Back from broken wrist, Eftink pours in 23 points for QND girls in victory

QUINCY — Any worries about Blair Eftink’s broken wrist should be alleviated.

The junior guard didn’t make any 3-pointers in the first half of Friday night’s game in the Gully Transportation Shootout at the Pit, but she made three in the second half and finished with 23 points in Quincy Notre Dame’s 72-31 victory over Belleville Althoff.

Eftink only played five games last season before the wrist injury. Through two games this season, she says her wrist doesn’t bother her at all.

“I spent a lot of time right after the injury doing a lot of shooting and try to get back into the rhythm,” she said. “Everything’s got to be ready. Luckily, I had a lot of time to prepare for the season.”

Eftink had eight points in the first half, but she helped blow the game open in the third quarter with a pair of 3-pointers — the last one capping a 17-point run that moved QND’s lead to 53-24.

“I heard my dad, right before I made my last one, say, ‘Keep shooting, Blair,’” she said. “I made one right after that. He just tells me to have confidence, and I know that if I feel confident, I’ll start hitting them.”

“She did a lot of facilitating tonight, and then kind of found a groove late and got her points,” Raiders coach Eric Orne said. “She’s just getting back to where she’s playing again, and it’s good to see. It’s nice to have that second weapon.”

The first weapon was Abbey Schreacke, who scored 27 points before sitting out most of the fourth quarter. 

QND (2-0) and Althoff were tied at 10 in the first quarter, but the hosts rattled off 17 consecutive points to take command. Freshman Sage Stratton made two 3-pointers and converted an old-fashioned 3-point play in the run.

“I thought Stratton played a real solid game for a freshmen,” Orne said. “She did some just good balanced things — good passing, hit some big threes.”

Althoff stayed close, using a zone to slow the Raiders in the second quarter and trail 36-22 at halftime. However, the Raiders outscored the Crusaders 23-5 in third quarter.

Emilee Travicek led Althoff with 11 points.