02/14/2022
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE - For Cobden it was a chance to play another home/road game on Monday night.

As the Appleknockers haven't technically played at home since the season began because of their old gym deemed unplayable (condemned) so Coach Wendell Wheeler's club has gotten on the bus all year.

Getting a chance to play in a large gym at Carbondale High School, Cobden used the contest against Shawnee on Monday night to 'stretch their legs' figuratively.

This was a makeup game from the weather postponement on February 4th.

Although it wasn't technically an SEC game (that game was played February 8th at Shawnee) it was a chance for both teams to shake off some of the winter blues.

Six-six junior Tyler Franklin scored a game-best 26-points, 24 coming in the first half, as the Appleknockers pulled away for a 69-42 win that wasn't as close as the final score would indicate.

Franklin grabbed six rebounds on the night and hit 9-of-16 overall, 7-of-9 from the foul line and as a team Cobden was 25-of-41 from the field in the game.

While Franklin has carried much of the scoring load this season, the junior forward got help on Monday night with senior Brock Reynolds and junior Drake Campbell stepping up.

Reynolds, a 5-11 guard, scored 15-points on the night for Cobden while 6-6 forward Campbell added 14.

Reynolds did some damage on the outside, knocking down a trio of 3-point shots in the win while Campbell tossed in a pair of long-range shots.

Reynolds ended up with four rebounds and six assists.

With Franklin and reserve Aron Funes each hitting a 3-pointer, the Appleknockers knocked down seven from distance in the win.

Others who inked the book include 6-0 junior Brady Bundren with six-points and 6-1 senior Edwin Funes with five-points.

Funes also added five rebounds as the Appleknockers beat the Redskins on the boards, 21-16.

Although Shawnee is still searching for a victory on the season, their lack of success isn't because of lack of effort.

The Redskins show up and play hard for head coach Trey Pender.

Sophomore Brody Wills stepped up for the 0-14 club, hitting four 3-point shots, including three straight as a 9-0 run in the second quarter for Shawnee.

Junior Dryden Wills added nine-points for Coach Pender while sophomore Ryan Libbert tossed in a couple of shots and 1-of-2 free throws for five-points.

Sophomore Kayman Ford (four), sophomore Ethan Smith and freshman Noah Mayberry (three each) and senior Koda Abraham (two) each added points in the contest.

Many of those points came in a 17-10 fourth quarter against the Cobden reserves as the mostly young squad continues to show improvement.

Shawnee shot the ball pretty well (16-of-35) but they had 18-turnovers.

“They (Shawnee) have two young guys coaching and I give them a lot of credit. To come out a play like they did and compete to the end,” said Coach Wheeler. “Campbell and Reynolds stepped up tonight to combine for 29. We had some guys filling some roles tonight they normally don't do. We have some games coming up that we need to get better because at the end of the day it's about the regional tournament.”

In fact it took Cobden a few minutes in the early part of the first quarter to get going and Shawnee scored early on baskets by both Wills and Ford and trailed just 9-7 with just over three minutes left in the quarter.

However behind three scores from Franklin and a free throw, a bucket by E. Funes combined with a 3-pointer and a couple of free throw by Reynolds, the Appleknockers led 14-7 at the first horn.

Then Franklin went to work, scoring on a multitude of drives to the basket and mid-range shots.

He also added his only 3-pointer to go along with 4-of-5 foul shots as he scored 17-points in the frame.

Reynolds, Campbell and E. Funes also contributed as Cobden took a 41-18 halftime lead.

Besides the three bombs by B. Wills, Shawnee got a score from Mayberry in the second quarter but the damage had been done.

With Franklin playing just a few minutes in the second half, all in the early part of the third quarter, Reynolds and Campbell took care of business.

Campbell added his second 3-pointer along with two other buckets while Bundren got in on the fun with a couple of scores.

Both Wills scored in the third but the Appleknockers were in complete command at 59-25 at the end of the third.

“I think for smaller schools conference titles are even more important. You play everybody and you see them every year, play them in other sports, so it's a big deal to win your conference championship,” said Coach Wheeler, whose team will travel to Mounds Meridian on Thursday in a game that will decide the South Egyptian Conference championship.

Shawnee (42) – Abraham 1 0 0-0 2, D. Smith 0 0 0-0 0, B. Wills 1 4 2-4 16, D. Wills 4 0 1-6 9, Ford 2 0 0-0 4, LIbbert 2 0 1-2 5, Myers 0 0 0-0 0, Livingston 0 0 0-0 0, E. Smith 0 1 0-0 3, Mayberry 2 0 1-2 3.
2FG-12, 3FG-5, FT-5-14, PF-12.
Cobden (69) – Bundren 3 0 0-0 6, Reynolds 1 3 4-6 15, Campbell 4 2 0-2 14, Franklin 8 1 7-9 26, Moore 0 0 0-0 0, Coleman 0 0 0-2 0, Flamm 0 0 0-0 0, Webb 0 0 0-0 0, A. Funes 0 1 0-0 3, E. Funes 2 0 1-2 5.
2FG-18, 3FG-7, FT-12-21, PF-10.
Fouled Out – None.
Technical Fouls – None.