Red Bud Surprises Du Quoin

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ A lightning-fast start fizzled quickly in the final three quarters for Du Quoin High School's Boys Basketball team Wednesday night at the 45th Annual Sparta Mid-Winter Classic.

The Indians-leading Red Bud 20-10 after one quarter-and by 10 points midway through the first half-managed just 27 points in the final 19 minutes of play and suffered a 60-53 setback.

Du Quoin (11-6) is 0-1 in SMWC play and battles 2-0 Trico at 8:30 Thursday.

Red Bud (12-7) is 1-1 in the tournament. Also Wednesday at Sparta, the host Bulldogs (1-1) lost to Waterloo (1-1) 61-53 and Trico surprised Lebanon (0-1) 60-45.

Employing a stifling 1-2-2 zone defense-and using its superior quickness-Red Bud forced Du Quoin into 21 turnovers and owned a 26-20 advantage in rebounding.

"Red Bud really hurt us with the dribble penetration and run-out baskets," Du Quoin coach Mike Crews admitted. "We didn't defend well and Red Bud's a good enough ballclub to make you pay for a lot of mistakes. And they did."

Defending SMWC champions, Red Bud trailed 16-5 late in the first quarter before slowly springing to life.

Du Quoin's lead reached double digits at 26-16 following J.C. Davis' three-pointer, but Red Bud ended the half on a 15-3 run to surge ahead for good.

Adam Kunkel scored 10 points during the second period flurry, putting Red Bud ahead 31-29 just prior to the buzzer.

The Indians would never lead again as Red Bud maintained a six-to-eight point through the remaining two periods.

A late hoop by Cody Rose pulled the Tribe within five, 56-51, at the two minute mark. However, the Indians lost turnovers on consecutive possessions and Red Bud sealed the win with foul tosses from Chance Albertson and Kory Liefer.

Du Quoin was saddled with foul trouble all night. A.J. Hill, Matt Gossett, Dalton Morgan and Logan Schneider spent the greatest part of the opening half on the bench.

"This tournament by no means is over for us," Crews said. "There's two games left in pool play and they are two games we are very capable of winning."

Jamor Reed had 10 points to pace Du Quoin with Schneider adding eight points. Morgan had 11 rebounds in limited duty.

Kunkel and Albertson each scored 17 points with Tim Conway netting 13 and Liefer nine.

Red Bud 60, Du Quoin 53

Du Quoin (11-6): Hill 1 1-2 3, Gossett 0 (1) 0-0 3, Morgan 2 3-5 7, Reed 2 (2) 0-0 10, Schneider 3 2-2 8, Clarry 0 (2) 0-0 6, Flint 1 0-1 2, Davis 0 (1) 0-0 3, D. Rose 1 0-0 2, C. Rose 1 4-4 6, Youngman 0 (1) 0-0 3, Carson 0 0-0 0. Totals 11 (7) 10-14 53.

Red Bud (12-7): Kunkel 8 1-4 17, Gregson 1 0-1 2, K. Liefer 2 (1) 2-2 9, Conway 5 3-8 13, Albertson 4 (2) 2-3 17, Schrader 0 0-0 0, Hoffman 1 0-0 2. Total 21 (3) 9-16 60.

Du Quoin 20 9 9 15-53

Red Bud 10 21 17 12-60

Three-pointers: Du Quoin 7 (Gossett, Reed 2, Clarry 2, Davis, Youngman). Red Bud 3 (K. Liefer, Albertson). Team fouls: Du Quoin 19, Red Bud 16. Fouled out: Gossett