Hickman, McNeal, hit double figures, but Redbirds fall in Tip-Off Classic semis to Breese Mater Dei

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ALTON – Senior forward Cri’shonna Hickman had 12 points, while Laila McNeal had 10, but it wasn’t enough as Alton’s girls’ basketball team lost to Breese Mater Dei 67-44 in the semifinals of the Alton Tip-Off Classic Friday evening at the Redbirds Nest.

The Redbirds, now 1-1 on the season, will play in the third- and fourth-place game at 6 Saturday evening against Springfield Lanphier, while the Knights will play Jersey in the final later that evening.

Alton got off to a good start against Mater Dei, but as the game went on, the Knights were able to take control.

“We got off to a pretty good start,” said Redbird coach Tammy Talbert, “but they had a player (Kierra Winkeler) with 20 points tonight, and we didn’t have an answer for her.”

Winkeler had 21 points to lead Mater Dei, while Abby Braundmeier had 15, Claire Tonnies had 11 and Shannon Lampe had ten. In addition, Tonnies also had ten rebounds for the Knights. Those four are among the returnees from last year’s supersectional team.

“They’re a very good team,” Talbert said. “They have good players, they’re good shooters, they could handle the ball. They’re a good, solid team.”

The Redbirds had three players with seven points each – Jayla Fox, Germayia Wallace and Deja Carter – and kept playing hard all throughout the game.

“We never gave up, and we played hard and scrappy,” Talbert said. “That’s the first thing I told the girls in the locker room after the game. “The effort was definitely there.’”

The Redbirds now have to quickly prepare for the Lions in the third-place game, and put the loss behind them.

“Lanphier is athletic,” Talbert said. “We’ve got to forget about tonight and get ready for Lanphier. It’ll be a quick turnaround.”

After the Tip-Off Classic, the Redbirds have Thanksgiving week off and go on the road for the first time this season Nov. 26 at Gillespie, then open up their Southwestern Conference season Nov. 29 at home against East St. Louis.

Chris Rhodes also contributed to this story.

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