Redbirds, Rangers repeat 2003 EHT results
 WF nabs second straight tourney title, Benton wins consolation crown, again
12-29-04
BY JACK BULLOCK
ELDORADO - The goal of coach Matt Wynn for his Benton Rangers was to play four games this week at the Eldorado Holiday Tournament.

Mission accomplished, with an asterisk.

Although the Rangers would have preferred to take home the biggest prize in the event on Wednesday night, they are not totally despondent by hauling back home a different championship trophy.

Benton rode the hot hand of Mason Satterfield on this afternoon while holding off Meridian to win its second consecutive EHT Consolation title with a 46-39 win.

Satterfield started the game hot and maintained his torrid outside shooting for first three quarters as the Rangers upped their overall mark to 10-3 heading into January.

The 6-foot-1 junior forward stepped out to the 3-point arc several times on this afternoon and canned five 'trifectas' to account for all 15 of his points in the game.

Showing patience against the Meridian '1-3-1 zone', Satterfield from the outside and 6-foot-1 junior Greg McClintock from the inside provided balance in a low scoring affair more suitable to the Rangers style of play.

"We did some good things today but when they (Benton) shoot well, they are very good and today they shot the ball really well," said Meridian coach Jeff Mandrell. "Our kids played hard this week and (like Benton) we got four games out of it."

McClintock finished off the Bobcats from the free throw line in the fourth quarter as he converted four straight attempts and finished with 10 points in the game.

Marland Johnson, a 6-foot-5 freshman for Meridian, scored a couple of quick baskets in the paint for his club in the opening quarter as the Bobcats led 15-13 at the first horn.

 But foul trouble sent him to the bench in the second frame. Jeremy Zazzetti scored in the paint while forcing Johnson's third personal with 5:43 to go before intermission.

Benton took advantage of his absence with McClintock scoring just :05 before the buzzer, making it 23-20 at the break.

Meridian got back the lead for a brief time during the third quarter as Rhoyne Lincoln scored on a drive to the basket and Everette Roberson nailed a 3-pointer to pull the Bobcats within a point at 26-25.

Johnson, who showed his potential as a post player in the game, connected on back-to-back post moves in the lane to give Meridian a short-lived 31-30 lead.

But Benton would have none of this upset bid, as Seiger Shurtz scored the Rangers next five points.

A drive to the basket followed by a long 3-pointer gave the Benton back the lead for good at 35-31.

Satterfield closed out the quarter as he opened the game, drilling home his final 3-pointer from the left wing sending the teams to the bench at 38-31.

Meridian could get no closer than five the rest of the way.

With the Bobcats extending their defense to try and trap the Rangers, Benton scored twice on easy drives to the basket by Shurtz and then Ben Erwin.

By the time McClintock scored a pair of late free throws, the number two seed in the tournament finally had something to smile about, winning their second straight consolation championship.

Satterfield's 15 points lead both teams with Shurtz and McClintock each adding 10 to the total as Benton improved its record to 10-3.

Meridian (7-6) got 16 points from Lincoln while Roberson led all scorers with 16.
 
1
2
3
4
Final
Meridian
15
5
11
8
-
39
Benton
13
10
15
8
-
46

Meridian (39) - S. Johnson 1 0 0-0 2, Lincoln 6 1 1-2 16, M. Johnson 4 0 0-0 8, Roberson 2 3 0-0 13.
2FG-13, 3FG-4, FT-1-2, PF-15.
Benton (46) - Zazzetti 1 0 0-1 2, Muir 2 0 0-0 4, Satterfield 0 5 0-0 15, Shurtz 2 2 0-0 10, Hammond 0 1 0-0 3, McClintock 3 0 4-4 10, Erwin 1 0 0-0 2.
2FG-9, 3FG-9, FT-4-8, PF-7.
Fouled Out - None.
Technical Fouls - None.

WEST FRANKFORT 59, FAIRFIELD 38
In what turned out to be an anti-climatic EHT final, the Redbirds flew past Fairfield the same way that they did the rest of the field, winning the title for the second straight season.

Breaking open a close game in the second quarter, WF turned an 17-16 advantage into a 37-22 halftime lead.

As the overwhelming favorites, West Frankfort improved its overall stock to 10-2 on the season with the victory.

Massac County was the last team to win back in 1995 and 1996 won back-to-back EHT titles.

Leading just 17-16 after one quarter, the Redbirds took off on a 20-6 second quarter ride that put the game out of reach.

Winning back-to-back titles doesn't happen regularly at Eldorado.

This is just the fifth time in the 40-year history of the tournament that a team has repeated.

Massac County was the last team to accomplish the feat, winning in 1995 and 1996 joining Cairo, NCOE and Pinckneyville on the list.

Fairfield committed eight second quarter turnovers, turning a close game into a rout.

Josh Webb of West Frankfort was the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

All-tourney selections include Ryan Patton of West Frankfort, Fairfield's Josh Braddock and Kenny Basnett, Keegan Dennis of Carmi, Benton's Greg McClintock, Massac County's Josh Burnham, Gallatin County's Kyle Oldham, Eldorado's Craig Parks, Rhonye Lincoln of Meridian, and Hamilton County's Koty Vanover.

The Duff-Kingston Sportsmanship winner NCOE's Michael Laughard was.
Other scores from Wednesday
ELDORADO 55, CARMI-WHITE COUNTY 48
MASSAC COUNTY 46, HAMILTON COUNTY 41
MASSAC COUNTY 88, NCOE 68
HAMILTON COUNTY 82, GALLATIN COUNTY 56
WEST FRANKFORT 66, ELDORADO 49
FAIRFIELD 41, CARMI-WHITE COUNTY 39