03-03-15
BY JACK BULLOCK
BENTON - Head coach Scott Burzynski's Carterville Lions have advanced to the sectional title game for the first time since 2003.

In a contest that was offensively challenging for both the Lions and the Fairfield Mules, it was Carterville that shined in one area of expertise that allowed the 24-4 squad to advance.

Led by Will Galik, who hit 11-of-11 free throws, Coach Burzynski's Lions were an outstanding 24-of-28 from the foul line.

Taking advantage of the Mules foul difficulties, Carterville moved on to the “Round of 16” in the state tournament with a 69-57 win at Benton on Tuesday night.

Battling a flu bug since the weekend both Will, and his twin brother Matt, muddled through and “Will-ed” their team to the grinding win in front of a large crowd at Rich Herrin Gymnasium.

The 6-foot-4 senior Will netted 31-points for the game and Carterville got some key contributions from the others on this night, including 11-points from reserve Gavin James, as the Lions will await the winner of the Teutopolis-Lawrenceville winner on Friday night if the weather cooperates.

James was part of a big fourth quarter as he produced a conventional three-point play that stopped a Fairfield rally.

Neither the Lions, nor the Mules, shot the ball well from the field on this evening but it was Carterville that made the most of what they had to work with.

The two teams were a combined 42-of-99 (42 percent) on the night.

Guard Austin Swalls, a 6-foot-2 junior guard, stepped forward and also added 11-points as the Lions scored 31-points in the final eight minutes of the contest, of which 18 of the points came from the free throw line.

For Fairfield, the chapter on a fine season closed at 21-8 despite a big game from 6-foot-8 senior Nathaniel Lackey.

Lackey led the Mules with 23-points and senior guard Andrew Gifford added 21.

Gifford managed to reach 1,000-points at the end of the defeat.

Head coach Scott McElravy saw his club fall behind by halftime and also were out-rebounded by the Lions.

Carterville held a 33-24 edge on the boards while Fairfield managed just three offensive rebounds in the game.

“That (offensive rebounds) was one of the things that we talked about and we tried to limit Lackey's touches. But he got the ball in the paint and scored but give our guys credit. We made plays down the stretch,” said Coach Burzynski. “I thought we were able to get the ball to the middle and were able to attach the basket. We made our free throws down the stretch. To win a game like this you have to do the little things, rebound and make free throws, and our guys did that tonight.”

Fairfield shot the ball a bit better than Carterville (21-of-47) at 44.6 percent but they didn't get to the foul line nearly as many times as their opposition.

The Mules were 11-of-18 from the stripe.

“They are a good team and they are very athletic and long and they took advantage of our foul situation,” said Coach McElravy. “A lot of people picked them to win this sectional and they are capable of doing that. We had a couple of runs and got it down to six but we give up an offensive rebound there to bump it right back up to nine.”

In a contest that had little to no offensive flow, Carterville was able to get the victory for Coach Burzynski.

This triumph was the 300th for this mentor as the Lions now stand one win away from the program's first supersectional since 1987.

Both teams were as tight as a snare drum in the opening quarter as they missed 15 shots and committed 10 turnovers.

Fairfield's Lackey scored the game's first points on a shot from close to the basket at the 5:40 mark.

He followed that with a mid-range bucket for what turned out to be the Mules largest advantage.

Lackey added a score on a lob pass in the paint as Fairfield was on top 6-2.

But the first run from Carterville, which finished the quarter, soon followed.

Buckets by senior guard Blake Watson and Will Galik's first score got the Lions going finally.

Galik added a pair of free throws and his brother and James each scored to cap the quarter ending 10-2 run for a 12-8 lead at the first stoppage.

Carterville hit just 3-of-17 3-point attempts, but one of them opened the second quarter as Watson nailed a shot from the left wing.

After Gifford and Lackey both responded with scores, the next big run began for the Lions.

Coach B's bunch got on a 10-3 ride, with Will Galik scoring four of the points on a drive to the basket and two more free throws.

James closed the run with a pair of charities and a short bank shot from the right side for a 25-15 spread.

Lackey closed the quarter with a basket to get the Mules to within eight at the break.

The senior center was dominant, at times, in the first half as he finished with 15 of the team's 17-points.

Opening the second half with a 7-2 mini-run, the Lions took their largest lead of the contest.

Will Galik scored five of the points, hitting a 3-pointer and a drive in the lane.

He later picked up an assist on a pass to 6-foot-5 sophomore Taylor Heil to close the run for a 32-19 advantage with 5:13 left in the third quarter.

Lackey finally got some other scoring help, with Gifford picking up a conventional three-point play on a drive to the goal while being fouled by Matt Galik.

Sophomore Macklin Snyder hit a 3-pointer for Fairfield late in the quarter but three consecutive turnovers proved costly for the Mules at the end of the frame.

Swalls took one of the turnovers the distance for a slam-dunk and a 38-29 lead heading into the final quarter.

Will Galik opened the fourth quarter with a falling down 3-point shot from the left corner in front of the Carterville bench for a 41-29 lead just seconds into the quarter.

However the Mules still had a run left in them and it happened in the next 1:40 of the game.

An 8-2 sprint, highlighted with four different Mules scoring, breathed some hope into the Fairfield crusade.

Two free throws by sophomore Brant McGill, and consecutive baskets by Lackey, Gifford and Snyder forced a Carterville timeout at 43-37 with 6:12 remaining.

But James came up big once more, grabbing a rebound of a Will Galik miss for a stick back while being fouled by Gifford.

The conversion was big for Carterville as they gradually pulled away.

“Gavin James had another big game for us. Rebounding and defending and making free throws and big shots when we needed him,” said Coach Burzynski. “When they cut it to six late Gavin grabs and offensive rebound for us for a three-point play. We got the lead back to nine and our guys just made the plays when we needed to.”

James and Galik both added baskets in the next two minutes to get the lead back to double-figures.

Galik added another score while being fouled again on a drive in the lane.

When he converted the foul shot at 2:37 left, the Lions led 55-43.

Unfortunately for Fairfield, the foul problems that they had throughout the game finally took its toll as the parade to the strip for Carterville finished off Coach McElravy's club late.

Carterville hit 9-of-12 from the line, including seven consecutive to put the game out of reach.

Following Lackey and Gifford in scoring was Snyder with seven points.

“I'm super proud of my kids. We started the year 1-4 and then we went 20-4 after that. Just a great group of kids,” said Coach McElravy. “He (Gifford) deserved to get his 1,000th. We missed a couple of game due to weather but I am glad he got a chance to do that.”

Watson ended up with seven points while Matt Galik finished with six for the Lions.

“We beat a really good team tonight. Fairfield competes and they played some good teams this year,” said Coach Burzynski. “We're happy and we're glad we're moving on. This was a game where we had an opportunity and we stepped up and now we get to play on a Friday night in a sectional championship.”