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2 Basketball REGIONALS COUNTY JOURNAL | FEBRUARY 20, 2020 COUNTY JOURNAL | FEBRUARY 20, 2020 Basketball REGIONALS 3 Okawville, Marissa-Coulterville rematch looms By Dan Zobel (2) Okawville Marissa-Coulterville could get its shot at revenge. Monday, February 24 Last season, the Meteors lost, by CLASS 1A one point, in a regional champion- 6 p.m. ship game on their home fl oor to Okawville. (13) Zeigler-Royalton Wednesday Stee leville Regional The Rockets won that game in February 26 the closing seconds. (7) Steeleville 6 p.m. This year, those two teams are on a collision course for the cham- ionship game of the Steeleville Re- Monday, February 24 gional. 7:30 p.m. Okawville and Marissa-Coulter- ville enter as the top two seeded (9) New Athens Friday teams in the regional. February 28 The Meteors are 21-5 and have (3) Marissa-Coulterville 7 p.m. won 14 games in a row. The last game they lost was December 28 to highly rated Goreville in the semi- Tuesday, February 25 fi nals of the Sesser-Valier Holiday 7:30 p.m. Tournament. Okawville sits at 17-8 and has (11) Elverado Wednesday won fi ve of its last six games. February 26 Of the eight Rocket losses, seven 7:30 p.m. are against 2A and 3A schools. (6) Christopher Okawville is 8-1 against 1A comp- etition, the only loss coming to Tuesday, February 25 Woodlawn December 5. The Rock- 7:30 p.m. ets topped Woodlawn January 17. Marissa-Coulterville, mean- (10) Waltonville while, is 17-3 against 1A opponents and has played only six games against higher-classed teams, go- Gilley (5.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and Kade king (10.6 ppg, 3 apg) and Mason It is no given that Marissa-Coul- ing 4-2 against 2A. Portz (4.6 ppg, 4 apg). Meyer (8 ppg, 5.8 rpg) are the top terville and Okawville will ad- The Meteors, who are tied atop Portz is the team’s point guard players. vance to the title game, however, the Cahokia Conference Kaskaskia and top defender. He was injured They also have gotten key con- because each team will have to Division with Steeleville at 10-1, to start the season, but the Meteors tributions from Jacksen Harre (6.8 win twice to get there. are led by Logan Jones (18 ppg, 4 are 16-3 with him in the lineup. ppg, 3.2 apg), Caleb Unverfehrt (4.9 Regional host Steeleville will rpg) and Sebastion Ivory-Greer When Marissa-Coulterville is ppg) and Tyler Parsley (3.4 ppg). pose a threat. The Warriors are (16.8 ppg, 5 rpg, 3 spg, 2.8 apg). rolling, it starts on the defense Okawville has won fi ve con- 16-13, but 10-1 in Cahokia Confer- Jones recently went over 1,000 end, and the team is able to use its secutive regional titles and three ence Kaskaskia Division play. points for his career. defense to create offensive oppor- straight sectional championships. Steeleville split with Marissa- The Meteors also get contribu- tunities. The Rockets were state champ- Coulterville, beating the Meteors tions from the likes of Blake Stein- For Okawville, Jackson Heckert ions in 2018 and placed second in wagner (8.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg), Austin (12.5 ppg, 7.4 rpg), Lucas Freder- 2017. Continued on Page 4 4 Basketball REGIONALS COUNTY JOURNAL | FEBRUARY 20, 2020 Okawville, Marissa-Coulterville rematch...From Page 3________________ 55-51 in early December before four of its last seven games. The points for his career this season. over a team with a winning re- falling 59-44 at Marissa February losses in that stretch were against Grant Gordon averages nine cord. 4. Marissa-Coulterville, Okawville, points per game and Kyle Garver “This season has been hard The Warriors also played Steeleville and 2A Red Bud. eight. fought,” said Zeigler-Royalton Okawville in December, losing 46- Steeleville and New Athens will Waltonville is 12-13 for the season coach Jimmy Stevens. “The guys 34. They do have a big win over play one more time, February 21, to and 4-2 in the Midland Trail Con- had to learn a new system when Cobden in December. close out the regular season. ference. I came in and unfortunately I The Warriors have struggled in The Yellow Jackets have two go- The Spartans have won three wasn’t hired before summer, so their three tournaments, going 1-3 to scorers in Joe Range (17.9 ppg, of their last four games, although they caame into the season with at the Murphysboro/Trico tourn- 5.6 rpg) and Dylan Boone (12.3 ppg). they are 7-8 since the start of Janu- no background on what I wanted ament and the Duster Thomas Range also leads the team in a- ary. to run. I anticipated them getting Hoops Classic in Pinckneyville and ssists and steals, and Boone is the Waltonville started the season by a grasp on what we were doing getting swept in four games at the team’s top threat from behind the winning five of its first six games, around holiday tournament time. Sparta Invitational. 3-point arc, averaging two 3-point- the loss in that span coming by one Unfortunately, that is when we Since the Sparta tournament, ers per game. point to New Athens. started to get by the injury bug.” Steeleville is 7-2 with its only loss- Other key performers are Noah Waltonville has lost twice to Maris- Z-R is dealing the loss of its point es coming to Marissa-Coulterville Lintker (5.8 ppg), Gannon Birkner sa-Coulterville and once apiece to guard, who is recovering from and 2A Trico. (5.3 ppg), Ryan Juenger (4.4 ppg) Christopher and Okawville. a high ankle sprain. The team’s Steeleville has played 12 games and Owen Whitworth (4.2 ppg). Marissa-Coulterville’s first-round starting shooting guard is also against higher-classed teams. The Christopher is favored to meet opponent is Elverado. The Falcons dealing with a broken hand. Warriors are just 3-8 against 2A Marissa-Coulterville in the semifi- are 19-11 overall and 6-2 in the The Tornadoes are led in scoring competition and lost to 3A Water- nals. The Bearcats are 18-10 over- South Egyptian Conference. and rebounding by Gannon Dollins loo. all, 5-5 in the BDC West. They are winners of five games (15.8 ppg, 8.5 rpg). Landen Bate (7.5 Austin Hagel paces Steele-ville Christopher squares off with in a row and six of their last seven. ppg) and Rick Chekevdia (5 ppg, in scoring at 17 points per game, Waltonville in the first round. The The one loss during that time was 4.4 rpg) have also contributed. while Zach Mevert is second with Bearcats beat the Spartans Janu- by 10 points at Meridian, which Predictions 11 and Jordan Wilson third at sev- ary 3. sits above them in the conference The four quarterfinal match- en. A Christopher win and Marissa- standings. ups play out as expected, with The Warriors have been playing Coulterville win would set up a Elverado lost by 25 points to Okawville and Steeleville advanc- for most of the second half without semifinal game between the Mete- Marissa-Coulterville December 3 ing for one semifinal game and forward Chase Newby, who is out ors and Bearcats. and fell by 31 points to Steeleville Marissa-Coulterville and Christo- with a concussion. The Meteors defeated Christo- December 28. pher squaring off in the other. For Steeleville to make any noise, pher 59-52 December 30 in the The Falcons were defeated by 16 In the semifinals, playing on it will first have to get past New third-place game of the Sesser-Va- points at Cobden, a team Steeleville their home floor, the Warriors push Athens for a shot at Okawville in lier Holiday Tournament. beat January 7. Okawville into the fourth quarter, the semifinals. One thing that is different about The final team in the regional is but the Rockets pull out the victory New Athens is 12-14, 5-5 in the these Bearcats is that they are Zeigler-Royalton. in the end. Cahokia Conference Kaskaskia without one of their players, Gabe The Tornadoes are just 7-20, in- In the other matchup, Marissa- Division, and has been around the Motsinger, who was suspended for cluding 1-9 in the BDC West. They Coulterville jumps out to a quick .500 mark all season. the rest of the season by the school recently snapped an eight-game start against Christopher, and de- New Athens has never been after an incident during a January losing streak with a victory at Ga- feat the Bearcats. more than two games above or 10 game against Hamilton County. latia. In the championship game, below .500. The team last had a Christopher won that game but is Zeigler-Royalton has two-time Marissa-Coulterville gains the up- winning record in early January 6-7 since then. losses against both Elverado and per hand early in the fourth quar- when it was 8-7. The Bearcats are led in scor- Waltonville and once against Chris- ter and holds the Rockets at bay, The Yellow Jackets are in the ing by Bryce Pratt at 14 points per topher. giving the Meteors their first re- midst of a rough patch, having lost game. Pratt also went over 1,000 The Tornadoes do not have a win gional title since 1983. COMPLETE COLLISION REPAIR CENTER PAINTLESS DENT REPAIR FREE ESTIMATES 112 N.