Southern Illinois River-to-River Conference - Ohio Division

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West Frankfort may finally get over the hump
Redbirds have been postseason unlucky; Massac. Murphy present biggest problems for WF

SIRR
Ohio Divsion
Projected Order of Finish
1. WEST FRANKFORT
2. MASSAC COUNTY
3. MURPHYSBORO
4. BENTON
5. HARRISBURG
6. HERRIN

BY JACK BULLOCK
Last season in the SIRR Ohio Division the top three teams took turns beating each other during league play.
The end result was a three-way tie for first place between Harrisburg, Massac County and West Frankfort.
All three teams ended up 7-3 in the league.
It won’t be too much of a bold prediction for another tight contest for the championship in 2007-08.
The rest of the group might join the same culprits this season for a race to the final week.
In what turned out to be an interesting battle – one team with a returning starter who has All-State potential gains the slight edge heading into the season.
West Frankfort and head coach Kevin Toney have experienced some disappointments in the past few seasons but the sun always seems to come up the next day in Franklin County.
Last February top player Isaiah Simelton suffered a knee injury that ended the Redbirds postseason.
Even though they managed a regional title game victory over Benton on their chief rivals home floor – without Simelton they were no match for Mount Carmel in the semifinals of the Hamilton County Class A Sectional.
Harrisburg had a good regular season but didn’t last long in the state tourney – bowing out to WF in the regional semis.
Massac County lost in a regional final for the second time in three years to Vienna.
All three have question marks heading into 2007-08.
Murphysboro – a program that had an off year by normal Red Devils’ standards – won’t be down long.
Benton and head coach Matt Wynn will actually have a bit of size to work with this season while Herrin looks to rebuild.
The rationale here is that those same three that tied for the league title a year ago will face much more of a challenge from the other three this winter.
1. WEST FRANKFORT
With the return of Simelton and the addition of a couple of players coming out for basketball that weren’t initially expected – the Red Birds look like the team to beat in the Ohio Division.
Coach Toney’s club finished 20-11 in 2006-07 after the 66-50 loss to the Golden Aces.
Had these Birds had Simelton it might have been a different ending to the season.
He appears to be healthy and having this 6-foot-6 multi-talented athlete on the floor at full strength is a blessing for this program.
Simelton – who also suffered a non-basketball playing injury this summer to compound his health problems – has been cleared to play this winter. It is the best news that could happen at this time for this team.
He averaged 16.7 points a game for WF last winter and 9.3 rebounds. Considering the West Frankfort schedule that rebounding total is fantastic.
The rest of the team looks truly improved over last season – the first one in four years in which the Red Birds failed to reach a sectional final.
Matt Brown held his own last season as a junior scoring 13.4 points with 2.8 assists.
This 6-foot-1 senior helps run things at Max Morris Gym and having a point guard back is always a good sign of future success.
Another backcourt vet is Nick Wilburn – a 5-foot-11 senior – with a 4.2 points per night average coming into his prep year.
Six-foot junior John Murphy will be expected to step up to take a starting position this season.
After those four players – the West Frankfort story gets very interesting.
Coach Toney mentioned three other kids that will see action. Jake Murphy is a 6-foot-4 senior forward that played enough minutes a season ago to average 4.8 points a game.
Senior’s Dillon Harris and Jerry Rich came off the bench for some late game experience as juniors. Both could see those minutes extended this season.
As if the Red Birds weren’t loaded enough there is more news.
According to Coach Toney three other players who weren’t even on the roster a year ago have a chance to make a mark on this program.
Six-foot-five senior Matt Eader is a track and field phenom who will be one of the favorites to go back to state in the spring in the shot put and discus events.
After playing basketball as a freshman this one decided to concentrate on those field events for two school years.
But he is back on the hardwood for a senior season – which should make some additional fans happy. He is a wide body type (obviously) who can run the floor. Those type athletes are sometimes hard to come by. West Frankfort’s rebounding and defense should improve with this one in the lineup.
Brandon Moake – a 6-foot-1 senior guard – also wasn’t part of the team last season. However this one is another of the long list of multi-sport kids that can help out in other sports.
A wide-out on the Red Birds playoff football squad – Moake is a good shooter according to Toney and will add some scoring numbers.
By the way – Isaiah Simelton has a younger brother cut from the same cloth.
Six-foot-two sophomore Kendrick Simelton spent his freshman year on the frosh and JV teams. He could jump up the varsity level this season – like big brother did two seasons ago.
All of these newcomers spell t-r-o-u-b-l-e for the other SIRR teams and anyone who gets in the way in the programs two regular season tournaments and the regionals in February.
“With Isaiah healthy we are a much better team than we were in the sectional last season,” said Coach Toney – who is 94-29 in the past four seasons. “I expect the kids that weren’t part of the team last season to really help our depth, defense and scoring.”
OUTLOOK – This team will find out quickly what they will need to improve on with an annual game at Pinckneyville on November 24th. Isaiah Simelton – if he stays healthy – should end up with some All-State honors as well as local tributes. This is a deep club that is used to winning games. They should be more athletic that a year ago and that will make for a better defensive team. The schedule will require hard work each night. When it comes to the roll call of the top Class 2A teams in the South and around the State – these guys will be on the list somewhere.
2. MASSAC COUNTY
Head coach Joe Hosman has built a fine basketball program at MC and his hard work usually turns into victories.
But in the past three seasons there has been something missing. No regional titles.
Losses the past three years to Vienna (twice) and Goreville have kept the Patriots from achieving the usual results.
Since this coach arrived in Metropolis in 1986-87 Massac County has won 11 regional titles, a pair of sectional crowns and a Supersectional title in 2004.
This Patriots’ club in 2007-08 will be talented but young as a whole.
Many of the kids were tossed straight into the deep end of the pool by Coach Hosman and – through all of the learning – treaded water well enough to notch yet another 20-win season.
But it will take continued hard work to get this program back to the sectionals.
Three of the kids returning were full-time starters on a 20-10 team that dropped a 58-46 championship game decision to the host Eagles at the Vienna Class A Regional.
Point guard Jarelle Johnson – a 6-foot junior - flashed signs of brilliance while learning things the hard way in 2006-07.
His 8.5 points a game was fourth on the team last season while running the offense.
Byron Bailey was a starter last season for Massac and is the only returning player who average double-figures in scoring (10.7 p.p.g.).
Those two should be a much better tandem in the backcourt for the Patriots this season.
Six-foot-three senior center David Rogers was just below double-digits in points at 9.7 a night.
On down the list of returning kids is Matt Lagore – 6-foot guard - who started as a junior on a part-time basis. His senior season should be even better.
Zach Kester – standing at 6-foot-4 – represents some size for Coach Hosman to work with.
Jamareo Thomas is a 6-foot senior who missed nearly all of the 2006-07 season with a knee injury. When healthy he is part of the starting lineup competition.
Three additional players should be part of the Red, White and Blue.
Five-foot-ten junior guard Calvin Morse, 6-foot-3 junior forward Zach Bremer and 6-foot senior forward Justin Phillips should be in uniform when the Pats open the season with the Pyramid Tourney at Herrin.
Morse – a 6-foot senior who transferred in from Pope County but had to sit his junior season - is a good spot up shooter that Hosman will utilize this season.
“If we can stay healthy with us having three full-time starters and three part-time starters back we will be a very good team,” said Coach Hosman – a Herrin grad who has built a perennial power at Massac County in the past 21 seasons. “With everyone healthy we have enough athletes at all positions to challenge the top ones in the South.”
OUTLOOK – This is a squad that is going to be able to play Hosman Basketball. Defense, running the floor and scoring big numbers is the brand of basketball the fans of this program have grown accustomed to. If they can avoid the injuries that popped up last winter then the Patriots have a shot at more postseason hardware and this league title.
3. MURPHYSBORO
Coach Daryl Murphy finally caught a break this season as the state shifts to the seemingly unpopular four-class system.
Not only did the Red Devils end up dropping down a notch to 2A instead of 3A – they can now forget about the likes of Carbondale, Mount Vernon and Centralia when preparing for the postseason as they had to do before last season.
After having a so-so season in 2006-07 – the Devils first in Class A - the optimism meter should be pegging high with the talent returning in those Crimson and Corn uniform colors.
The Red Devils finished just 13-19 on the season, 2-8 in the SIRR Ohio – those numbers just don’t seem right being next to the Murphysboro moniker. However another regional was won with a victory over Carterville, 47-32 on the Lions floor in the finale. Nashville put them out of the state tourney in the first round of the Herrin Class A Sectional.
The 2007-08 season should be much better all around if for nothing else the thought of a postseason without playing teams with a few hundred more enrollment.
Five seniors left last season – including the top two scorers on the club Jeremy King (17.0 p.p.g.) and Cortez Turner (14.9 p.p.g.) from the team.
But as with most seasons at Murphysboro – this school produces quality athletes to fill the spots.
Coach Murphy mentioned a couple of guards on the list of kids back for 2007-08.
The starters for this season could be Damarcus Moore and Nick Jones – both put up points returning from a year ago.
Moore – a 5-foot-11 senior guard - is the top returning scorer with 6.1 points a game.
The 5-foot-10 senior guard Jones added 3.2 points a night while playing in 27 of the teams’ varsity games as a sophomore.
This pair seems to be the logical starters in the Red Devil backcourt.
Five-foot-nine senior guard Frank Cano had a thimble full of java at the varsity level for the Devils last winter. He could end up in the discussion for major minutes.
Michael Locke is a senior forward at 6-foot. His scoring contributions in 2006-07 were minimal (1.1 points) in 18 contests.
But one must remember these kids were in line behind a total of 38.1 p.p.g. from a group of upperclassmen that left the school.
Six-foot-four senior center Cody Lee might be the most important player wearing a Murphysboro uniform in 2007-08.
Lee played in all 30 of the varsity matchups on the 2006-07 schedule while marking 4.5 points a game on the sheet.
He will have to perform at a high level around the basket.
The same can be said for another potential starter – 6-foot-3 senior Bryce Schumacher.
This kid didn’t play much as a junior but he could be one of the players to step forward.
Coach Murphy mentioned three other players – all juniors - that could do some damage when given a chance.
Five-foot-nine guard Blake DeRocher, 5-foot-8 guard Brent Bachmann and 5-foot-7 Chris Hampton round out the eight players mentioned by Coach Murphy.
DeRocher has the most experience of those three.
It is too bad Cortez Turner graduated last season.
Then Coach Murphy could have had Turner and Bachmann in the game at the same time. Then someone would have undoubtedly said, “There is Bachmann-Turner Overdrive.”
Ok enough of the bad jokes.
“I’m looking forward to another exciting season of Red Devil basketball,” said Coach Murphy – who is 213-109 in eleven seasons at Murphysboro after adding his sixth regional title last season. “This group of kids should be able to continue the success we have experienced.”
OUTLOOK – Murphysboro has always been on the outside looking in on the small school level. In most seasons they were one of the smallest Class AA clubs in the state. A few students less at the school during the last five years would have probably produced a state tournament trip in Class A. But the four-class system (as mentioned early) may help the Red Devils more than any other team in the South. The backcourt is a big factor with Moore and Jones. Cody Lee will also need to have a big season. This coach knows how to win games and ABV expects business as usual at MHS.
4. BENTON
The Benton Rangers pulled an upset last season at their own regional when they beat the top seed Goreville in the semifinals.
But head coach Matt Wynn’s team couldn’t sustain the momentum as West Frankfort eliminated them in the title game, 61-44.
It was another up and down season for the Rangers. They played hard all winter and had a few highlights but the big picture was reflective of their overall mark – 15-19 losses.
A late season winning streak was remarkable and showed just how well this undersized club was coached.
They beat some really good teams (Eldorado, Massac County, West Frankfort, and Murphysboro) and the returning experienced players can build upon those victories.
When looking at the 2007-08 season at Benton – the Rangers face another winter in which the schedule could outweigh the talent.
The teams mentioned earlier are still on the schedule along with Nashville being added. A switch from the Eldorado Holiday Tourney to the new one at Pinckneyville may bring some additional struggles.
Nevertheless look for Coach Wynn to have the Rangers ready to go when they begin the season at the Du Quoin Tip-Off Classic.
This is a guard-oriented club once again with vets Saylor Shurtz and Bryson Potts back.
Shurtz seems like he has been in that varsity uniform for a decade. He played significant minutes in each of the last two seasons.
He has a big heart tucked away in that 5-foot-9 inch frame and skills to go along with it.
Potts is a 6-foot-1 senior guard who is almost gigantic compared to the recent trend of guards at Benton.
With both of these kids having played a lot of ball together – the Ranger backcourt looks to be its best area of expertise.
However some improvement could come about with the frontcourt with two forwards returning.
Six-foot senior Gavin Nolen played in a lot of games a season ago as well. Again this is a kid that plays hard but the undersized aspect of this Ranger squad is hard to overlook.
You can add the name Tim Corn to the list of Benton possible starters having played some last season. Coach Wynn could go with a three-guard offense with the 6-foot junior in the mixture.
Look for Trevor Myers to be involved. If you lined up every guard in the building wearing Maroon and White you could probably balance a board across the top of their heads.
Alas there is a post player on the team that flashed a sign of potential. Myers is a 5-foot-10 junior.
Zach LaBuwi at 6-foot-4 is by far and away the largest of the Rangers. He had some really good games last season including a win against Massac County early in the season where the Rangers rallied to win the game on a LaBuwi tip-in just before the final horn.
After those six players – Coach Wynn can go a lot of different directions.
Ryan Stevens was a roster player last season and at 6-foot-3 this junior might help out early in the year for bench support.
Nick Culbreth could do himself some good if he pans out in the middle. He is 6-foot-6 and a junior.
With him and LaBuwi manning the middle of the floor Benton could improve on its defensive rebounding.
Six-foot-one junior Seth McFarland could also be a part of this group.
“I think we can be very competitive this season,” said Coach Wynn – a Benton graduate who is 132-109 in eight varsity seasons at both Meridian and Benton. “We have a scrappy group of guards and our big men are getting better.”
OUTLOOK – That statement from Coach Wynn is very important. The big men must continue to get better and the guards must continue to be ‘scrappy’ if this team expects to win more games than it loses. With this schedule the easy games don’t exist. Benton will need to play nearly flawless games to beat the behemoths in this conference and beyond. LaBuwi might end up being the biggest factor. ABV believes 19-15 would look a lot better than 15-19. It will take the ultimate effort for five months to get those numbers to turn about.
5. HARRISBURG
Graduation took a major toll on Coach Randy Smithpeters and his Bulldogs last spring.
Madison Medley, Garrick Piche, Jake Stevers, Clay Hawkins and Patrick Carver took a hike in June and in their backpacks went a lot of important stats from the 2006-07 20-9 record.
Medley – a 6-foot-4 senior forward - collected several postseason awards last winter including a First Team spot on the ABV Carbondale Supersectional Area squad while averaging a double-double with 15.3 points and 10.3 rebounds a game. He made 58 percent of his shots last season which is an incredible number consider the level of opposition.
Stevers was second on the Bulldogs with 11.1 points a night.
Simply put the top five scorers on this club were the ones listed and when this coach starts practice this winter he will notice that 48.6 points a game are gone.
The rebuilding begins with the lone returning starter – 5-foot-9 senior point guard Matt Smithpeters who averaged 5.6 points and 2.7 assists.
He is the coach’s son and those type kids always seem to have an understanding of the game that other kids take longer to figure out. Growing up around this sport as this one has will help him finish out his prep career in style.
Smithpeters hit 40 percent of his 3-point shots as a senior.
He also had an outstanding assists to turnover ratio (79 assists, 25 turnovers) in 29 games.
There is another guard in the group returning that can also score as shown last season.
Cody Weatherington – a 6-foot senior guard – averaged 3.9 points a contest in 2006-07. He was important enough in the Harrisburg scheme to play in nearly all of the varsity games and he also hit 40 percent of his long shots.
Six-foot-one senior forward Kendall Donaldson takes his game to the inside. Last season he averaged 3.2 points and 2.5 points in 13 varsity games.
After Donaldson there is a big drop off in experience.
Russell Rambert is a 6-foot-2 junior that could march up and take a starting spot.
Five-foot-eleven junior Robbie Boatwright, 5-foot-10 junior Cody Owen, 6-foot-3 junior Sterling Price will all be part of an inexperienced reserve unit.
“We will have pretty good quickness this season,” said Coach Smithpeters who is 239-162 in his previous 14 seasons at Harrisburg. “Size will be a concern this year but I hope we can overcome that with good, smart play.”
OUTLOOK – This program under Coach Smithpeters has won six regional titles and produced eight 20-win seasons. So a little thing like rebuilding is par for the course at HB. Losing as much offense and rebounding as they did this past winter won’t help matters in this very physical league. The guards will need to carry the scoring load while still being able to defend. They could finish anywhere between 3-6 but ABV expects at least fourth here.
6. HERRIN
When Irv Lukens took over this basketball program early last season – something seemed to spark in the Tigers that got them back to a much better standing in the southern Illinois basketball spectrum.
Herrin finished the season 10-15 and 2-8 in the league.
Despite losing three seniors to graduation the tide may be ready to turn with a solid group with experience returning.
The players back are a bit vertically challenged like the two teams listed before the Tigers in the SIRR Ohio.
Kyle Derry – a 5-foot-9 senior - is a returning starter for Coach Lukens.
Six-foot-two senior forward Blake Hampleman was hurt in the fall but Lukens expects him to fill a starting spot in the frontcourt.
Kent Sherrill is a 5-foot-6 senior guard that is entering his third season on the varsity.
Six-foot-one Garrett Lukens is another senior forward with experience returning.
Throw the names of Adam Harrison – a 6-foot-2 senior forward – 6-foot-1 Caleb Varaccalli and 5-foot-10 senior Tommy Taylor into the jumble of potential starters.
“Herrin will play hard and play fast,” said Coach Lukens. “We showed a very good attitude last year while going through some major coaching changes. We had a strong summer where we either won the games or only lost by one or two points. If the seniors stay positive and step up and play their roles, we will be tough.”
OUTLOOK – This coach has much more confidence than ABV does of seeing a complete change of fortune. However surprises have happened before in this league. If nothing else they appear to have some depth on the squad with athletic ability. They picked up a big win last winter over Murphysboro and those sort of upsets need to happen more frequently if the Tigers are going to escape the last place dungeon.