OMAHA — Straight from the opening tip, it was clear that Alexis Markowski was in for a big game.
The South Dakota State recruit scored the first four points of the game and dominated throughout, providing more than half of Lincoln Pius X's scoring with 33 points in the Class A No. 2 Thunderbolts' 60-49 win over Lincoln Southwest on Saturday in Omaha.
With three players 6-foot or taller on its roster, including the 6-3 Markowski, Pius X (2-0) made it a priority to attack the paint against smaller Southwest (1-1). Markowski scored 14 points in the first quarter to help Pius X take a 20-14 lead.
“We do have a size advantage and we established it early and often,†Pius X coach Ryan Psota said. “When they don’t have much size, we were looking to dump it in as much as we can.â€
The Thunderbolts kept that strategy going the rest of the game, as Jillian Aschoff scored nine points and Lauren Taubenheim added eight. After Pius X took a 50-33 lead into the fourth quarter, Southwest had its best stretch of the game, an encouraging sign for head coach Jeff Rump.
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“We’re still trying to figure some things out, and this was kind of a measuring stick for us to see where we’re at right now, and I like the things we’re doing,†he said. “I loved our effort tonight and I love how we kept fighting.â€
While Pius X relied on Markowski for the bulk of its scoring in the post, Southwest used a well-rounded effort from three-point range for its scoring. Carly Coen led the team with nine points, followed by Skylar Pieper with eight and three others with six points. In total, six different Silver Hawks combined to make nine three-pointers, making up for their lack of a post presence.
“We’ve got some kids that can knock shots down and we know there’s going to be some nights where we’re going to have to hit a lot of those,†Rump said.
After defensive changes and a half-court press helped Southwest cut the deficit down to 11 by the end of the game, Psota credited the Silver Hawks for keeping Pius X on its toes. There is still room for Pius X to grow, but after trouncing No. 8 Omaha Marian 74-27 on Thursday, the high-scoring Thunderbolts are off to quick 2-0 start.
“To come out with a win against a very good team is always a step in the right direction,†Psota said.