Sparta Mid-Winter Classic: Sluggish Tribe opens with win

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Du Quoin, Columbia and the host Bulldogs were winners as the Sparta Mid-Winter Classic opened its 46th run Tuesday night.

Action continues Wednesday with three more games. Du Quoin takes the Fulton Gymnasium floor again Thursday, battling Lebanon (9-9, 0-1) at 7:30.

Columbia (13-4, 1-0) came from behind to beat Lebanon 62-53 in the tourney's first game and Sparta (12-6, 1-0) won over Red Bud (8-10, 0-1) 68-61 to close the first session.

The Indians (13-5, 1-0) took the lead for good midway through the opening frame on the first of six three-pointers by J.C. Davis and trudged past a spunky Steeleville squad (9-10, 0-1), 64-45.

Davis scored all of his game-high 18 points on threes. David Rose (10 points, seven rebounds) led a strong charge off the bench as coach Mike Crews went to the bench early and often.

"I felt like our ball movement was much better tonight than its been in quite awhile," Crews said. "The offensive flows so much better when we have dribble penetration and kick the ball back out. There also were a few times tonight where our three's came from the outside in."

Du Quoin drained 8-of-12 shots from long range, with Davis hitting his final six tries.

The Indians held a 16-12 lead after one quarter and broke things wide open by scoring the first 12 points of the second period.

Davis and Logan Carson hit threes in the flurry with Carson, Rose and Logan Schneider adding buckets.

Steeleville kept things respectable with a modest 5-0 run to end the half down by just 13 (35-22).

Du Quoin's lead was 48-37 to open the last period before two more threes from Davis and two more free throws by Rose extended the margin to 23.

Steeleville stayed within range as 5'7 guard Josh Diercks nailed three consecutive three-pointers in the third quarter.

"At times we lacked on the defensive end," Crews admitted. "We left a couple of their kids open on the perimeter at times and gave them a few too many looks at the basket."

Cody Rose didn't score for the Indians but fueled a strong defensive spurt with four steals during a key stretch of the second quarter.

Davis and Jamor Reed each had four swipes with Carson adding two more.

"David Rose played and ran the floor very well for us and I thought Logan (Carson) and Cody Rose were just tremendous on the defensive end," Crews said. "Our pressure really gave Steeleville some problems."

Matt Gossett (nine rebounds, six assists) and Schneider each had eight points with Carson adding seven more.

Diercks (12) was the lone Warrior to reach double figures.

Du Quoin 64, Steeleville 45

Du QUOIN (13-5, 1-0)

Davis 6 0-0 18, Carson 3 0-0 7, D. Rose 5 0-0 10, Clarry 1 0-0 2, Reed 1 2-2 5, C. Rose 0 0-0 0, Williams 0 0-0 0, S. Gossett 2 0-1 4, Baxter 0 0-0 0, Schneider 4 0-3 8, Kuhnert 1 0-0 2, M. Gossett 3 2-2 8. TOTALS 26-53 (8-12) 4-8 64.

STEELEVILLE (8-10, 0-1)

Smith 4 1-3 9, Wittenbrink 0 3-4 3, Potter 1 0-0 2, Diercks 4 0-0 12,

Hamilton 0 0-0 0, Beshears 0 0-0 0, Combs 0 0-0 0, Gerberding 2 0-0 6, Pokrzywinski 4 0-0 8, Reel 2 0-0 4. TOTALS 17-40 (6-13) 4-7 45.

Du Quoin 16 19 13 16-63

S'ville 12 10 15 8-45

THREE POINTERS-Du Quoin 8 (Davis 6, Carson, Reed). Steeleville 6 (Diercks 4, Gerberding 2). TEAM FOULS-Du Quoin 9, Steeleville 11.

FOULED OUT-Reel.