Top-ranked Raiders win another road game against state-ranked opponent

SHELBINA, Mo. — Any addition to the schedule two weeks before regional play begins needs to be done strategically and with purpose.

That’s why hitting the road to face a top-10 team in a hostile environment made sense to Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne, whose team is ranked No. 1 in Class 2A.

“We’re going to go on the road in the postseason,” Orne said. “Playing in a gym with a home crowd puts us up against a lot. That’s good for us right now. I’m glad we got this game. And overall, it was a great game to watch if you were a fan.”

Abbey Schreacke’s two free throws with 15 seconds to play to give the Raiders a five-point advantage over South Shelby, ranked eighth in Missouri Class 3. The Lady Birds made a late 3-pointer, but the Raiders ran out the clock on a 55-53 victory.

“They shot the ball well at home, and we had some defensive lapses,” said Orne, whose team jumped out to an 8-0 lead but led by just one at the end of the first quarter. “It was something we needed to see, and it exposed a few more things we need to work on.”

It also served as a reminder of just how good Schreacke can be.

She finished with 35 points and 13 rebounds as QND improved to 21-1.

“Abbey had a special night,” Orne said.

It gave the Raiders their third victory over a state-ranked team on the road in the last three weeks.

“Our goal is to put them in situations where we have to challenge ourselves,” Orne said. “We come in during a timeout when teams have made runs and you have to calm yourself down and go out and execute your plays. These are the type of games that only make you better.

“We made enough plays to come out on top tonight, but we have another big game on Saturday against Edwardsville that is really going to challenge us.”

QND will play twice this weekend in the SuperFan Shootout at the Pit. The Raiders face Clopton at 6:30 p.m. Friday and square off with Edwardsville, ranked fourth in Class 4A, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.