12-28-16
BY JACK BULLOCK
PINCKNEYVILLE - At halftime of the championship game of the 10th annual Duster Thomas Hoops Classic, Pinckneyville Panthers head coach Bob Waggoner wasn't happy at all.

His club wasn't playing up to the level in which he wanted and he let his club know about it in the lockerroom as his Panthers trailed 29-22 at the break after committing eight-turnovers and allowing the Benton Rangers to have their way.

The coach challenged his kids to step up and they responded with a big second half.

The Panthers rallied and forced the Rangers into some key mistakes, including seven fourth quarter turnovers.

Pinckneyville outscored the opposition 23-9 in the final eight minutes, taking their first lead of the contest with just 2:26 left.

Hitting 16-of-21 from the foul line in the final quarter, while getting the Rangers into foul difficulty, the Panthers won the championship of their own tournament with a 59-53 title game triumph.

“In the first half we only got four turnovers and we made a lot of defensive mistakes and we let them do a lot of what they wanted to do. They dictated the tempo. So at halftime we challenged the kids and said we are going to find out what we are made of here. They had 12-turnovers in the second half and did a better job in the passing lanes,” said Coach Waggoner. “We really turned up the heat and made them work for everything.”

Pinckneyville improved their record to 11-1 on the season behind four players hitting double-figures in scoring.

Kyle Luke paced the Panthers with 13-points and he led the free throw parade in the contest with 9-of-11 from the line.

Tournament MVP Grant Jausel added 12-points, as did teammates Tyler Rulevish and JC Moll.

“Jausel had a good overall tournament. I've told him over and over offensively that shooting the ball he is as good as anybody. We just need him to develop his inside/outside game, to become a complete player,” said Coach Waggoner. “I thought we had several players who had a good tournament and as a team you can't ask for anything more.”

For Benton, after playing a pretty solid first half and still clinging to a lead heading into the fourth quarter, Coach Ron Winemiller's club made too many fourth quarter mistakes (seven turnovers) and misfired on nine-consecutive shots (1-of-10 in the fourth) which led to the teams' first loss of the season after winning their first 12-games.

“You just have to be smarter when things aren't going well. I thought we kind of lost our poise collectively as a group. We are too veteran of a team for that to be happening,” said Coach Winemiller. “I think if we get one of those lay ups to go and maybe that would kind of 'right the ship' and maybe we don't foul. But hats off to Bobby (Waggoner) and his kids. They played their tails off and they deserve to win.”

The Rangers were topped by Austin Wills, a 6-foot-2 senior guard, with 19-points.

Junior guard Gehrig Wynn added 13-points for Benton while Derek Oxford, another senior guard, chipped in 12.

However the key figured for the Rangers was turnovers (15) especially late, along with being whistled for 25-personal fouls.

Sending the Panthers to the foul line turned out to be the difference maker.

And after a good start offensively in the first quarter, the Rangers cooled off to end up 18-of-47 overall.

Pinckneyville wasn't on fire from the field either (15-of-37) but they added 24-of-33 from the charity stripe, including 9-of-10 in a stretch were they took the lead for the first time.

Also in this time frame, the Rangers came up empty on three consecutive possessions where they had relatively easy looks at the basket in which they failed to convert.

Subsequently the Panthers pounced on this chance as they enjoyed their stay in the fourth quarter at the foul line.

Coach Waggoner's club closed out the contest and the championship by hitting 6-of-8 in the final 1:27.

“A big key for us was being more aggressive on the offensive end and attacking them. In the first half we were a little passive. We took a lot of quick shots and didn't make them (Benton) work. Once we got the ball reversed a few times and then attacked, we got them to foul,” said Coach Waggoner. “We finished off with free throws, we made them down the stretch.”

Despite a 30-20 rebounding edge, the Rangers couldn't get enough quality offensive possessions in the second half as the Panthers' defense stepped up.

In the opening minutes, Benton capitalized on the Panthers' errors for an 11-5 lead.

Willis scored five of the points on a 3-pointer and a rebound of his own missed shot in the paint.

After a 3-point bomb by Jausel, Wynn made a steal and his fast break lay in while being fouled by Brady Lewis turned into a conventional three-point play and a 14-8 advantage at the end of the first.

The Rangers were teetering on a blow out win as they opened up their biggest lead of the game near the end of the second quarter.

Coach Winemiller's team broke a 19-19 tie with a 10-0 run.

Wills had five of the points on a 3-pointer and a shot from the right baseline.

Oxford tossed in a 3-pointer and junior forward Parker Williams drove the baseline for a score for a 29-19 lead with :35.9 left before intermission.

“We came out a little bit tentative. But they (Benton) put us back on our heels because they put you back on your heels because they are a good ballclub,” said Coach Waggoner.

However Pinckneyville got a big play from Jausel to close the quarter.

Jausel got loose on the baseline for a shot that found the mark as he was fouled by Williams.

His made free throw with :01.1 left sent the game to the second half at 29-22.

The Panthers, after the scolding at halftime from their coaching staff, went to work and evened the score at 33-all with an 11-4 move.'

Moll and Rulevish each scored by taking the ball right at the Rangers, getting inside for scores.

When Jausel hit his second 3-pointer of the contest with 3:38 left, the game was tied.

But as they had done earlier, Benton broke free again later in the third quarter.

The Rangers closed the third with their own offensive spurt, with Oxford, junior guard Hamilton Page, and Cade Thomas each scoring.

Thomas took a nice pass from Wynn for a back door cut which resulted in a reverse lay in and a 44-36 advantage heading into the final frame.

The foul trouble that the Rangers were in continued in the fourth quarter as the Panthers made their championship move.

Although it was gradual, Pinckneyville put together the stops and got to the line enough to get the job done to win the title, the teams' second title in the event.

One of the key plays was Rulevish making a big steal while the Rangers were in the offensive end.

He sprinted to the other end of the floor and converted a lay in for a 53-49 lead with 1:41 remaining.

After getting two free throws by Wynn with 3:36 left, the Rangers didn't score again until Timmy Henson, a 6-foot-3 senior who was in foul trouble on the night, scored on a rebound with :08.7 remaining.

Henson's score made it 58-53.

The Panthers added one free throw when Henson fouled out of the game as the Rangers were forced to foul.

The personal foul was deemed intentional and Moll converted the first of two shots.

Pinckneyville inbounded the ball and ran out the clock to begin the celebration.

Defensively the Panthers really created havoc for Benton, getting collecting eight steals of the Rangers' 15-turnovers.

Both Henson and Williams fouled out and Willis (4), Oxford (3) and Thomas (3) each spent time on the bench with fouls.

The two teams will get their annual rematch at the Benton Invitational Tournament in three weeks.

Championship	1	2	3	4	-	F
Benton	14	15	15	09	-	53
Pinckneyville	08	14	14	23	-	59

CARTERVILLE 69, WATERLOO GIBAULT 65 (OT)
For the third straight season, the Lions beat the Hawks at the Duster Thomas Hoops Classic and the second consecutive year it took overtime.

CISSNA PARK 57, TRICO 36
The Timberwolves, in their inaugural visit to the Duster Thomas Hoops Classic, took home 11th place by taking care of the Pioneers.

Six-foot-six sophomore Christian Stadeli hit 9-of-11 shots from the field and 4-of-5 from the foul line to pace all scorers with 22-points.

Conner Lober, a 5-foot-10 sophomore guard, added 11-points for the Wolves in their only win in the event.

Trico was led by Jesse Smith with 10-points as the Pioneers went 0-4 in the tournament.

Coach Andrew Wilson saw his club hit just 6-of-19 shots from the 3-point arc and 12-of-38 (31.6 percent) overall in the loss.

Eleventh Place	1	2	3	4	-	F
Cissna Park	08	20	12	17	-	57
Trico	09	11	04	12	-	36