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The Community R-6 girls had a preview of the potential No. 1 seed in their district on Tuesday night.
The Lady Trojans scored a season-low while allowing a season-high to Central Activities Conference foe Cairo in a 71-26 loss for Community (9-6, 4-2 CAC) at home. Cairo (12-5, 4-1 CAC) finished with 19 steals and drained 12 3-pointers.
Head coach Bob Curtis said Cairo, who was the Class 1 state runner-up each of the last two years, graduated some players but have a “really good” junior high program to replenish the roster.
“They didn’t miss much, and it didn’t matter who it was,” Curtis said. “They have speed, too. In transition, they were really good. It was an impressive night for them.”
Olivia Cross is a returner for Cairo and led the team with 19 points, seven rebounds, seven steals and three 3-pointers, freshman Eva Jaecques finished with 13 points, returner Chloe Brumley followed with 12 points, and freshman Paisley Goring finished with 12 points on four 3-pointers off the bench. Mallori Hankins is a senior who posted a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds along with five steals.
Curtis added freshman point guard Tinley Jaecques is “phenomenal.” Despite Cairo only having eight on the roster, Curtis said all eight players are starters and could be in the starting five for most teams in Class 1 and 2.
“Usually, a lot of benches go seven or eight deep,” Curtis said. “When all eight of them are starters, it makes it pretty easy which ones to play because they’re all good.”
Jocelyn Curtis led Community with 11 points, and Chloe Johnson followed with four and five rebounds. Peyton Beamer dished four assists.
Curtis said his team will have some work to do before the playoffs begin in about a month. He said Cairo will definitely be tough to eliminate, but he said the Lady Trojans can make themselves a “tough out” as well.
“Offensively, we’ve got to be better,” Curtis said. “Against New Franklin and Cairo, we couldn’t score enough to stay in the game with either one of those teams. On the other side of that, how do you not turn it over against (Cairo’s) pressure? When they get live-ball turnovers, they get a lot of layups, and they’re going to score a lot of points.”
Community hosts Paris with Faith Walk (10-4) at 6 p.m. Friday.
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