Lady Indians Tip-Off Classic: Johnston City's in Complete Control

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Carley Bunting had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds Monday night as Johnston City High School's girls basketball team defeated Murphysboro, 43-30, to remain perfect after four games at the Du Quoin Tip-Off Classic.

The Lady Indians play Chester on Tuesday at 7 p.m. as the tournament continues and have taken over sole possession of first place in the event, which Johnston City also won a year ago.

Murphysboro and Du Quoin are both 3-1 and meet in the final game of the event Tuesday. A win by either, coupled with a Johnston City loss, could force a tie for the championship.

Marissa Montgomery added 10 points, while Jessa Thomas had eight points and Allison Smiley recorded six points and eight rebounds for the Lady Indians, who are 4-1 overall.

Johnston City took a three-point lead into the fourth quarter and finished the game on a 15-5 run.

In Monday's opening contest, Steeleville's first-year program claimed its first-ever victory-and posted the tournament's first real upset-thrashing Chester 53-30.

The Lady Warriors (1-3) had 16 points from Jill Winkelman and 13 more from Kassee Theobald. Heather Ruebke (11) was the third Steeleville scorer to reach double digits.

Chester's record is now 1-3. Steeleville starts the final session of the tournament against Elverado at 5:30 Tuesday.

Chester had no point-maker reach double figures. Hillary Best did manage eight points.

The host Lady Indians (3-1) tripled their victory total from all of last season with a 59-31 win over Elverado in game three.

Du Quoin grabbed the lead at 6-5 on a Megi Jones basket midway through the first quarter and never trailed. The pesky Lady Falcons, however, kept things close and were down by four late in the third quarter before Du Quoin began to pull away.

Freshman center Rebekah Maddox (17 points, 11 rebounds) scored six points in the final moments of the frame with Jessica Hirsch adding six more to conclude 12-2 Lady Tribe run.

Ahead 39-23 as the last quarter began, Du Quoin cruised home to claim victory in a contest which featured 46 personal fouls and 53 foul line trips.

Hirsch (10 points, seven assists) joined Maddox in double double digits for Du Quoin. Jones notched six points and five steals.

For Elverado, Courtney Morse (10 points) and Liz Falter (seven points) were the leaders.

Friday's Results

Johnston City 47, Du Quoin 38

Du Quoin 12 09 10 07- 38

J'City 05 17 14 11 -47

Du QUOIN (38): Jones 1 (1) 0-0 5, Hirsch 3 (1) 0-0 9, Gates 2 (1) 0-0 7, Anders 0 0-0 0, Cavins 0 0-2 0, Maddox 6 3-6 15, Ward 0 0-0 0, Emling 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 13 (3) 3-8 38.

J'CITY (47): Sanders 1 1-2 3, Smiley 0 (1) 7-10 10, Thomas 2 0-0 4, Montgomery 0 (6) 1-2 19, Bunting 2 6-10 10, South 0 1-4 4. TOTALS 5 (7) 16-28 47.

Chester 46, Elverado 39

Elverado 08 07 13 11- 39

Chester 10 16 10 10- 46

ELVERADO (39): 5 0-4 10, Cochran 2 1-5 8, Sarensen 3 2-4 8, Morse 4 0-1 8, Trammel 1 2-2 4, Qualls 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 15 9-17 39.

CHESTER (46): Lyons 2 2-8 6, Best 10 0-0 20, Clendenin 3 2-6 8, Helmers 2 3-7 7, Bert 1 0-0 2, Pulliam 0 1-2 1, Rosendohl 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 19 8-23 46.

Murphysboro 61, Steeleville 35

Murphysboro 12 16 15 18-61

Steeleville 05 11 11 08-35

MURPHYSBORO (61): Sturgeon 9, Hines 8, Gaines 6, Mileur 5, Flanagan 4, Smith 2, Dowell 14, Gillespie 13. TOTALS 24 (3) 8-12 61.

STEELEVILLE (35): Foote 6, Ruebke 4, Winkelman 11, Gale 11, Lalis 0, Theobald 3. TOTALS 14 (1) 6-17 35.