Mustangs get back on track by overwhelming Chargers in third-place game of Lady Panther Classic

CAMP POINT, Ill. — Ashlynn Arnsmann felt Saturday night’s mission was simple.

“We knew we had to bounce back,” the Unity senior center said.

And bounce back the Mustangs did.

Rather impressively, too.

Arnsmann scored 17 points, reeled in seven rebounds and blocked two shots to help power the Unity girls basketball team to an easier-than-expected 55-31 victory over Illini West in the third-place game of the 30th Lady Panther Classic at Central High School.

Unity, ranked second in Class 1A with a 22-3 record, had dropped back-to-back games to two state-ranked teams — Brown County and Central-Southeastern — after winning 21 of its first 22 starts.

Unity coach Brad Begeman said his club had “no excuses” for those two straight defeats, but the setbacks did prompt a team meeting prior to the game with Illini West.

“We’re stronger now,” he said. “We’re recharged.”

That was especially evident in the second period when Unity blew the game open by outscoring Illini West 24-9 to take a 27-22 halftime advantage. After three periods, the advantage had cushioned to 45-20.

“We just wanted to push the ball into transition,” said Arnsmann, who finished as the tournament’s second-leading scorer at 15.4 points per game.

Arnsmann said Unity’s defensive pressure not only thwarted most of Illini West’s efforts on offense, but served to kickstart its own attack, helping the Mustangs dominate at both ends of the floor. She felt Saturday’s game might be a harbinger of things to come.

“I think we’re going to do well the rest of the season,” Arnsmann said.

Unity held Illini West to single figures in each of the first three quarters.

“(Illini West) likes the score to be in the 30s,” Begeman said. “We don’t.”

Kyra Carothers (9), Kylee Barry (9), Caroline Knox (8) and Sophie Shaffer (8) combined for 34 points in support of Arnsmann. Barry (6) and Carothers (5) combined for 11 rebounds.

Reagan Reed scored 19 of Illini West’s 31 points, getting nine in the fourth quarter. Illini West’s Rylee Reed led all rebounders with eight.