Bentley Scores Game-High 26 as Chargers’ Comeback vs. Lady Statesmen Falls Short

GALESBURG — Freshman Elly Bentley led all players with 26 points, but Lincoln Trail held off the Carl Sandburg College women's basketball team's fourth-quarter rally to beat the Chargers 69-61 on Thursday at John Lewis Gym.

KEY MOMENTS
• A turnaround shot in the lane by Natalie Righi gave Sandburg (1-2) a 12-11 lead with 1:45 left in the first quarter, but the Division I Lady Statesmen (2-3) went on a 7-0 run to close the period.
• The Chargers trailed 25-19 before an Addison Eger layup from Bentley and then a Bentley three-point play pulled them to within 25-24 with 4:32 left in the opening half. Lincoln Trail, though, answered with a 9-0 run and scored 13 of the last 17 in the half to lead 38-28.
• Down 56-42 entering the fourth, Sandburg rattled off 10 straight points to trail by four with 6:40 to play. Lillianna Blackford notched a steal and fed Eger for a breakaway layup to close the run, but that was as close as the Chargers would get. The Lady Statesmen scored seven of the next nine points, and Jordan Scroggins' 3-pointer with 1:30 to go gave Lincoln Trail a 68-60 lead.

SANDBURG STANDOUT
Bentley scored a game-high 26 points while shooting 8 of 20 from the floor. The freshman point guard tied for the team lead with six rebounds and led the Chargers with four steals.

OTHER TOP CHARGERS
• Eger: 12 points, 5 of 13 shooting, 3 steals

FOR THE LADY STATESMEN
• Scroggins: 19 points, 4 of 10 3s, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals
• Graycie Poe: 17 points, 5 rebounds

UP NEXT FOR SANDBURG
4 p.m. Saturday at No. 5 Bryant & Stratton 

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