Photo by Eric Stauffer
Photo by Eric Stauffer
Photo by Eric Stauffer
Photo by Eric Stauffer
Photo by Eric Stauffer
Photo by Eric Stauffer
ROXANA — The Roxana Shells broke a two-game losing streak on Friday night with a 51-36 non-conference victory over the rival East Alton-Wood River Oilers at Larry Milazzo Gymnasium.
The Shells improve to 4-3 with the win while the Oilers drop to 2-5.
“It’s a game that neither team wants to lose at this juncture in the season,” Roxana head coach Mark Briggs said. “We felt like coming into this game for momentum sake and moving forward in our conference play, it was big for that reason.”
Roxana owned a 29-25 advantage at the end of the third quarter and enjoyed a big fourth quarter, outscoring the Oilers 22-11 over the final eight minutes.
“In the second part of the fourth quarter, they went on a run,” EA-WR head coach Kyle Duncan said. “They had four or five possessions in a row and then a couple of fouls. I thought we played tough defensively, but Roxana did their job and executed on offense pretty well and kept their composure. I thought the Shells played well tonight. I thought defensively we played pretty well tonight, but we didn’t get it done offensively.”
Senior post-player Cody McMillen led the Shells with 16 points. He scored seven in Roxana’s explosive fourth quarter.
“It’s all about the flow of the offense and how we move as a team,” McMillen said. “None of the players who start for us, nor the kids that come off of the bench are selfish. Anyone can score on any night. Zach (Golenor) had an off night tonight and we had other kids in double digits so it shows we can get it done.”
McMillen also gave his team a boost in the first quarter where he scored four points, as the Shells led 8-6 at the close of the frame.
“We learned a little bit from the last game we played against Carrollton,” Briggs said. “I think physically we got hammered on the glass and beat up down there. I think our big kids outplayed their big kids. Cody in the second half was more physical and banged on the boards a bit, used his body well on the rim and finished on some plays. I think that’s the difference with Cody, getting in there and mixing it up.”
The Oilers’ offense had trouble penetrating the inside in the first quarter. Coach Briggs felt his team’s defense was effective in the early minutes.
“Defensively we play man, but it looks like a zone because we switch everything,” he said. “I think out switches gave them some issues. We did lose the big kid, (Jamie) Roustio, he banged us for 18 but that’s going to happen.”
The Shells had a trio of players in double digits. Point guard Mickey Ross came off of the bench and scored 12 points, six came off of threes. Zack Haas threw in 10 points. Ross’ first trey at the 5:41 mark in the second quarter gave the Shells a 13-12 lead.
“I’m really pleased with the minutes Ross gave us,” Briggs said. “He hasn’t seen a lot of minutes and he came in with 10 points, it was a big night for him.”
After Ross’ first trey the score remained close throughout the second quarter. Roustio’s three at the 3:16 mark gave EA-WR its first lead of the game at 16-13. However, the momentum wouldn’t swing and McMillen’s traditional three-point play made the score 20-16 with 1:01 left to play in the first half, as Roxana held a 20-16 lead at the end of the first half.
Roustio led the Oilers’ offense with 18 points. He nailed five threes.
“It’s his game, an inside/outside deal,” Duncan said. “He (Jamie Rustio) can score from the outside pretty well. He’s been struggling most of the year, but I think he’s trying to find it. Later on in the season, he should be a pretty good threat.”
The Shells will return to action at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow with a South Central Conference contest against Pana. The Oilers are idle until they tangle with Father McGivney at 7:30 p.m. next Friday.