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2009 Du Quoin Tip-Off Classic: Du Quoin brings the title back home

Posted December 06, 2009 10:00 pm

Jeff Profitt

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[For the host team, the final 24 hours of the Du Quoin Tip-Off Classic are more of an endurance contest than a series of three basketball games.

Late Saturday night, a weary but razor-sharp group of Indians closed out the event in perfect - and most convincing - fashion.

Du Quoin ripped Waltonville 79-43 in the deciding title contest of the 12th Annual event in Anders Memorial Gymnasium, claiming its first undisputed Tip-Off title since 2002. The Indians have now won or shared the tournament's championship six times, including each of the past three years.

With a 4-0 record, the Tribe tackles Sparta (5-1) and Harrisburg (3-1) in home games this week.

Du Quoin started its break-neck schedule with Friday night's 75-55 blitzing of Cairo. Early Saturday afternoon, the Indians coasted past Benton, 66-39.

"These kids just handled the three games in 24 hours so well," Du Quoin coach Mike Crews said. "They responded pretty well. We use a lot of people anyway and I felt like we'd be in very good shape as far as our personnel was concerned. Its just been a great effort all week."

Waltonville-a big-time thorn in Du Quoin's side since entering the Tip-Off Classic four years ago-certainly can't dispute Crews' statement.

Despite starting slow, and spotting Waltonville (3-1) an early five-point lead, the Tribe came roaring back. A long three-pointer from Marcus Clarry pulled Du Quoin to within 9-7 and started a 14-6 spurt to end the first period. Back-to-back hoops from repeat tourney Most Valuable Player Matt Gossett and a dunk in transition from Logan Carson ignited the crowd and pushed Du Quoin ahead 21-15 to end the quarter.

The Indians then ripped off 12 of the next 14 points to stretch its margin to 33-17. Jamor Reed had eight points during the run with Davis draining another three. By intermission, the score was 37-21.

6-foot-5 senior forward Logan Schneider ignited Du Quoin's defense, swatting away three shots in the paint. Reed, Davis, Schneider and Cody Rose all added two steals as the Indians limited Waltonville to just a pair of second quarter field goals.

"They really stepped it up after about four minutes of the first quarter," Spartans coach Mike DeNault said. "And we just didn't answer them. We sort of had that deer in the headlights look."

Davis' fourth and fifth three-pointers-giving him a four-game Tip-Off record of 16 for the week-keyed a big Du Quoin run to start the second half. The flurry pushed the margin to 53-26 with 3:30 remaining in the third quarter. Waltonville could get no closer and watched as the Indians ran off another spurt, a 15-2 run this time around, to finish out the tourney.

Reed and Davis led Du Quoin's attack.

The backcourt duo nearly pulled off triple doubles. Reed had 16 points, eight assists and seven steals with Davis adding 15 points to go with nine assists and eight swipes.

Gossett scored 14 points and hauled in a game-high 11 rebounds. Schneider's big effort included nine points, four blocks and eight boards.

Crews' bench- a definite team strength-again shined. The group combined for 22 points, 11 steals, 13 rebounds, three blocks and a handul of assists. The interior defense of Carson and David Rose also drew praise.

"Going right up and down that lineup, we've had just great effort all week along from everyone," he said. "I'm proud of these kids and very happy for everyone in Indian Nation. We put together four pretty solid games this week."

Skyler Witges had 14 points for the Spartans with Gavin Bassett adding 13. Leading scorer Joseph Lewis was held to eight points with only hoop coming after the first period.

Gossett, Davis and Reed represented Du Quoin on the Tip-Off's 10 player all-tourney squad.

Witges, Bassett and Lewis were picked from Waltonville.

Also named were Carterville's Drew Bonner and Ryan Bonifield; Arthur Williams and Rod Woodson of Cairo and Caleb Suver from Benton.

Clarry won the Sportsmanship Award.

Cairo finished third with a 2-2 record. Carterville went 1-3 and Benton 0-4.

Du QUOIN vs. BENTON

Against Benton, Du Quoin caught fire after a sluggish start and bolted in front for good when Davis (14 points) sank the first of his four three-pointers midway through the first quarter.

The Indians forged ahead 22-14 as the frame ended and then put things out of a reach with a 15-0 spurt in the second quarter. At halftime, Du Quoin was on top 39-19 and extended that lead to 37 (66-29) before the scrappy Rangers scored the game's final 10 points.

Gossett added 13 points and 11 rebounds with Reed netting eight more points to go with six steals and five assists. D. Rose and C. Rose both had seven points.

"This was a game where it was vitally important to take care of business early and build a big enough cushion to rest some people," Crews said. "We were able to get a lot our kids off their feet and managed to get everyone dressed some quality playing time. I felt like our defensive effort was very good again."

Du Quoin forced 26 turnovers and limited the young Ranger squad to just 27% shooting (14-of-53). The Indians also had a 43-17 rebounding edge.

Dylan Hartley (eight) and Trey Garrett (seven) were the lone Benton players to score more than six points.

Du QUOIN VS. CAIRO

From 2001-2006, this pairing was the headline match-up and final game of the tournament.

Early on, the 2009 renewal livied up to its billing of years past as the lead traded hands six times in the first six minutes.

The Indians held a slim 16-14 edge after one quarter but began pulling away after Gossett threw in consecutive baskets and Davis shredded the nets with a pair of wide-open three's. The 12-0 run made the score 30-18 and Du Quoin carried a 43-29 lead into intermission before sinking the Pilots with another third quarter flurry.

Schneider had two inside shots, Carson slammed off a baseline drive, Davis found the range from three again and Gossett muscled inside for a pair of baskets as the Indians opened a 61-36 lead.

Gossett and Cairo's Lee Wright each had 20 points with Davis scoring 19 and Schneider (nine rebounds) added 11 more.

Reed attempted just two shots, but had six more steals and a game-high nine assists. Carson's big game ended with seven points, three blocks and eight rebounds.

"This was an athletic and up-tempo game, "Crews said. "But I felt like we were able to set our defenses and really keep them off-balance. The biggest thing was we boarded with them and negated their second and third attempts. I couldn't be happier. We played well."

Wright was the lone Pilot in double figures. Impressive freshman Darius Brown had eight points and eight assists. Du Quoin's rugged interior defense limited 6-foot-7 center Arthur Williams to just seven points.

Du Quoin 79, Waltonville 43

Waltonville 15 06 10 12-43

Du Quoin 21 16 19 23-79

Waltonville (3-1):

Wheatley 3 0-0 6, Witges 5 3-3 14, Johnson 1 0-0 2, Bassett 6 1-2 13, Lewis 4 0-1 8, Stanhouse 0 0-0 0, Askew 0 0-0 0, Compton 0 0-0 0, McCoy 0 0-0 0, Kabat 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 19 4-6 43.

Du Quoin (4-0):

Davis 5 0-0 15, Reed 6 4-4 16, Clarry 1 0-2 3, Schneider 4 1-1 9, M. Gossett 6 2-4 14, Carson 1 1-2 3, C. Rose 0 1-2 0, D. Rose 2 0-0 4, Baxter 2 0-0 4, S. Gossett 2 0-0 4, Williams 1 2-2 5, Kuhnert 0 0-0 0, Jones 1 0-0 2. TOTALS 30 11-17 79.

THREE-POINTERS-Waltonville 1 (Witges), Du Quoin 6 (Davis 5, Clarry 1). TEAM FOULS-Waltonville 16, Du Quoin 19.

Du Quoin 66, Benton 39

Du Quoin 22 17 17 10-66

Benton 14 05 10 10-39

Du Quoin (3-0):

Davis 4 2-3 14, Carson 1 0-0 2, D. Rose 3 1-2 7, Clarry 2 0-0 5, Reed 4 0-0 8, C. Rose 2 3-4 7, Williams 1 0-0 2, S. Gossett 1 0-0 2, Baxter 1 0-0 2, Schneider 3 0-0 6, Kuhnert 0 0-0 0, M. Gossett 3 7-12 13, Jones 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 20 13-21 66.

Benton (2-1):

C. Smith 2 0-0 5, Childers 1 1-2 3, Garrett 3 0-0 7, LaBuwi 2 1-2 5, Suver 1 0-0 2, Hartley 3 0-0 8, Stewart 2 2-2 6, K. Smith 1 1-3 3. TOTALS 14 5-9 39.

THREE-POINTERS-Du Quoin: 5 (Davis 4, Clarry), Benton 4(C. Smith, Garrett, Hartley 2). TEAM FOULS-Du Quoin 14, Benton 12.

Du Quoin 75, Cairo 55

Du Quoin 16 27 18 14-75

Cairo 14 15 11 15-55

Du Quoin (2-0):

Davis 7 0-0 19, Carson 3 1-2 7, D. Rose 1 0-0 2, Clarry 3 0-0 6, Reed 0 0-0 0, C. Rose 1 0-0 2, Williams 0 0-0 0, S. Gossett 0 2-4 2, Baxter 0 2-3 2, Schneider 7 0-2 14, Kuhnert 0 0-0 0, M. Gossett 7 6-7 20, Jones 0 1-2 1. TOTAL 29 12-20 75.

Cairo (1-2, 2-2):

Mayfield 1 1-2 3, Hill 1 0-2 2, Wright 7 5-8 20, Woods 1 0-0 2, Woodson 2 2-3 7, Williams 3 1-2 7, Brown 4 0-0 8, Graham 0 2-4 2. TOTALS 20 11-21 55.

THREE-POINTERS-Du Quoin: 5 (Davis 5), Cairo 2 (Wright, Woodson).

TEAM FOULS-Du Quoin: 24, Cairo 18.

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