01/06/2023
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARTERVILLE - Since joining the Southern Illinois River-to-River Conference in 2010-11, the Carterville Lions have yet to win a Mississippi Division title in boy's basketball.

They have stood by and watched Nashville and Pinckneyville dominate this division, winning or sharing the last 12 championships.

On Friday night the team took a major step in securing its first crown.

Coach Shane Hawkins and his son Caden were dealing with the emotions of losing a love one, the recent passing of father and grandfather Tom Hawkins back on December 30th.

The team looked a bit lost in a first half in which they trailed Pinckneyville by nine at halftime.

But the Lions put together a second half charge that turned an eventual 11 point deficit into a 54-46 victory and an unbeaten 4-0 mark in the division.

Caden scored 36 points, 19 in the first half, for the now 11-4 Lions.

Carterville now has victories over each of its four conference rivals.

Defensively the Lions put the clamps on the Panthers, who hit just 6-of-22 shots in the final 16 minutes and committed 13 of their 15 turnovers, as they fell to 3-1 in the league and 13-3 overall.

Carterville outscored Pinckneyville 30-14 in the second half, including a 17-5 fourth quarter for the win.

“We challenged them at halftime. We have coached them since second grade and that was maybe the softest half of basketball from that group in 10 years. We gave up 22 points in the first quarter and then gave up 24 in the last three quarters and it was simply a 'toughness' thing on both ends of the floor,” said Coach Hawkins. “I'm going to stay on our guys because of that second half because of how good we can be. We were really good the second half.”

The Panthers got 17 points from senior Kellen Scott and 11 from sophomore AJ Keith, who nailed down two of his three 3-pointers in a 22-15 Pinckneyville first quarter.

Like his father, Caden has an 'old school' type game in which he can get his own shot and get to the rim.

Hawkins hit 12-of-16 shots from the floor, 1-of-3 from the arc.

He proved that in the first quarter as he scored his team's first seven points to even the score at 7-7.

However it was Keith, a 6-4 swing man, who got into the 'swing' of things early for Pinckneyville.

Keith scored eight-straight points, including a pair of long range bombs late in the frame.

Senior Pearson Launius scored eight points on Friday night and his driving lay in closed the quarter with the Panthers up 22-15.

Giving up 22 point in the first quarter didn't go over well with Coach Hawkins but the Lions responded defensively in the final three quarters.

Pinckneyville took an eight point advantage at halftime with Scott and Launius scoring in the second quarter.

A Hawkins 3-pointer at the second quarter buzzer, his only one of the contest, closed the Lions' deficit to just 32-24 at intermission.

“We looked really good defensively but they (Pinckneyville) came out strong and hit some shots in the first quarter. But we got 'locked in' defensively and got selfish on rebounds, which is good for us,” said Caden Hawkins. “We didn't give up a lot of offensive boards. It was emotional. Playing Pinckneyville where my grandpa and dad are from.”

The third quarter was a missed opportunity for Pinckneyville as Coach Bob Waggoner's troops could have put the Lions away.

A conventional three-point play by junior guard Hunter Smith and a fast break score on a lay in by Launius from a steal by Smith to begin the second half put the Panthers up 37-26.

“I thought the first four minutes of the third quarter we had and opportunity to put them (Carterville) away. We missed a few easy shots and had a couple of bad turnovers,” said Coach Waggoner. “One thing we have struggled with all year is finishing games. I give them (Carterville) credit tonight. They finished (the job) and we didn't. The best news is that we get another opportunity to play them down the road.”

Nevertheless, Carterville cut into the lead the rest of the frame and took control in the fourth quarter.

The Lions got points from senior guard Blake Burkey and a bucket by senior forward Kade Lustenberger in the third quarter along with another drive to the basket by Hawkins as they trailed just 41-37 heading to the final countdown.

Hawkins took over early in the fourth quarter, leading his team to the win.

He scored the first seven points for the Lions on a pair of drives to the basket and 3-of-4 free throws.

The Panthers got a bucket from Scott on baseline drive with 5:03 left.

Coach Waggoner's club didn't score again until :14.4 remaining.

Between those two scores, Carterville scored 11-consecutive points and were 5-of-6 from the field in the fourth quarter.

More importantly they forced Pinckneyville into eight turnovers, including three straight possessions that ended any chances for the win.

The foul plagued Panthers paraded the Lions to the free throw line and Carterville took advantage by hitting 15-of-23 in the game compared to just 3-of-3 for the visitors.

Totaled up Pinckneyville, following a really good beginning (9-of-12 first quarter), cooled down shooting the ball.

They finished up 19-of-45 from the field, 5-of-20 from the 3-point line.

Carterville was 19-of-38 overall shooting, 1-of-5 from the arc and committed just nine turnovers.

The rebounding totals were even at 18 for each club and the hosts had just nine turnovers.

The Lions play again Saturday night hosting Chester, who won Friday night 54-46 over Wesclin.

“It's been a rough eight days but there is no where else I'd rather be then in a gym. It's where I grew up,” said Coach Hawkins. “The six years at Trico when I had him (father) on the bench were some of the best years of my life, to share the game that I love because of him. And to see the way that Caden played I don't think there was any question that he was looking down on us tonight. It (emotions) hit me at the end.”

Pinckneyville plays its next game on Tuesday with a home matchup with Breese Mater Dei.

“This is a learning experience for us. Like I tell the kids in the locker room our second half of the season our schedule is extremely tough to get us ready for the postseason. Tonight was another game to get us prepared,” said Coach Waggoner.

Pinckneyville (46) – Launius 4 0 0-0 8, Smith 1 0 1-1 3, Jausel 0 0 0-0 0, Queen 0 0 0-0 0, Scott 7 1 0-0 17, Keith 1 3 0-0 11, Harriss 0 1 0-0 3, Konkel 1 0 2-2 4.
2FG-14, 3FG-5, FT-3-3, PF-21.
Carterville (54) – Crain 0 0 0-0 0, Shasteen 0 0 0-0 0, Bittle 1 0 2-2 4, Barrington 1 0 0-0 2, Burkey 2 0 1-2 5, Hawkins 12 1 9-13 36, Wakey 1 0 0-0 2, Lustenberger 1 0 1-2 2.
2FG-18, 3FG-1, FT-15-23, PF-12.
Fouled Out – None.
Technical Fouls – None.