The Road to Peoria- Four teams, one shared destiny

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[While the tournament set to start in a few hours on the floor of Herrin's Memorial Gymnasium is officially called the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Class 2A Sectional, another moniker could easy apply: The Southern Illinois River-to-River Conference Tournament.

Four teams from the deep south's premiere league-two from each division-have reached Herrin with sights set on a spot in next week's West Frankfort Class 2A Super-Sectional.

Action begins with Ohio Division heavyweights Murphysboro (27-2, 10-0) and Harrisburg (24-7, 7-3) tipping off at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the focus shifts to the Mississippi side as Perry County rivals Du Quoin (24-6, 9-1) and Pinckneyville (25-5, 8-2) square off.

The lone survivor among the SIRR's top four teams will advance to play Nashville's sectional champion.

Breese Central, Edwardsville (Metro East Lutheran), Alton Marquette and Pana also decide that crown this week.

"One thing for sure, that's a pretty good testament of just how strong our conference is," Du Quoin coach Mike Crews said.

"We also had a couple of other teams (Massac County, Benton, Sparta and Nashville)make it to the regional finals."

Wednesday's "Battle of The Beaucoup-Herrin style" will mark the first time Du Quoin and Pinckneyville have met in the sectional finals since 1986.

Last year, the Indians defeated Pinckneyville in Thomas Gym for the regional championship.

"That's way back towards my high school days," Panther coach Bob Waggoner said with a laugh when talking about the last sectional clash.

"When these two schools get together, you know its going to be a great game. And that's we expect come Wednesday."

Pinckneyville polished off host Chester and Sparta to secure its 49th regional title last week. The Panthers seem to have re-found their stride after mid-February losses against Du Quoin (50-41) and Nashville.

Waggoner's settled on an-all senior starting line-up in the post season with veterans Drew Dudek (6'0) and Nathan Morton (6'3) both averaging around 15 points per outing.

Shay Kellerman (6'3), Jake Bathon (6'1) and Landon Chandler (5'10) are part of a versatile rotation that also includes 6'7 junior post Kyle Lamb and the 6'3 junior duo of Taylor Pyatt and Steven Brueggeman.

"One of our strengths is that we've had different kids step up on different nights." Waggoner said.

"Our bench play is improving and I really feel like on a given night we can put several kids on the floor capable of scoring 15 or 20 points per game."

Pinckneyville's offense will be severly tested by a stout Du Quoin defense that's held its opposition to a paltry 44 points per outing.

21 times the Indians have surrendered less than 50 points with all 21 resulting in Du Quoin victories.

In the regional last week, the Indians allowed only 42 points total in wins over West Frankfort and Benton.

"The thing that stands out both offensively and defensively about Du Quoin is the athleticism they bring," Waggoner said. "You've really got to prepare for the pressure. They play about eight or nine different kids and they all can guard and all can score."

Du Quoin builds its offense around 6-foot-4 forward Matt Gossett (16.6 pts., 10 rebs.) and 5'9 point guard Jamor Reed (10 points).

The two seniors are three-year starters with Gossett approaching 1,100 career points.

Classmates Marcus Clarry (6'0) and Logan Schneider (6'5) also start, along with junior J.C. Davis (5'11, 9.5 ppg.).

Reed and Clarry are defensive aces, combining for an average of nearly nine steals per game. Davis-the team's top outside scoring threat-joins Reed with five assists each outing.

He's also averaging right at four steals.

Schneider scores about nine points per game with strong bench support coming from the senior trio of Cody Rose (6'2), David Rose (6'1) and 6'6 Logan Carson.

"Our backcourt play has really been a key for this team," Crews acknowledges. "Jamor, J.C. and Marcus have made life pretty darn miserable for a lot of the guards we've seen. And the contributions off the bench have been tremendous most of the season."

Pinckneyville won a three-overtime thriller, 83-79, over the Indians just prior to Christmas. After an early 2010 speedbump, Du Quoin's been razor-sharp down the stretch by winning 12 of its last 13.

"We've put together a pretty nice run here but will face quite a challenge with the Panthers. I expect another great high school basketball game between two very good teams."

Tuesday night, Murphysboro looks for its third win against SIRR rival Harrisburg.

The Red Devils have equalled a school record for single season wins and seened poised to make the school's first super-sectional appearance since 1982.

"Our kids just play so well together." Murphysboro coach Darryl Murphy said.

"We have six kids who can really score and that's a pretty unique luxury for Class 2A basketball. We feel very blessed with how this season has turned out."

6'1 Dre' Shean Payne is the lone senio starter and leads the Red Devils in points and rebounding.

Juniors Dylan Craig (6'3), Eben Brooks (6'3), Orlando Jarrett (6'0) and Jerrod Gaston (6'1) all have enjoyed 20-plus point outings.

The top reserve is another talented junior, 6'1 Pierre House.

"This is basically a young team," Murphy said. "But they've really stepped up. Its a scary thing to play any good team three times. Harrisburg can play the game slow or fast equally well and that makes me a little nervous."

Harrisburg builds around 5'11 senior ace Cain Sheldon and 6'7 post Lucas Elverd.

There's plenty of depth for veteran coach Randy Smithpeters, who also gets double-digit scoring from freshman standout Capel Henshaw and three-point bomber Reid Roper.

"We have to be tougher than the other team everytime out," Smithpeters said.

With all four of these teams being so familiar with each other, its going to make for some pretty interesting situations."

-Steve Webb of the Murphysboro American and Luis J. Medina of Harrisburg's also contrbiuted