DANVILLE — After an double overtime loss to Salt Fork on Wednesday, the Danville girls basketball team was ready for another close match-up.
But on Friday, the Lady Vikings were able to rally late and get a 62-58 win over Champaign Centennial.
Down 39-34 going into the fourth, Danville scored 28 points in the quarter with key steals and baskets late by Jada Bell and Audrina Burns.
“Drin had some key rebounds and Jada got a big steal and got fouled,” Danville head coach Glennie Watson said. “The girls fought and competed tonight.”
“We didn’t want to lose. We wanted to call game,” Burns said. “We didn’t want to lose to someone that we could have blown out.”
“We started out pretty flat and we were not moving and we were kind of stiff. We didn’t rebound or box out and we didn’t play good defense at all,” Bell said. “It wasn’t a one-man game and our defense was going to win the game. We were going to have to foul if they kept getting the lead and we would have to press and make sure that they can’t keep up with us.”
The Lady Vikings were down 29-23 at halftime and Watson said it was a slow start against the Chargers.
“We found a way tonight, I always tell the girls to find a way to win,” Watson said. “We came out a little flat. We played that double overtime game to Salt Fork and I think the girls were a little bit gassed as far as their legs, so me and the staff decided to makes some adjustments with our defense,”Watson said. “We had great contributions for everyone tonight. Shar’Donne Hillsman helped us with her defense and finishes. Drina started to wake up and show exactly what type of basketball player she can be. Gabi (Huerta) and Anna (Houpt) are out there doing what they do and scrapping on defense. Anna was still out fighting, guarding, rebounding and that is how it is going to be. Jada was Jada. The energy on the bench was good and I am super proud of the girls because they showed a lot of grit.”
Watson said returning Bell was a key moment as the team’s offense has only gotten better in the last two games.
“We are a totally different team when she is there and it is like cutting the head off a snake when she is not here,” Watson said. “When she is here, we are able to run offensive sets. When your point guard is off, it throws the team off and she is very important in what we do. She does a great job in running the team, creating shots for herself and her teammates. The main thing is consistency.”
“It has been rough but I still help my teammates be better and getting myself in shape,” said Bell, who played her second game since coming back from an injury on Friday. “I am overall happy that we won. We didn’t want to lose to them. We realized we were not down that much. We couldn’t give up and we fought to the end and that’s what we have to do every game.”
Bell had 23 points, while Burns had 22, Hillsman had 10 and Huerta added four points.
The Lady Vikings played Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin on Monday for their second Vermilion County opponent in a week before returning to Big 12 Conference play against Normal Community today.
“When we play the county teams, it is a different brand of basketball at a slower pace,” Watson said. “They have shooters and are fundamentally sound. For a defensive standpoint, we don’t mind playing them because it teaches us where we are at defensively because you have to guard when you play them because they may not be the most athletic, but they play the right way.”