11/26/2025
BY JACK BULLOCK
CHRISTOPHER - Wednesday night in the semifinals of the 51st annual Christopher Thanksgiving Tournament, Webber Township proved a couple of things in its lopsided win over Patoka/Odin.

The first thing was that they can win without top-gun Nathaniel Marlow having to score a bunch of points.

The second is that they can play strong defense that can quickly turn into offense.

The Trojans forced 14 first half turnovers and six different players scored in its 76-34 spanking of the Warriors.

Marlow, the 2,000 plus point scorer who netted 34-points in a win over Thompsonville on Monday, took less shots against Patoka/Odin as his teammates were having a great shooting night.

Case in point is 6-foot senior guard Waylon Jones.

Jones popped home a game-best 29-points, leading four Trojans in double-digits for head coach Jaxon Helm.

Webber Township is now 2-0 on the season and they have a berth in Saturday night's tournament title game.

It is the first time since 2017 that the Trojans will play for the championship at this long standing event.

Marlow ended up with 15-points and Bryden Dalby added 14.

Sophomore Jacob Marlow added 11 for the Trojans.

“He (Waylon) has really worked on his game since his freshman year and he's an athletic kid,” said Coach Helm. “He's got a really good feel for it and he can really get out and run.”

Patoka/Odin, hot off of a quarterfinal win Monday night over the host Bearcats, were cooled down on Wednesday by Webber.

First season head coach Dylan Back saw his mark slip to 1-1 on the season and will play Saturday night in the third place contest.

Senior guard Lincoln Roberts was a bright spot for the Warriors as he scored half of his teams' points (17) in the loss.

Sophomore Kody Burks added 10-points.

Webber put the contest away with a big second quarter scoring onslaught as they turned a nine-point lead after the first quarter into 28-point bulge at halftime.

Playing without sophomore point guard Brady Haines because of an injury, Coach Back's club were at the mercy of the Trojans' defensive effort.

Roberts hit a couple of first quarter 3-point shots to keep the Warriors close in the early going.

His second trey connected at 1:42 of the first quarter to close the Webber Township lead to just 12-10.

However in a blink of an eye, the Trojans took complete control.

Seven straight points to close the quarter came from Jones.

A 3-pointer, a rebound basket and a steal and fast break on the sixth Patoka/Odin turnover in the frame, pushed the Webber Township lead to 19-10 at the horn.

Patoka/Odin got a pair of 3-pointers from freshman guard Hunter Thompson, with the first one coming early in the second quarter.

The Warriors wouldn't score again until 1:39 left in the half.

Webber forced eight more turnovers during the second quarter, with some coming in a 20-0 backbreaking Trojans' run.

Four of the baskets were transition scores and Jones nailed down back-to-back 3-pointers in the march.

Both Marlow's added points with Jacob scoring on a rebound basket.

The put-back closed the blitz and made it 41-13 Trojans.

“We've got good athletes so we like to get the ball and push it and run it and see if we can score in transition,” said Coach Helm. “We did a good job of that tonight and we were very unselfish play in transition, too. Everybody got touches.”

Two free throws by Burks and a drive by Roberts temporally stopped the carnage but a score by Jones on a drive in the lane off of a spread offense sent the Trojans to the locker room up 45-17.

During the scoring avalanche, Webber went 9-of-9 from the field.

“We came out and communicated well defensively. Everybody was on the same page defensively and we did a good job guarding the basketball and keep everything in front of us,” said Coach Helm. “Game plan-wise they did a good job knowing the things that we talked about and we executed off of it.”

What was left of the drama of the game ended just moments into the third quarter with a 12-2 scoring spree with Nathaniel Marlow scoring five of the points on a drive to the basket and a 3-pointer from the left wing for a 57-19 lead.

Dalby hit both of his 3-pointers in the third quarter and Marlow nailed down a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer on an inbounds play.

His basket on a drive for a score closed the period with an exclamation point and a 69-27 lead.

Webber reserve Brennan Tate got in on the action with a 3-pointer and a fast break score as both coaches sent out the mop up squad for a little hazmat action with the continuous clock ticking away.

After losing the opener of the 2024 Turkey Tournament, the Trojans were much more focused this season according to Coach Helm.

They will take on the winner of the other semifinal, either Waltonville or New Athens Saturday night in the title game while Patoka/Odin will play the loser of that Friday night battle.

“I thought we were very focused for the entire game. When they were on the floor, they were focused on what they were supposed to be doing,” said Coach Helm. “We're excited about playing in a championship game here. I love big games and the guys love them, too.”

Coach Eric Stallman got scoring contributions from five players to even the season mark at 1-1.

Senior Trevin Skropka led the way with 17-points while classmate Landen Butler posted 16.

Butler nailed down four 3-pointers while Skropka connected on three 3's as the Bearcats led by 19 before Thompsonville cut into the margin in the final minutes.

Seniors Noah Casey (nine) and Landon Sveda (five) rounded out the scoring in the victory.

Christopher led 27-17 at halftime and extended the lead to 48-29 heading to the fourth quarter.

Thompsonville (0-2) and head coach Kevin Smith were paced by 12-points from senior Liam Reagan.

Junior Mason Marino added 10-points, six of which came in the final frame.

Mace Ridgeway, a junior guard, added nine while freshman Ronnie Duncan and junior Lucas Blades scored four-points apiece.

Christopher will face either Marissa/Coulterville or Zeigler-Royalton on Saturday in the consolation championship contest.

The loser of the Friday night semifinal will play Thompsonville for seventh place.