Metro Sports Report

No. 1 Eagles sail into Cougar Holiday finals

EAST PEORIA, Ill. - The top-ranked Kirkwood women's basketball team crushed 20th-ranked McHenry County, 69-38, Sunday in the semifinals of the 38th Annual Cougar Holiday Tournament.

The Eagles (15-0) will face 10th-ranked Illinois Central (9-4) in the championship game Monday at 4 p.m. at Illinois Central.

Kirkwood blasted Illinois Central, 74-45, when they met Nov. 16 in the Kirkwood Classic.

Tatiana Hodges-Johnson led the Eagles Sunday with 16 points. Paige Bradford collected a double-double with 10 points, 13 rebounds, four blocks, two assists and one steal.

Amara Lipsey finished with 13 points, six rebounds, three steals and one assist. Ju Gaston provided 10 points, six steals, four rebounds and four assists.

No. 1 Eagles cruise at Cougar Holiday Tourney

EAST PEORIA, Ill. - The top-ranked Kirkwood women's basketball team defeated Carl Sandburg College, 63-42, in the opening round of the 38th Annual Cougar Holiday Tournament Saturday.

The Eagles (14-0) will face 20th-ranked McHenry County (11-1) in the semifinals Sunday at 2 p.m.

Paige Bradford collected a double-double for Kirkwood with 13 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks. Kortney Drake scored 12 points for the Eagles and Tatiana Hodges-Johnson netted 11.

Mustang women explode for 96 points

FOREST CITY - The Mount Mercy women's basketball team scored its most points in four years Wednesday night with a 96-83 victory over Waldorf in Forest City.

The 96 points are the most for the Mustangs since a 105-30 victory over Lincoln Christian on Dec. 5, 2015.

Brianna Thomas led Mount Mercy (4-8) with 21 points. Sandra Mia netted 19 points and Sofia Popp had 16. Mia grabbed seven rebounds.

Ashley Schindele scored 23 points for Waldorf (2-8).

Webb's clutch shot lifts Mount Mercy

Good thinks happen when RoyShawn Webb has the basketball in his hands  at the end of games. It happened again Tuesday night.

Webb made a strong move to the basket and scored with 2.7 seconds left  to give Mount Mercy a 68-66 victory over Viterbo in a non-conference  game at the Hennessey Recreation Center.

Nearly the same thing happened Monday when the Mustangs upset  16th-ranked St. Ambrose, 80-78, in another nail-biter. Webb drove to  the bucket in that game and missed, but Dennis McKinney scored on a  put-back in the final second for a happy ending.

"We ran the exact same play yesterday against St. Ambrose. It was  basically the same thing," said Webb, a strong left-hander who is hard  to keep away from the basket.

The defensive player from Viterbo tried to stop him from penetrating,  to no avail.

"I attacked him and finished the bucket," said Webb, "and we won the game."