Sectional Championship Game Roundup - 03-01-13
The Roundup consists of the FAXES ABV received from regional hosts in the area.

CLASS 1A
AT HARDIN COUNTY
GALLATIN COUNTY 75, MOUNDS MERIDIAN 58

Behind 26-points from 7-foot senior Andrew Drone and 17-points from Patrick Lowe, the Gallatin County Hawks won the school's first ever boy's basketball sectional championship with a win over Meridian in front of a packed house at Hardin County on Friday night.

The Hawks pulled away in the second half in a game marred by a Meridian meltdown with multiple technical fouls and fan ejections.

But none of that hid the story of how well the Hawks played, handling the full-court pressure of Meridian and taking advantage of the Meridian problems by making their foul shots.

Gallatin County (27-3) drilled home 21-of-27 free throws and 13-of-17 in the final eight minutes to pick up the win.

Daine Hish added nine points for the Hawks and head coach Robert “Radar” Patton, whose troops will now face Nokomis on Tuesday night at the SIU Carbondale 1A Supersectional.

The Redskins mauled Oblong 68-46 to win the 1A Altamont Sectional.

Meridian was denied a three consecutive supersectional appearance as Coach Jeff Mandrell's club was led by senior forward Joshua Jones with 17-points.

Michael Schoffner added 15 for the Bobcats, who ended their season at 25-7.

Gallatin County broke open the close game, taking advantage of its gift of technical's by converting five consecutive free throws in the final moments of the third quarter, turning a 39-36 lead into an eight point spread heading into the final frame.

A frustrated Bobcats club fell behind in the final quarter and never recovered.

CLASS 1A
AT ALTAMONT
NOKOMIS 68, OBLONG 46
The Redskins certainly know the path to Peoria through southern Illinois.

The 2007-08 Nokomis club finished second in the state after rolling through the Carbondale 1A Supersectional.

Coach Steve Kimbro has his club back in the “Elite Eight” after a dominating 22-point win over Oblong at the 1A Altamont Sectional, behind 19-points from Evan Huber and 16-points from Devin Wright.

After posting a 27-23 halftime advantage, the Redskins pulled away from the Panthers with a big second half.

Six-foot-four senior forward Anthony Johnson closed out his brilliant career with 20-points as Oblong finished the sectional runnerup for the second straight season.

Koert Mehler finished with nine points as Coach Brent Harper's team ended up 21-12 on the year.

Nokomis improved to 23-9 and will face Gallatin County on Tuesday night.

CLASS 2A
AT WEST FRANKFORT
HARRISBURG 52, NASHVILLE 26
In a blink of an eye, the Harrisburg Bulldogs turned a close game into a rout in during a second and third quarter scoring push to improve to 30-1 on the season.

Coach Randy Smithpeters' club, leading just 16-12, went on an 18-0 scoring spree to take command and end the Hornets season at 24-8.

Tyler Smithpeters and Eli Taborn-Scott each netted 17-points in the win while Capel Henshaw added 13-points as Harrisburg, the state's top ranked team and also ABV number one, will face Teutopolis who won a 2OT war with Breese Central.

That game will be held at SIU next Tuesday.

Nashville, the SIRR Mississippi Division champs, were no match for the Ohio Players on this night.

Daniel Thorson topped the Hornets with five points.