Hawks’ stout second-half defense limits Prairie Stars’ efficiency, leads to GLVC road victory

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Ryan Hellenthal laughed when asked if he was going to bottle or patent whatever he was giving the Quincy University men’s basketball players at halftime of their last two games.

“I’m just letting them know I still believe in them,” said Hellenthal, the Hawks’ fifth-year head coach. “And I told them we’re better when we’re guarding.”

The Hawks then went out and proved it.

Trailing by six at halftime after allowing Illinois-Springfield to score 44 points in the first half Thursday night, Quincy limited UIS to one 3-pointer in the second half and just 30 points as the Hawks rallied for an 80-74 victory in Great Lakes Valley Conference play.

“The great thing about it was we said at halftime it needed to be a 30-point half and it was,” said Hellenthal, whose team limited Maryville to 29 points in the second half of Monday’s victory. “I thought we were more engaged and we made those guys beat us with tough shots. They made a couple tough shots, but over the course of a 40-minute game, they’re not going to make a lot of those.”

Illinois-Springfield went 6 of 11 from 3-point range and shot 53.1 percent from the field overall in the first half. The Prairie Stars were 1 of 5 from 3-point range in the second half and attempted only 25 shots. They also had only one offensive rebound.

Meanwhile, the Hawks (12-12, 5-9 GLVC) were clicking. They went 4 of 8 from 3-point range in the second half, shot 48.4 percent from the field overall and knocked down 11 of 13 free throws.

“We had good chemistry and good connectivity,” Hellenthal said. “We played for each other.”

Quincy took the lead at 55-52 on Paul Zilinskas’ 3-pointer with 13:22 to play and never trailed again. Illinois-Springfield tied the game at 61 with 7:17 to play, only to have the Hawks answer with a 9-0 run featuring two Jalen Stamps driving layups.

The Prairie Stars responded with a 7-0 run to make it a two-point game, but they never tied the game or took the lead. Stamps’ reverse layup with 33 seconds to play made it a two-possession game, and he hit four straight free throws to ice the game.

“You could hear guys in timeouts late in the game talking about getting stops, getting rebounds, finishing the job,” Hellenthal said. “We made some progress and this is a good team win.”

Zilinskas led the Hawks with 23 points, while Stamps went 7 of 8 from the field and scored 18 points. QU guard Jamaurie Coakley finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

UIS senior guard Chris Hamil scored a game-high 25 points, while Chase Robinson added 18 points.

Quincy continues the road trip by visiting Lewis on Saturday. The Flyers lost 89-76 to Truman State on Thursday night, but they are 6-2 in the GLVC.

“Now you get the chance to play one of the league’s best teams on the road,” Hellenthal said. “I know our guys will be ready and be engaged.”