WEST SALEM — Central High School girls basketball coach Quartell Roberson has no choice but to embrace this, and he did happily on Thursday night.
It’s been a long time since the RiverHawks have had this many shooters, and they issued an alert to the rest of their opponents this season with their performance in a 64-55 nonconference victory at West Salem.
Central made 13 3-pointers — nine in the second half — and had four players with at least one in a game that included a resurgence after the Panthers built a 41-30 lead early in the second half.
“I’m not a fan of living by the 3,” Roberson said with a smile. “But it’s a good attribute to add to our game.
“We’ve always been an attack-first team, and we’ll still be that, but knowing we have girls that can knock down shots on the perimeter is a great feeling to have.”
Senior Alahnna Simpson made five of those 3s on her way to a game-high 22 points. Freshman teammate Ellie Apuan also made five while making her varsity debut with 19 points.
Junior Ellie Gillitzer hit two and sophomore Malayah Simpson one as the RiverHawks began their season with a win over a program that won 105 games and lost 20 the past five seasons.
Central made its run after the Panthers built that 11-point lead when sophomore Amelia Karr hit a 3-pointer with 13 minutes, 36 seconds remaining.
West Salem had a 30-27 halftime lead and expanded it with three quick 3-pointers in the second half. Karr’s 3 seemed to spark something in the RiverHawks, who settled down and found some flow to their game.
Simpson started a 21-4 run that turned an 11-point deficit into a six-point lead with her third 3-pointer of the night. She then assisted on three more shots, finding Apuan twice in the right corner for 3-pointers.
“I think we just picked things up defensively,” said Simpson, an Eastern Illinois commit in her fourth season as a Central starter. “We got some stops, and then our defense led into our offense.
“Then we pushed the ball, settled down and got the ball movement we needed.”
Senior Josie Brudos scored a team-high 19 points for West Salem and had 12 of those in the first half. She made four of the Panthers’ 10 3-pointers.
Karr and sophomore Ava Hendrickson each scored eight points for West Salem, which had started five straight seasons with a victory and made its final field goal against Central with 5:05 remaining.
Apuan acclimated quickly and gave the RiverHawks their first points on a 3 from the left wing. The shot was set up by a pass from Simpson, who had five assists.
“I mean, whooo, she’s a great player,” Simpson said of Apuan.”I just expect great things from her.
“She’s a great teammate and fun to play with.
“I can’t wait to see what she does. If she starts like that, imagine where she’ll be as a senior.”
