Lady Redbirds Mid-Winter Classic: Hosts handle PCHS

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Pinckneyville Community High School's girls basketball team is 0-2 in its debut at the West Frankfort Mid-Winter Classic, following Tuesday's 58-45 loss to the host Lady Redbirds.

PCHS (15-7) closes the tourney Thursday in a 6 p.m. game with Sesser-Valier/Waltonville. Afterwards, Frankfort (16-3, 2-0) and Herrin willl decide the championship.

Herrin (2-0) handled S-V/W-W in the other game Tuesday.

"On the positive side I thought this was the hardest we have played in a long time," Lady Panthers coach Alan Engelhardt said. "We will be back to almost full strength Thursday and hopefully that translates into some better play. I'm really proud of how our kids have stepped up and battled.

West Frankfort opened a 29-14 lead by halftime and Tuesday's outcome was never in question.

Emily Miller was the lone Lady Panther to score in double figures.

Taylor Cicardi added eight and Mo Ramsey seven.

As a team, the Lady Panthers were just 8-of-19 from the foul line and made just three three-pointers.