IHSA STATE FINALS: Seton's Express Derails Patriots

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ The inside play of Seton Academy was way too much for Massac County in the Class 2A championship game Saturday night, as the Sting ran away from the Patriots in the second half of their 83-63 win.

Paced by the inside duo of Jordan Walker (26 points) and Corbin Thomas (25 points), Seton Academy outscored the Patriots 54-26 in the paint.

"They played to their strengths, which are rebounding and getting out on the break," Massac coach Joe Hosman said. "That's what we've been doing to teams all year.

"They beat us to the punch tonight."

MC stayed in the game for a while. It trailed just 16-13 after one quarter and tied the game 29-29 on a Dustin Korte 3-pointer from the corner.

Seton Academy ended the half on an 8-2 run to lead 37-31. The half ended controversially, as a dunk by Thomas appeared to be after the buzzer, but the basket counted.

The Sting was so dominant in the paint over the first two periods that only two of its 37 points came outside the lane. Most of the damage came from Walker, who had 20 points on 9 of 14 shooting from the floor. Thomas had 10 points as well.

Most of the shots inside came off passes from point guard D.J. Cooper. Cooper had 12 assists in the game.

Seton Academy then jumped on top by double digits in the third quarter, despite 13 points from Massac's Byron Bailey.

The Patriots started slowly in the second half, missing four of its first five shots. Bailey did convert a three-point play, though, cutting the lead to 39-36 before the Sting started to work on the perimeter.

Khameron Harper and Tony Nixon hit back to back 3-pointers and Thomas converted an offensive rebound to bump the lead to 47-36 before Jarelle Johnson scored to stop the streak.

Harper followed with another three for a 50-38 lead.

Seton Academy led 64-51 at the end of the quarter.

Korte hit a 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter and cut the lead to 64-54, but Seton Academy would not let the Pats get any closer, pulling away until the final buzzer by running clock and getting to the free throw line, where it hit 8 of 10 shots.

Bailey led Massac County with 20 points, Korte adding 17. MC ended the season 33-2.

Massac 13 18 20 12-63

Seton 16 21 27 19-83

Massac County (33-2): Kester 2-5 -0-0 4, Lang 2-5 0-0 4, Bailey 7-17 6-7 20, Ayala 4-9 0-0 8, Johnson 2-9 3-3 7, Korte 6-13 2-2 17, Maxie 1-2 0-0 0. Totals 24-64 12-14 63.

Seton Academy (31-2): Walker 11-18 4-4 26, Thomas 12-16 1-1 25, Nixon 2-5 3-48, Cooper 2-10 2-2 6, Harper 2-4 2-2 8. Hayes 1-1 0-0 2, Stevenson 2-4 0-0 4, Smith 0-0 2-2 2, Ingram 0-0 1-2 1, Lett 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 32-60 16-19 83.

3-pointers: MC( Korte 3), SA (Harper 2, Nixon).