By FRED KRONER
fred@mahometnews.com
Alexa Franklin scored 20 points Wednesday night as Mahomet-Seymour’s girls’ basketball team kept alive its hopes to end a 13-year streak without a regional title in the sport.
Franklin came off the bench to lead the team in a 50-37 triumph over Mattoon in the semifinals of the Charleston Class 3A Regional.
The victory for the fourth-seeded Bulldogs (15-11) came against an opponent M-S split with during the regular season.
Franklin hit 8 of 10 shots from the field.
Teammate Erin Lenschow produced a double-double, totaling 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Keida Nichols contributed eight points, four blocked shots and three assists.
Scoring four points apiece were Cassidi Collins and Jessica Franklin.
The teams were tied, 8-8, after one quarter, but the Bulldogs had built a 23-14 lead by halftime.
M-S will play top-seeded Charleston in tonight’s championship game at 7 o’clock. Charleston upended Mount Zion 58-38 in the semifinals.
In its history, the M-S girls’ basketball program has captured regional titles four times, in 2005, 1993, 1989 and 1987.
Boys’ basketball
State-ranked Normal West (No. 5 in Class 4A) handed the Bulldogs a 75-50 non-conference loss on Tuesday in Mahomet.
Cory Noe nailed four three-point shots en route to a team-high 20 points.
He was the only Bulldog to score in double figures. Josh Johnson added eight points, Noah Benedict scored seven, Grant Coleman had five and Brooks Coetzee also ended with five points.
The visitors held a 20-17 lead after one quarter and expanded that margin to 37-27 by halftime.
M-S carries an 18-9 record into a Friday night Apollo Conference contest at Charleston.
