BOYS BASKETBALL: Redbirds hold off Indians, 56-45
The Indians made a game of it, but West Frankfort had too much firepower - and too much size and length - for Du Quoin in Tuesday night's varsity boys basketball game at Anders Gymnasium as the Redbirds held on for a 56-45 non-conference victory.
Du Quoin started Tuesday night's game like they have so many others this year - slowly on the offensive end. The Redbirds were running away with it early up 15-3 after a bank shot by Garrett Karoski with 7:13 to play in the first half.
But the Indians wouldn't crumble. It was 28-16 Frankfort with time ticking down in the second quarter when Nolan Showalter put in a jumper for Du Quoin to close out the first half down ten.
A.J. Smith was fouled and hit two free throws moments into the second half, and Showalter took a defensive rebound coast-to-coast for two thirty seconds later to bring the Indians to within six, the closest they'd been since the middle of the second quarter.
Over the course of the next two and a half minutes, however, West Frankfort put in three three-pointers including back-to-back triples by Christian Dunning. Dunning's threes made it 39-24 Redbirds with 4:33 left in the third period.
"Their size and their length was a tough matchup for us," said Du Quoin head coach Wendell Wheeler. "Dunning really came in and played well. They're senior-laden, they're better than us, but for stretches tonight we were better. That's what we've got to dwell on."
Du Quoin was down 45-27 at the start of the fourth quarter but had one more push left in them. Stewart hit a three with 6:43 to play to spark a 9-0 run that included a stick-back by Levi Brening and free throws from Stewart and Caleb Vogel.
West Frankfort wouldn't let DHS any closer, though, hitting 7-of-8 at the free throw line down the stretch.
"We've got to become more consistent," said Wheeler, "but in stretches we played pretty well. There were stretches where we struggled, too. We battled them and played really hard."
West Frankfort improved to 18-5 overall and currently shares the SIRR Ohio Division lead with Murphysboro at 5-1. Dunning led the Redbirds with 21 points and became the second West Frankfort basketball player to score their 1000th career point at Du Quoin this season. Lady Redbird Kiarha Wilce did the same back on December 8, 2014 against the Lady Indians.
For Du Quoin, Vogel had twelve points, Smith ten, Stewart eight, Brock Bullar six, Showalter four, Jarred Thomas three and Brening two.
The Indians (8-15, 1-5) hosts Pinckneyville (20-5, 5-1) on Friday before traveling to Herrin (7-12) on Saturday.