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BASKETBALL: Gaston's game-winner spoils DHS rally

Posted January 23, 2011 10:00 pm

Doug Daniels

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[In their second matchup with an unbeaten team in less than a week, Du Quoin came ever-so-close to knocking off Murphysboro on Friday night, losing 61-59 after Jerrod Gaston's floater with 2.4 seconds remaining gave the Red Devils the victory.

"I'm extremely proud of our kids, they showed a lot of heart tonight, coming back there in the fourth quarter," said Du Quoin head basketball coach Gabe Sveda. "They did a great job, there's nothing to hang their heads about. Murphysboro's got an awfully good ball club, they hit the shot there at the end, (Gaston) did a nice job. A tough shot, we defended it well, but he hit a tough shot, so hats off to them."

Aaron Smith had tied the game just seconds earlier with a three-pionter, but Murphysboro quickly took it back the other way for the game-winning basket in front of a packed house at Sparta High School.

"I didn't want to give (Du Quoin) a chance to set up, switch defenses," said Murphysboro head coach Daryl Murphy. "We had them on a run right there. It was a scramble, we got just what we wanted."

The Indians jumped on top early with a baseline drive and layup by Connor Wheeler, then a three-pointer from the senior with 5:15 left in the opening quarter put DHS ahead 7-2.

Wheeler and Sam Gossett added three-pointers towards the end of the quarter and Du Quoin took a 15-9 lead into the second period.

The Red Devils weren't about to fold that easily, as Murphysboro rattled off nine straight points in the second quarter to grab a 20-17 lead after Orlando Jarrett's runner in the paint near the midway point of the period.

"I thought our kids hung in there just as well, down early in the game again," said Murphy, "didn't get rattled, just kind of kept battling, kind of started figuring out that offense a little bit, settled in a little bit better."

"I thought we really played well in the second, third and most of the fourth quarter. We had a little bit of a letdown there, but then (Du Quoin) also hit some huge shots."

J.C. Davis hit a three-pointer with 2:17 to go in the half, then came around a screen for a jumper with 23 seconds left, but Du Quoin trailed 27-24 at the break.

Three-pointers from Gaston and Jarrett added to the Red Devils' advantage in the third as they led 49-40 with eight minutes to go, but the Indians had another run left in them.

"We wanted to do a better job finding our post inside, Sam Gossett had a tremendous game for us tonight, we wanted to work off of him and get the ball inside," said Sveda.

"Then defensively, we wanted to take away their shooters, and we had to get off and help on the dribble drive. We did a nice job tonight defensively, that's been a struggle for us here lately and we kind of came together tonight on that end of the floor."

After Dylan Craig's basket put Murphy ahead by eight with 5:36 left in the game, James Williams fired in a three from the top of the key. Wheeler stole the inbounds pass away from the Devils and fed Davis, who was fouled and hit both free throws with 5:20 on the clock.

"Games like this reveal your character," Sveda said, "and our kids kept their composure, fought back and did a nice job tonight."

Gossett then grabbed a rebound at the other end and got it to Wheeler who tied things up at 52-52 with another three-pointer for Du Quoin.

"I was really impressed with their inside presence on their post game," Murphy said. "I probably underestimated their post a little bit. I don't anymore."

Wtih 56 seconds to play, Murphysboro led by just one when Craig sank a three-pointer, then Wheeler knocked down two free throws for DHS to make it 58-56 in favor of the Red Devils.

Gaston left the door open by making just one-of-two at the line, setting up a dramatic finish.

Smith's three from the corner tied it at 59-59 with around 12 seconds on the clock, and Murphysboro headed the other way without calling timeout.

Gaston ended up with the ball and began to drive, pulled up for a floater and sank it with 2.4 left in the game to quiet the Indians' fans who just seconds earlier had risen to their feet.

After an Indians' timeout, Murphysboro broke their team huddle and six players stepped out onto the floor as the two teams set things up, but the Devils were granted a timeout before a technical fouled could be assessed.

"I think we probably should have been shooting two, but that's the way it falls," Sveda said. "You can't control some things and you've just got to go on with it."

Du Quoin set up a play and got it to Gossett near mid-court, but his quick pass intended for Aaron Smith was broken up and time expired.

"We knew we had our hands full tonight," Murphy added. "It wasn't the first time and won't be the last time this year."

"You've got two guards like J.C. Davis and Connor Wheeler, I tell you, those are awfully good guards. That might be as good as any guard combination as there is in the south."

Wheeler led all scorers with 21 points, Gossett added 18, Davis 7, J. Williams and Brandon Williams 5 and Smith 3 for the Indians.

Gaston, who also drew the task of guarding Wheeler for most of the night, led Murphysboro with 20 points.

"That's the thing, we're asking him to bring the ball up, we're asking him to run the point, and then guard Wheeler," said Murphy. "I thought he did a terrific job defensively, he made him stay in front of him, he made him shoot over him, Gaston's a long kid. You're not going to stop Connor Wheeler, you can only hope to contain him."

Murphysboro went on to claim the Sparta Mid-Winter Classic championship on Saturday night by knocking off Trico 57-39.

<u>DHS wins third place over Sparta</u>

After such an emotional game on Friday night, it would have been human nature to expect a potential letdown on Saturday night as the Indians took on Sparta for third place, but Du Quoin fought off every charge the Bulldogs' made and never trailed in a 65-54 victory.

"We talked about character last night and how you've got to bounce back after a tough loss like that and our kids stepped up," said Sveda. "I'm very proud of them. That's not easy to do."

Sparta got no closer than seven points down in the second half as the Indians experimented with a 1-2-2 trapping zone on defense with Wheeler nursing a sore ankle.

Wheeler received much more rest than he usually gets in Saturday's game, but knocked down ten big free throws in helping to close out the game in the fourth quarter.

Wheeler finished with 21 points to lead all scorers, Gossett finished with 20 points and joined Wheeler on the Mid-Winter Classic's all-tournament team.

Jonathan Boss came off the bench with some key minutes for the Indians and finished with 8 points.

"John Boss did an excellent job coming in tonight," Sveda said. "He made some good reads, was strong, defended the post pretty well. Sam Gossett had a really good week, he continues to get better in the post and the inside game."

Aaron Rushing led Sparta with 13 points, Wesley Kiner added 10.

Du Quoin (16-3) has another tough week ahead of them, hosting the same Sparta Bulldogs (9-14) on Friday night before a meeting with Breese Central (18-2), ranked #2 in the latest Associated Press high school basketball poll, at the Pinckneyville Panther Showcase on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

Du Quoin's J-V squad also takes part in the Panther Showcase, taking on Mater Dei at 11:00 a.m. at St. Bruno's gym in Pinckneyville.

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