Callie Levin drops career-high 40 points in Solon basketball's win over Regina
In a quick one-day turnaround, the Solon girls basketball team had a chance to knock off Regina—the sixth-ranked team in Class 2A—and they delivered in dominant fashion.
The Spartans earned an 84-42 win over the Regals to improve to 14-3 on the season. The Regals dropped to 14-4.
Callie Levin—Solon’s leading scorer and a University of Iowa commit— had a scoring touch on Saturday. The four-year starter finished with a career-high 40 points, dropping 18 in the opening quarter.
“I knew that I could get to the rim," Levin said. "I knew that I could finish over some girls, so I just tried to get my team into a good place by attacking the basket, shooting while I’m open."
Solon’s defense was a perfect dancing partner to Levin’s hot shooting night. From the opening tipoff, the Spartans disrupted the Regals’ offense and it led to scoring opportunities at the other end.
Solon held Regina to 42 points in the game— the second-lowest of the season for the Regals.
Senior Mia Stahle— like she’s done all season— contributed a defensive spark for the Spartans. She played stingy defense by diving for loose balls and exploiting open passing lanes.
“We always pride ourselves on our defense. I think we ball pressured them really well and they weren’t ready for it,” Stahle said. “That led to a lot of turnovers and steals which then eventually led to fast-break layups and baskets.”
The Spartans went up 22 points in the first eight minutes, and they kept their foot on the gas in the final three quarters.
Levin wasn't the only starter to score in double-digits. Hailey Miller had a good day too, finishing with 15 points. Stahle had 13.
Saturday’s win proved to be a confidence booster for Solon. On Tuesday, the Spartans dropped a home game to Marion—the eighth-ranked team in Class 4A. They rebounded with a win over Center Point-Urbana on Friday and kept the ball rolling Saturday.
“We needed a little bit of confidence the last couple of games. Marion was a tough loss," Solon coach Jamie Smith said. "We kind of got back to what we do: moving the ball and driving and kicking, instead of just standing around.”
When you have great ball movement, it often leads to great results. And for Solon, it proved to be a difference maker for their 14th win of the season.
“When you’re shooting good, it’s just fun to be able to be creative with your shot,” Levin said. “The ball was flowing...which is so good. Anyone is a scorer on our team, anyone's a threat, anyone can step up and hit the three and go to the rim."
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Solon girls basketball routs Regina behind Callie Levin's 40 points
