficit against the Vikings on Thursday night, which resulted in the Rockets' first loss of the season, 42-28.

Addison Ray finished with six points and six rebounds, while Reagan Little, credited with six boards and four steals, was held to a third quarter field goal for two points. Stringer added four rebounds, three steal, and two assists to her season stats.

Claire Meharry and Lauren Haas each sank a free throw to detail UHS' scoring effort. Haas' defensive effort produced five rebounds and two steals. She also dished out five assists.

Tri-Valley (3-0) had three players in double figures. Sophomore Addy Friehaut led her team's effort with 13 points, Kelsey Bartels added 11 points, and Cadence Geiser scored eight fourth quarter points to finish with ten total.

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