Chargers Roll Into Region 4 Semis as Bentley Matches Career-High 32 Points

GALESBURG — Elly Bentley tied her career-high with 32 points, helping the Carl Sandburg College women's basketball team pull away from Olive-Harvey 91-71 on Thursday at John Lewis Gym in the quarterfinals of the Region 4 Division II District A tournament.

With the victory, fourth-seeded Sandburg (22-9) advances to face No. 5-seeded Milwaukee Area Technical in the semifinals at 2 p.m. Saturday at Rock Valley College in Rockford. The winner advances to the championship at 5 p.m. March 9, also at Rock Valley.

KEY MOMENTS
• To get past the 13th-seeded Panthers (9-19), the Chargers used a fast start and a big third quarter. Sandburg opened the contest with a 3-pointer from Gracie Sims and added a 13-0 run for a quick 16-2 lead. But Olive-Harvey refused to let the Chargers pull away in the opening half, and Sandburg went into the locker room up 45-34.
• Up 51-42 with 7:20 left in the third quarter, the Chargers began to extend their lead behind a 14-0 run. Bentley knocked down two free throws to open the spurt, and Kelci Shelton capped it with a steal and layup for a 65-42 advantage with 3:00 to go in the period. The Chargers went on to lead by as many as 28 points in the second half.

SANDBURG STANDOUT
Bentley ended the night with 32 points on 12-of-22 shooting and an 8-for-9 effort at the foul line. The sophomore guard also had seven rebounds, five assists and four steals in the victory. It marked the third time Bentley has finished with 32 points in her Sandburg career. She also reached that figure Nov. 21 this season against Elgin and as a freshman Nov. 28, 2022, against Southeastern.

OTHER TOP CHARGERS
• Sims: 12 points, 4-7 3FG, 9 rebounds
• Brook Pieper: 11 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals
• Savannah Dominique: 10 points, 8 rebounds

FOR THE PANTHERS
• Faith Robertson: 37 points, 16-31 FG, 10 rebounds, 3 steals
• Nakiyah Callon: 17 points, 2 steals
• Savannah Johnson: 9 points, 18 rebounds

REGION 4 DIVISION II DISTRICT A WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
Feb. 29
Game 1 — No. 1 Morton 95, No. 16 Elgin 54
Game 2 — No. 8 Prairie State 82, No. 9 Moraine Valley 69
Game 3 — No. 5 Milwaukee Area Technical 67, No. 12 DuPage 52
Game 4 — No. 4 Sandburg 91, No. 13 Olive-Harvey 71
March 2 at Rock Valley
Game 5 — No. 1 Morton vs. No. 8 Prairie State, noon
Game 6 — No. 5 Milwaukee Area Technical vs. No. 4 Sandburg, 2 p.m.
Championship
5 p.m. March 9 at Rock Valley

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