SHELBYVILLE, IL. — The Shelbyville Lady Rams took care of business on Thursday in the Okaw Valley Holiday Tournament as they cruised past Okaw Valley JV, 67-39.

Shelby was bumped into the consolation bracket on day one by Mt. Pulaski, 59-21. The Lady Rams bounced back, taking a quick lead, then building it into almost a 30-point win.

Shelby doubled up Okaw early, leading 14-7 with 3:00 left in the 1st. They went on a 6-2 run to finish the 1st as Lindsay Burton scored inside on an inbound. Megan Dash answered with a jumper in the lane. After trapping Okaw and  getting the ball Grace Schuler hit a floater on the base line. Inside 15 seconds left in the 1st, Olivia Williamson scored on an inbound two, 20-9.

Okaw JV did a better job scoring in the 2nd period, but still fell back by as many as 19 points. Paige Harlin opened the 2nd scoring with a triple to get the T’Wolves within eight. But, Boone made a put back for Shelby and Schultz nailed another three to double-up Okaw again, 24-12.

Burton made a jumper in the lane and then got a put back on the next possession. Harlin splashed a long two, part of her 7-point 2nd period push. Okaw got it to 28-16, but Schultz responded with another triple, 31-16.

Burton scored on a bank in the lane and had a chance at a 3-point play. She missed the free throw, but Jami Hennings got the board and put it in, 35-16.

Addie Kesterson scored inside for Okaw and a minute later used a spin move to get a shot in the lane for two getting the lead down to 15 again, 35-20.

. Shelby had time for one more possession before the half and missed. Lindsay Floyd go the board and passed it out to Schultz at the arc who hit the triple as the buzzer sounded. 38-20.

Shelby got the first basket of the 2nd half and went up by 20, 40-20. She scored two more times in a row for a 6-0 Rams run and a 44-20 lead. Shelby was up by 24, but Okaw was able to get the lead down to within 17 and fought to keep it there.

Amy Orris answered that with her own 5-point run, Orris stole the ball at the point and took it to the rack for two. Shelby turned the ball over against the Okaw press and Orris nailed a trey in transition, 44-25.

Boone split a pair at the line, but Dash hit a bank three from the key, 45-28. Okaw defense pressured the ball back across the 10 second line. Floyd retrieved it and got it to Burton inside for two. Blair Monroe answered inside for Okaw. Boone got a put back and Kesterson took a long transition pass at the rim and scored, 49-32.

Burton scored on another inbound inside, then scored on a put back. Boone was fouled inside and made 1-of-2 foul shots to go up 20 again, 54-34. She scored on another put back inside a minute left in the 3rd, 56-34. Under 20 seconds left, Boone stole the ball and scooped a loose ball at the Ram end and put it in, capping her own 5-0 run for a 24-point Ram lead heading into the  4th, 58-34.

Okaw’s chamber was about spent. Shelby out-scored them 9-5 in the 4th. Harlin stole the ball and stopped and popped for two. She scooped a loose ball and brought it back against two defenders, but missed. Harlin drove again and got to the line. Harlin got to the line again and split a pair.

The Rams took 50 seconds off the clock on their next possession, then Schultz stole the ball at the Okaw end. Alternating steals kept both teams from scoring. Schuler directed the Ram offense and shimmied past the defense stepped to the right and splashed a jumper in the lane, 60-37.

Hennings made a put back and Williamson scored inside on an inbound play to put Shelby up by 27 points with 2:00 to play, 64-27.

Orris picked the ball and took it in for another lay-up to cap the Okaw score. Williamson stepped out and nailed a 3-pointer with a minute to play and the Rams won by 28 points.

Burton scored a game-high 22 points for the Rams. Orris led Okaw with 13, including a trey hat trick. Shelby’s Schultz and Williamson and Okaw’s Harlin scored 11 points, each. Schultz had two treys, Williamson one, and Harlin one. Boone was the third Ram in double figures with 20 points, while the next Okaw scorer, Dash, had just five points.

Shelbyville advances in consolation to play the winner of the Taylorville/Altamont game at noon on Friday in the consolation semi. Okaw Valley JV players will have to be content with supporting Okaw Valley varsity as they try to stay alive in consolation.

Thursday

Okaw Valley Holiday Tournament

Shelbyville 67, Okaw Valley JV 39

Shelby  20-18-20-9-—67

Okaw      9-11-14-5—39

Ram stats: Burton 22 (11 FGs), Schultz 11 (2-2s, 2-3 pt FGs, 1/2 FTs), Williamson 11 (4-2s, 1-3 pt FGs), Boone 10 (4 FGs, 2/4 FTs), Floyd 5 (1-3 pt FG, 2/2 FTs), Schuler 4 (2 FGs), Hennings 4 (2 FGs). Team FGs 28. 3-Pointers: 4 (Schultz 2, Floyd, Williamson). Team FTs 5-of-9.

Okaw stats: Orris 13 (2-2s, 3-3 pt FGs), Harlin 11 (3-2s, 1-3 pt FGs, 2/8 FTs), Dash 5 (1-2, 1-3 pt FGs), Kesterson 6 (3 FGs, 0/2 FTs), Miller 2 (FG), B. Monroe 2 (FG). Team FGs 16. 3-Pointers: 5 (Orris 3, Harlin, Dash). Team FTs 2-of-10.