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CORL
romps over Ramsey
Silver Stallions use 22-0
run in 54-28 win; Mulberry Grove falls to Metro-East Lutheran JV |
01-26-12
BY JACK BULLOCK
CENTRALIA –
The Christ Our Rock Lutheran Silver Stallions won its Thursday
night game against Ramsey in wire-to-wire fashion.
Coach Mike
Shaffer's club blitzed the Rams with a strong first half defensive
effort in route to a 54-28 win.
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| Sandoval
rallies past North Clay
Jones scorches Cardinals' defense with
47-points; Blackhawks improve to 15-5 |
01-24-12
BY JACK BULLOCK
LOUISVILLE – In a contest
that was defensively challenged and offensively inept where
two teams combined to miss 78 shots, it took one offensive run
by Sandoval to turn the game around in the Blackhawks favor.
Trailing
69-59 with 2:41 remaining in the contest, Coach Herb Williams'
club changed the momentum around with a game-finishing 16-0
run to pull out a tough ....
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| Olney
holds off Harrisburg, nabs CWCIT title
Tigers hit just enough fourth quarter
free throws for 48-45 win; Fairfield, Mount Carmel post victories |
01-21-12
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARMI –
For the better part of three quarters of the final game of the
Carmi-White County Invitational Tournament the Olney East Richland
Tigers dominated the Harrisburg Bulldogs.
Coach Rob
Flanagan's team held a comfortable 38-29 lead heading into the
final frame and got a basket by Brook Pampe just :30 into the
fourth quarter.
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| Wesclin
advances to consolation title game
11-0 start propels Warriors
past Waltonville, 68-47; Mascoutah tops Freeburg, 54-42 |
01-19-12
BY JACK BULLOCK
NASHVILLE –
After dropping a heartbreaking two-point decision to the host
Hornets in the opening round of the Nashville Invitational Tournament
on Tuesday night, the Wesclin Warriors were ready to make amends.
Jumping out
to an 11-0 lead and surviving a couple of Waltonville offensive
runs, Coach Andrew Wilson's squad romped past the Spartans,
68-47 .....
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| Olney
improves to 2-0 in CWCIT
Fehrenbacher scores 21-points in 63-39
romp; Harrisburg, Fairfeild post wins |
01-17-12
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARMI –
Although
the game wasn't a pretty sight for Coach Rob Flanagan's Olney
East Richland Tigers, it was certainly one that this coach will
take.
In a workman-like
fashion, the Tigers got out to a good lead and weathered one
scoring run of Mt. Vernon (IN.) in a 63-39 win at the Carmi-White
County Invitational Tournament on Tuesday night.
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Woodlawn
wins emotional game over Herrin
Hollenkamp, Owens trigger 61-55 upset
over 3A Tigers; Cardinals improve to 14-2 |
01-14-12
BY
JACK BULLOCK
WOODLAWN –
The Woodlawn Cardinals have notched some very important wins
in the school's long basketball history but perhaps none bigger
for a regular season game than its triumph Saturday night at
home.
Dealing
with a very emotional situation for the community in the past
....
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| Carlyle
hangs on for Cahokia Conference win
Early Indians' ambush holds up for 59-49
triumph; Huels leads all scorers with 17-points |
01-10-12
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARLYLE –
The big scoring run that the Wesclin Warriors needed to get
a win never materialized on Tuesday night in the clubs' road
showdown with Clinton County rival Carlyle.
Coach Andrew
Wilson's young team were on the verge of making the .......
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Flora
"grinds" out win over Marquette
Painter, Knapp lead Wolves to 43-40
win over previously unbeaten Explorers; BMD, Carlyle post wins |
01-07-12
BY JACK BULLOCK
CENTRALIA –
The
Flora Wolves, after having won the Vandalia Holiday Tournament
title on December 29th, didn't have a good week to start
the New Year.
Coach Phil
Leib's club lost a game to highly regarded Olney East Richland
and then turned around with a poor showing in a 68-64 win against
Edwards County at home .....
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| Explorers
avoid upset, win title
Marquette Catholic stays
unbeaten with win over host Eagles; 19-of-23 free throws key victory |
12-30-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
COLUMBIA –
In its 14
previous contests the Marquette Catholic Explorers had barely
been tested.
On Friday
night in the title game of the Columbia/Freeburg Holiday Tournament
Coach Steve Medford's team passed their exam, barely.
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| Flora
holds off Pana, wears VHT crown
MVP Paul Knapp leads Wolves
to 75-69 win; Panthers suffer first defeat of season
Vandalia tops Greenville for third; St. Elmo, Altamont, Shelbyville
also final day winners |
12-29-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
VANDALIA –
Opponents
of the Flora Wolves know what Paul Knapp and Nick Painter can
do.
But in the
title tilt of the 40th annual Vandalia Holiday Tournament, it
was what teammate Ethan Leib did that made the difference in
the Wolves 75-69 title game triumph.
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Bulldogs
snag second straight EHT title
Barners' bucket gives
Harrisburg 46-45 win over Herrin; Hardin County wins consy title
Meridian tops Massac in OT for third; A-J rallies past Fairfield for
fifth place |
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12-28-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
ELDORADO –
Before Wednesday's
title game of the Eldorado Holiday Tournament, Harrisburg head
coach Randy Smithpeters told his team that they had to get “tough”
against the Herrin Tigers, a team that the Bulldogs had lost
to less than a week ago on the road, 80-75 in overtime.
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Teutopolis
tops host Panthers
Wooden Shoes return to
Classic with 2-0 first day mark; Benton upsets Olney, Rangers also 2-0 |
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12-27-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
PINCKNEYVILLE –
In a contest played by two of the most storied programs in the
history of the State of Illinois, whose moniker's have been
to win by playing great defense and controlling the boards,
one school was much more efficient than the other on Tuesday
night on the opening day of the Duster Thomas Classic.
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New
Athens upends Christopher at S-VHT
Blake Ragland's career-best 29-points
leads Yellow Jackets to upset win
Woodlawn, S-V, Goreville all advance; short-handed Sparta drops opener
to Waltonville |
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12-26-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
SESSER –
The New Athens Yellow Jackets pulled a mild upset on Monday
night at the Sesser-Valier Holiday Tournament when they took
care of Christopher, 57-50.
But it was
the scoring explosion of Blake Ragland that was totally unexpected.
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Flora,
Vandalia top seeded at VHT
Pana, Wesclin, St. Elmo, Altamont look to challenge for
title |
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12-26-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
VANDALIA – The 40th annual
Vandalia Holiday Tournament has some outstanding teams who all
appear capable of a four day run to the championship.
The Flora Wolves enter the tourney
on a roll with a 10-1 mark which includes some quality wins
over Marshall, Oblong, Red Hill and Mount Carmel in regular
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Harrisburg,
Meridian favored for championship rematch at EHT
Herrin, Massac County not to be counted
out; Fairfield, Gallatin County look to make waves |
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12-24-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
ELDORADO
– Two
seasons ago in one of the best Eldorado Holiday Tournament title
games, Meridian rallied for a stunning 72-70 win over Harrisburg.
The 47tth annual EHT could produce a “do-over” as
the Bulldogs and Bobcats are the top two choices to meet up Wednesday
night in the finale.
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| Marquette
Catholic leads talent field at Columbia/Freeburg
Unbeaten young Explorers; Gibault, Sandoval, Triad round
out top-seeds |
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12-24-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
COLUMBIA
– The Marquette Explorers,
unbeaten at 10-0 and the winners of the Lebanon Thanksgiving
Tournament, are the top-seed at the Columbia/Freeburg Holiday
Tournament to be played December 27-30.
Head coach Steve Medford leads this young squad that is trying
to improve on last season's sectional run by continuing to win
games in an impressive style.
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| Explorers
roll past Roxana
With four players in double-figures,
Marquette improves to 10-0 with 64-32 win |
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12-20-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
ROXANA –
The word is out about the boy's basketball team that calls Marquette
Catholic High School in Alton, Illinois its home.
That word
on Tuesday night in its contest against Roxana would be “dominating.”
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| St.
Elmo grabs tourney title from previously unbeaten
Altamont
Eagles improve to 6-1 with 56-46 win;
MVP Pruett scores 24-points in title game
Cowden-Herrick, Beecher City, Ramsey post final day victories |
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12-17-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
ST. ELMO –
In the past four seasons the
St. Elmo Eagles have watched collectively their National Trail
Conference rivals from Altamont take home championships from
this long standing event.
On Saturday
night, behind the stellar play of senior Blake Pruett, the Eagles
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| Central
stays unbeaten, takes down Indians
Cougars move to 9-0 with 69-48 Cahokia
Conference triumph; Carlyle falls to 5-1 |
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12-16-11
BY
JACK BULLOCK
BREESE –
In a game between Cahokia Conference and Clinton County rivals
that on paper looked to be a very good matchup, the Central Cougars
turned this potential close game into a relatively easy night
on the home hardwood.
Behind 14-points
and 11-rebounds from Brandon Book and some excellent long .....
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Lions
tame Warriors
Cisne holds Patoka to seven
second half points, improves to 2-0; Crab Orchard, Wayne City roll |
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12-13-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
WAYNE CITY
– If
a team has legitimate championship aspirations heading into
a pool play event such as the Conrad Allen Wayne City Holiday
Tournament it sometimes comes down to just surviving games in
which you don't play your best game.
The Cisne
Lions endured an off night offensively by playing solid defense
and ....
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Crab
Orchard, Cisne, Edwards County, Wayne City triumph
Trojans roll past Grayville;
Lions tame Wolves; Ed Co. blows away Tornadoes; Indians handle Tigers |
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12-10-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
WAYNE CITY
– The
Crab Orchard Trojans led a quartet of teams winning lopsided
contests on the opening day of the 58th annual Conrad Allen
Wayne City Holiday Tournament.
Led by Ben
Kissing with 29-points and 13-rebounds the Trojans crushed Grayville,
82-40 in the second game of the day.
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| Breese
Central, Okawville nab impressive wins
Book, Walton lead Cougars,
Rockets to SIU Arena victories; Pinckneyville, Gibault also win |
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12-10-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE – Breese Central
senior Brandon Book has had some big games in his four years
as a starter for head coach Stan Eagleson.
Perhaps
his best performance in a big game came Saturday night in the
finale of the Saluki Shootout against highly regarded Harrisburg
at SIU Arena.
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Crab
Orchard takes big step in defending league title
Kissing, Johnson score 44-of-57 Trojan
points in 13-point triumph over Gallatin Co. |
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12-06-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
CRAB ORCHARD –
In a battle of the top two teams in the Greater Egyptian Conference
one team showed that they are already in mid-season form while
the other team is still trying to figure things out.
The Crab
Orchard Trojans used its quickness advantage and outside shooting
to ......
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| Pioneers'
improbable rally ends in PIT title
Trico scores final 12-points in fourth quarter
comeback, shocks Egyptian, 60-59 |
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12-03-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
CAMPBELL HILL –
In the title game of the 11th Annual Pioneer Invitational Tournament,
the outcome had seemingly been decided.
The Egyptian
Pharaohs had the game comfortably in hand after scoring the
first seven points in the fourth quarter to take an apparent
tourney championship .....
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Okawville
takes tourney title
Walton, Weeke led Rockets topple defending champ
Woodlawn, 55-40; M-C finishes third |
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12-02-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
OKAWVILLE –
Senior guard Taylor Walton provided a fourth quarter finish
of a 20-0 run that fueled a come-from-behind win for the Okawville
Rockets on Friday night in the title game of their own Post-Thanksgiving
Tournament.
Walton scored
seven consecutive points (17 for the contest) during a ......
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Cairo
shocks host Indians
Pilots crush DQ on glass, improve to 1-1 in DQ
Tip-Off Classic; Benton rolls past Waltonville |
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11-30-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
DU QUOIN –
When a team commits 16 turnovers, misses 44 shots and fails to
make a single free throw, this team should have gotten on the
bus with a defeat.
But the Cairo
Pilots managed to do enough things right on Wednesday night at
the Du Quoin Tip-Off Classic to head home with their first win
of the season.
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| St.
Elmo opens season with tough road win
Eagles outlast South Central in double
overtime; Cougars fall to 0-2 with loss |
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11-29-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
FARINA –
In a contest in which neither team on the floor played particularly
well, it was the visiting St. Elmo Eagles that found a way to
win.
Capitalizing
on South Central's mistakes in a better way than the Cougars
did with the Eagles miscues, Coach Greg Feezel's club escaped
with a 53-50 double-overtime .....
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Pharaohs
sprint past Devils
Price, Nelson, pace Egyptian
to 59-39 title game triumph |
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11-26-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
CHRISTOPHER –
In the title game of the 37th Annual Christopher Thanksgiving
Tournament, the Egyptian Pharaohs were in no mood to share their
feast.
From the
mid point of the first quarter on, head coach Matt Mandrell's
club chewed up the Sesser-Valier Red Devils.
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Trojans
hold off Hardin County
Kissing, Johnson, Arnold led Crab Orchard
over Cougars; Elverado, Dongola post wins |
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11-23-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
CRAB ORCHARD –
For
the Crab Orchard Trojans, heading into the 2011-12 season most
basketball fans in southern Illinois already knew about the top
two guns returning for their senior seasons.
However
Coach Jon Brown has had a very pleasant surprise with a third
senior ....
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| Meridian
rolls past Eldorado
Bobcats' pressure too much for Eagles,
2-0 in tourney; Carrier Mills, Century win |
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11-22-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
CHRISTOPHER –
The Meridian Bobcats never gave
the Eldorado Eagles a chance to get warmed up on Tuesday night.
Applying
pressure from the word “go” Coach Jeff Mandrell's
club forced the Eagles into 11 first quarter turnovers and jumped
out to a 20-4 first quarter lead as the ....
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Egyptian,
Christopher nab wins @ CTT
Pharaohs run past SEC rival Cobden; Bearcats
outlast Thompsonville |
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11-21-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
CHRISTOPHER – For
head coach Matt Mandrell's Egyptian Pharaohs, there were some
doubts as to how ready his club would be when they opened the
season Monday night at the Christopher Turkey Tournament.
Their
South Egyptian Conference rival Cobden found out how ready the
Pharaohs really were.
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11-21-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
The preview is completed with 110 teams
featured. There will likely be mistakes, typos, and all sorts
of issues. If you see a glaring one let me know. Some of the
previews will seem a bit redundant, but it is because basketball
is basketball and there are only so many ways you can slice
the bread.
Some coaches send me more information than others. So some teams
get more written about them in this preview.
It has been a long couple of weeks but it is something I enjoy
doing.
I hope you enjoy reading this preview.
Now for the real fun.
Let the games begin!!!
Click on the link above. |
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