02/21/2026
BY JACK BULLOCK
VIENNA – Saturday night's game between Goreville and Vienna had very little on the line other than it was a contest between rivals wanting bragging rights.

The Blackcats and head coach Todd Tripp had already clinched the Black Diamond Conference West Division championship and were voted the top-seed in their 1A sub-sectional that feeds into the Cobden Regional.

But there was one thing that was on the table.

With a victory the Blackcats would go undefeated in the league, which is special in and of itself.

Goreville made it a clean sweep with a big third quarter offensive and defensive explosion.

The Blackcats romped to a 68-42 victory to end the regular season at 12-0 in the division and 27-4 overall.

The state-ranked Blackcats broke away from Coach Burlin Brower's club by holding the Eagles to just five points in the third quarter to turn a 25-21 halftime lead into a 47-26 advantage at the end of the third quarter.

After spotting the Eagles a single free throw in the early going, Goreville took the lead for good on its first score and never looked back.

“I thought we were really good. We talked about some things at halftime. We were forcing some shots early. When you got some guys who can score and they don't get some early they get 'itchy' to go get one,” said Coach Tripp. “But I thought defensively we were really, really good.”

The loss dropped Vienna to 16-15 overall, 9-3 in the BDCWD.

Goreville has a pair of outstanding players and a group of kids that bond well together.

This was apparent on Saturday night as 10 different players put up points.

Six-one junior Nick King finished nearly a perfect night for the 'Cats.

He nailed down three first half 3-pointers to finish with 18-points while also hitting 5-of-5 from the foul line.

Zech Green, a 5-10 senior, posted 16-points with four of his made shots coming from long range.

Green also hit both of his free throws as the Blackcats were 10-of-13 from the stripe as a team.

Junior Tommy King added eight-points for Coach Tripp's balanced attack.

Two freshmen; Dylan Tripp and Braden Compton, scored six-points each.

Tripp hit two 3-pointers for his contribution with one of them coming in the first quarter for the Blackcats first points.

King followed up with his first 3-pointer and senior Garrett Church drilled home a trey from the left corner for a 9-4 lead with 2:10 left in the first frame.

Vienna only had one player reach double-digits in scoring.

Five-ten junior guard Silas Kreuter scored 19-points for the Eagles.

But he only managed six-points in the second half.

“We were keyed in on Kreuter and he hit some on us early but we did a lot better job on him in the second half,” said Coach Tripp.

Senior Braedon Hurst was next on the list with just six-points.

(CONTINUED)

Both of the Hurst scores were 3-pointers and the first one came in the first quarter that ended with a King three for a 12-7 lead.

Vienna produced its best stretch of the game with Kreuter carrying the scoring load.

He scored seven-consecutive points on a pair of free throws, a 3-point blast from the left wing and a mid-range shot to cut the Eagles' deficit to just 22-21.

However in the quarter King and Green hit from long distance and Compton closed the second quarter with a 3-pointer with :07 left for a 25-21 halftime lead.

The third quarter couldn't have been much better for Goreville.

The Blackcats nailed down 7-of-9 shots from the field and 6-of-7 free throws.

King added nine more points to his night and put an exclamation point on the 22-5 frame with a fast break one-handed dunk for a 21-point lead heading to the final quarter.

“We have to quit worrying about the plays before. We know what we're supposed to do in that situation. We get in our own way sometimes,” said Coach Brower. “Hey, they're really good. They have good guard play. If you come up and pressure them (Goreville) and they don't turn it over your going to give up a dunk. If they're making shots like that they're tough. They all get to the rim.”

Green hit a pair of 3-pointers in that run, one on a nice catch and shoot off of an inbounds pass, and then scored one of the transition baskets in the run.

Vienna was just 2-of-10 from the field in the third quarter and missed all five of their 3-point attempts.

“We hit the first shot of the third quarter but we get dry. Those dry spells. We can never put four quarters together,” said Coach Brower. “We'll go stretches where we're really good but it seems like we will miss free throws, miss a couple of bunnies, and during that time it seems like the other team makes big shots. It's just a perfect storm and we have to get through it sometimes.”

Tripp and Green added fourth quarter 3-pointers before both coaches went to their benches to close out the game in front of a large crowd of fans in the final regular season game in southern Illinois.

The Blackcats ended up a scorching 12-of-17 from long range and closed the contest at 23-of-41 overall (56 percent) while winning the glass battle 24-18.

Goreville committed eight turnovers, but only three in the second half.

“We were preaching good shots and get stops. Our defense has been tuned up lately. Seems like the bigger the game the more focused they are. Last week against Casey (Casey-Westfield) we were really good and going into next week we will have that and hopefully the following week” said Coach Tripp.

The Eagles ended up 14-of-39 overall, 5-of-15 from the arc, and coughed up just nine turnovers.

The Blackcats are now riding a 26-game BDC West Division winning streak since losing in overtime at Vienna, 68-66 February 10, 2024.

Since joining the Black Diamond in 2012, Goreville has won outright or shared nine West Division titles.

Goreville will face 1-28 Carrier Mills-Stonefort on Monday night to open its postseason, in search of the program's 13th regional championship and the 11th since Coach Tripp's tenure began in 2004-05.

Vienna is in a the Benton Regional and will host West Frankfort on Monday night with the winner getting Benton on the Rangers' home floor on Wednesday.

Coach Brower would love another regional championship, having won one last season in his first season at Vienna.

The boy's basketball program has just seven regional titles, including last season.

“I think our schedule has been pretty good and I think it will prepare us. We got beat by a really good Murray (KY.) team and we're going to learn from it,” said Coach Tripp. “If teams key on our top guys (King, Green) we've got some waiting to hit a three or drive the ball. We've got some weapons. We just hope the ball is going in like it was tonight.”