BASKETBALL: Newcomer Jerseyville wins DTHC, PCHS 2nd
PINCKNEYVILLE, IL - When Jerseyville knocked off tournament favorite Teutopolis on Friday, the rest of the field took notice. Making their first trip to the Duster Thomas Hoops Classic, the Panthers swept their way to the championship finishing off the 4-0 weekend on Saturday night by taking out host Pinckneyville 58-44.
2012 DTHC most valuable player Kyle Steckel had 14 points in the title game, joining Kyle Obertino (15 points) and Luke Shively (16 points, 9 rebounds) in double digit scoring in the matchup of Panther teams.
"We got off to an 0-5 start (this season), and now we're 9-6," said Jerseyville coach Stote Reeder, "we're playing pretty well."
"Pinckneyville missed some shots, but we guarded the heck out of them. That's one thing that we do pretty well is we guard. We get up and down the floor a little bit, and the run-outs we got gave us points real fast, that was a big deal for us."
Meanwhile, the Panthers from Pinckneyville had a three-game winning streak snapped in the title game, but came into the event on a a three-game skid and losers of four of their last five. Their sometimes anemic offense hadn't topped 40 points since December 14, but did so in all four DTHC contests.
"We struggled a little bit tonight, I think it was more just legs and being tired," said PCHS head coach Bob Waggoner. "Overall, still a good weekend for our team, I really thought we advanced and got better. I'm very proud of the effort that we gave, the better team won tonight. I tip my hat to Jerseyville, they were the better ball club and they executed, they deserved to win."
Though Jerseyville led for all but about eight seconds of the game after they went up 6-3 in the first quarter, Pinckneyville stayed close with their defensive effort and tied the game with a 7-0 spurt in the second quarter at 22-22. Nolan Luke and Tristan Fisher each had a pair of free throws surrounding a three-pointer by Dylan Hardin during the run.
The visiting Panthers would not be denied, however, getting a three-point play from Steckel and an easy bucket inside from Shively late in the first half to go up five at the break. Pinckneyville never got closer than that the rest of the night as they began to tire in the fourth game in two days for both squads.
"(Chris Priebe) did a really good job on Jake Varble," Reeder said. "Luke Shively's a pretty big boy, he's typically being guarded by guards, so when that happens we try to find him. He did a great job, he made some baskets and the bench gave us great minutes. It was a fun game."
3A Jerseyville got the ball inside when they needed to, and also won the rebounding battle 29-20.
"They got the easier baskets because of rebounding and our legs went, we were short on some things," said Waggoner. "Give them credit, they're a physical ball club and they play in a good league, they play good teams. I really think that experience paid off for them in this game and in this tournament."
Luke Miller's 9 points were tops for PCHS, Luke, Hardin and Priebe all finished with 8. Fisher added 5 points, Brandon Edwards and Brian Taylor each had 3. Priebe led the way in rebounding for Pinckneyville with 8.
In the first year of a 12-team, 2-gym format, PCHS made the championship game for the third time in the Hoops Classic's 6th season overall. Waggoner praised the new format, which drew good attendance numbers during all sessions considering the winter weather in the area over the weekend.
"From a basketball standpoint I think it's great, you can come in here and watch games in both gyms," Waggoner said. "We'll move some of the teams around next year and get them a chance to play in (Thomas Gym), but at the same time you can earn your way into the championship bracket by the way you play (on the first day)."
Priebe and Hardin represented Pinckneyville on the All-Tournament Team, joining Steckel, Varble, Teutopolis' Derek Smith and Kyle Pruemer, Olney's Tate Nohren, Tolono Unity's Matt Restad, Trenton Wesclin's Michael Klein, Lombard Montini's Simmie Cobbs and Steeleville's Darin Winkelman.
PCHS (8-7) travels to Du Quoin this Friday and to Vandalia on Saturday.
-Pinckneyville 42, Olney 22
The Panthers raced past two-time DTHC champion Olney in round one of the championship bracket on Saturday 42-22 as the senior-less Tigers struggled to shoot 9-for-29 from the floor.
Priebe had 19 points to lead PCHS, Hardin added 12, Luke 4, Fisher, Taylor and Sterling Bejma 2, and Miller 1.
-Pinckneyville 62, Tolono Unity 51
On Friday night, DTHC host Pinckneyville pulled away with a 22-13 fourth quarter to get by Tolono Unity 62-51 and win Pool A with a 2-0 record.
Hardin's 19 points led PCHS, Priebe added 13, Fisher and Luke 9, Miller 7, Taylor 3 and Edwards 1. Restad led Tolono with 19 points.
-Pinckneyville 55, Red Bud 17
The Panthers crushed the Musketeers 55-17 to open the Duster Thomas Hoops Classic on Friday morning in Thomas Gym with nine different PCHS players getting into the scorebook offensively.
Hardin led the way with 11 points, Miller added 10, Luke and Priebe 7, Taylor 5, Bejma, Adam Banach and Henry Dudek 4, and Chase Lazenby 3.