QND coach turns to bench brigade to ‘reignite the whole team’ in victory over Camp Point Central

QUINCY — Robbie Reed knows when he hears his coach call his name he better be ready.

The same applies to the rest of the non-starters on the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team. 

“When (coach Greg Altmix) calls on us, we got to just reignite the whole team and bring us all together,” Reed said.

Reed, and several other Raiders off the bench, provided the spark Friday night as QND disposed of Camp Point Central 58-20 at The Pit as the Raiders snapped their two-game losing streak.

Altmix wasted little time subbing out his initial five. In fact, the starters were pulled just two minutes into the game.

“I didn’t think we were ready when we stepped out on the court and it showed,” Altmix said.

It gave Reed and his bench buddies a chance to showcase their skill set. However, being thrust into the lineup that early did startle Reed a bit.

“It was a little bit of a surprise,” Reed admitted. “But I knew that it was our time to really shine and explode.”

QND’s non-starters scored 26 points in the contest, nearly half of what the Raiders starting five contributed, led by Jackson Pyatt witheight points and Reed with seven.

“If you don’t get in the game, it’s hard to come in to practice every day and bust your tail and do everything you can to get in the game, and then never get that opportunity,” Altmix said. “The opportunity presented itself tonight, and the guys took advantage of it. I was thrilled with the guys who didn’t start.”

QND’s Conner Young helped the cause as well, especially on defense as the Raiders held the Panthers to only 13 points over the final three quarters.

“After the last two games, the coaches put a statement on defense,” Young said. “(They) wanted us to go out there and hold (Central) to the least amount of points as possible, and that’s what we did.”

The Raiders nursed a six-point lead after the first quarter, but put the throttle down from there, outscoring the Panthers 45-13 during the final 24 minutes of the contest.

“For me, it’s just sound defensive fundamentals,” Altmix said. “We had a couple things we didn’t do well, but there were also some things where I saw some guys getting their hands in the passing lanes, and boxing out, and doing the little things you have to be successful.”

Neither team had a player finish in double figures. QND was led by Pyatt and Carter Miller with eight points apiece, while three players — Reed, Jackson Connoyer and Beau Eftink — pitched in seven points each, and Alex Dance had six. In total, the Raiders had 11 different players get in the scoring column.

Central (3-7), which started three freshmen, was paced by Elijah Genenbacher, who had six points and was held to one field goal.

The Raiders now find themselves faced with their toughest task to date, and unquestionably the most difficult game of the season, when they visit Blue Devil Gym on Saturday night to face undefeated Quincy High School, the state’s No. 2-ranked team in Class 4A.

“We’ve got a huge mountain to climb (Saturday).” Altmix said. “I still believe, if they are not the best team, they’re one of the best teams in the state, and they’re going to expose our weaknesses. We’ve got to go out and do the little things because we can only control what we do.”