The Road to Peoria- Sectional favorites impress
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Every time Harrisburg tried to get close, the Murphysboro Red Devils were able to push back and create more space.
Murphysboro leapt out to an early lead and held off every run by the Bulldogs in recording a 67-53 victory Tuesday in the semifinals of the Herrin Class 2A Sectional at Memorial Gymnasium.
The Red Devils (28-2) were ahead 9-1 when their head coach, Daryl Murphy, received a technical foul with 3:51 left in the first quarter. Harrisburg turned it into three points but a chance for more was erased with an illegal screen.
Murphysboro then finished the quarter with an eight-point burst to take a 17-4 lead.
Dylan Craig nailed 3-pointers twice in the second quarter when the Bulldogs threatened to draw close, the first when they pulled within seven points after a Lucas Elverd free throw and again after Cain Sheldon converted a three-point play with 3:15 left before halftime, his first points of the game.
Harrisburg (24-8) closed the half with six straight points to cut Murphysboro's lead to 26-21 at the break - the last four coming on a free throw and 3-pointer by Sheldon after Murphysboro's Pierre House was whistled for a technical foul during a loose ball scramble near midcourt.
But the Red Devils charged out of the gates in the third quarter with 11 straight points started by five points from Eben Brooks and another 3-pointer by Craig. The Bulldogs didn't score until the 3:42 mark when Sheldon nailed a trey from the left arc that made it 37-24.
Murphysboro's lead was 44-30 after three quarters but the Bulldogs had one last charge left in them. Reid Roper made three free throws after being fouled by Brooks with just under six minutes left that sliced the deficit to 47-40, but Murphysboro again had the answer.
A free throw by House was followed by four straight points from Jerrod Gaston to push the lead back to double figures, where it stayed for the rest of the game.
DreShean Payne led Murphysboro with 20 points, while Craig added 18 and Gaston had 13.
Sheldon, despite the slow start, led the Bulldogs with 23 points. Lucas Elverd added 18.
Murphysboro advances to Friday's championship.