Junior High Roundup: DMS Girls Defeat Murphysboro
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[A big final quarter pushed host Murphysboro (Middle School) past Du Quoin (Middle School) in girls junior high school basketball action.
The final score was 38-30 as DMS fell to 5-12, 1-6 in Junior Southwestern Egyptian Conference (Jr. SWEC) play.
DMS was ahead 23-18 as the fourth period began, but Murphysboro pulled away with a 20-7 advantage over the final seven minutes.
Katrina Whitley had 11 points for Du Quoin with Abby Myers adding eight, Hailey Stewart seven and Bailie Caldwell four.
Du Quoin (10-3, 6-1) continued a strong season at the seventh grade level, winning 26-17. Jacqueline Harsy had a game-high 18 points for the Lady Warriors.
DMS BOYS FALL TO MURPHYSBORO
As the Junior Southwestern Egyptian Conference (Jr. SWEC) boys basketball race heads for its midway point, defending champion Du Quoin (Middle School) finds itself alone in third place.
The Warriors dropped a tough 50-38 road decision at Murphysboro (Middle School) Monday, and are now 4-1 in league play.
Thursday, they can force a three-way league tie with a home win over Nashville (Middle School).
Overall, the Warriors are 8-2.
"Thursday will be a huge conference game," DMS coach Ryan Heape said. "I can't fault our kids efforts. They played hard all night. Turnovers just eliminated our chance of a road win in the second half."
Du Quoin trailed just 20-19 seconds into the final half before Murphysboro spurted to a 14-2 run. Ahead 32-21 as the period ended, the host Blue Devils forced 18 DMS turnovers.
Spencer Cook topped DMS with 15 points and eight rebounds while Camden Youngman scored 11 and had a team-best three assists.
"As a team we have got to do a better job of flashing gaps, keeping good floor spacing and reading the defense," Heape added.
OAKDALE WALLOPS T/SB
Host Tamaroa/St. Bruno lost its first game of the Indian Invitational Monday night, dropping a 41-20 decision against a solid Oakdale (Grade School) team.
The Indians are now 3-10 on the season.
Brock Bullard topped T/SB with five points and Nolan Luke scored five.
Dayne Winter scored four points and had four reounds.
The tourney continues all week at the Tamaroa Community Gym.
PJHS ESCAPES CHESTER
Pinckneyville (Junior High School) topped Chester (Middle School) 43-39 in Jr. Southwestern Egyptian Conference (Jr. SWEC) boys play Tuesday night.
Chase Lazenby (13) and Henry Dudek (11) were the top PJHS scorers.
Pinckneyville held a one-point lead- 32-31 to start the final quarter and also won the seventh grade game.