SPRINGFIELD – Urbana’s back-court combo of Katy Curnutte and Hunter Rogan were at it again Saturday as they combined to score 44 of the Hillclimbers’ first 52 points in their 64-31 win over CBC/MRD rival Indian Lake Saturday. The game was played at Northwestern High School with Urbana and Indian Lake two of six teams participating in the 2015 Hoops for Hope, an annual breast cancer awareness event.
Curnutte and Rogan had 27 combined points at the half as the ‘Climber press played havoc on the Lakers’ attempts to bring the ball up court. Urbana created turnover after turnover, almost all of which ended up in the hands of Urbana’s Dynamic Duo of Curnutte and Rogan, who were dropping shots from all over the floor, from chip-ins to 20-foot bombs. Rogan ended the game with 24 points, while Curnutte had 21 points before they were both pulled early in the fourth quarter. Curnutte also dished out five assists before exiting.
“Our defensive pressure was pretty good,” Hillclimber head coach Bill Moss after watching his team improve to 2-3 on the season. “I thought we got after it a little bit better, then we got our running game going.”
If the ‘Climbers get their running game going spearheaded by Curnutte and Rogan, MRD opponents are going to be in for some gassers come later this season.
“They have to score for us for us to be successful,” Moss said of his quicksilver backcourt combo. “Now we have to get someone else to get 10 points a game. They (Curnutte and Rogan) get that kind of help, and I think we’ll be pretty successful.”
Moss made a point to mention Natalie Seeberg and Kinleigh White – Seeberg for her inside presence and White for her work on the wings. Seeberg and Rogan were especially effective on the glass on both ends of the court. Time and again the Lakers were limited to one shot per possession, while the ‘Climbers were repeatedly rewarded with second and third shots with Seeberg and Co. cleaning the boards. Rogan ended the game with 10 rebounds, while Seeberg grabbed nine. Defensively, Curnutte had five steals and Rogan had four.
Caylee Wurster paced the Laker attack with 15 points, 12 of which were scored in the second half. Morgan Evilsizor had nine points in the loss.
Urbana will next play at home when the ‘Climbers host MRD opponent Northwestern on Wednesday, Dec. 9.
