02/01/2022
BY JACK BULLOCK
BOSKYDELL - When you are heading into a postseason seeding meeting, in which coaches around the state will convene next week online to decide who will get the top spots heading into the regionals, it helps to pick up an extra win on the road against a good team.

The Steeleville Warriors did just that on Tuesday night on the road.

Coach Aaron Fiene's club did what they needed to do to defeat Cobden, 46-33 in a game played at Unity Point Grade School in Boskydell which is just south of Carbondale.

Having struggled in the first half shooting the ball, even though they reached intermission with the lead, the Warriors were more patient in the second half attacking the Appleknockers' zone defense.

It paid off with a much better shooting performance in the final two quarters as Steeleville, the number four ranked team in the latest ABV 1A rankings, topped the number eight team in an important non-conference battle.

Using their combination of junior guard Jacoby Gross, senior guard Lane Lazenby and senior guard/forward Zach Mevert to handle things from the outside of the Cobden zone, the Warriors got the perimeter shots to fall at a better clip in the final two quarters.

The three starters each hit two 3-pointers apiece, including one each in the third quarter where the Warriors extended their lead kept Cobden from making any serious dents in the visitor's advantage.

Gross led the Steeleville scoring with 14-points, including 5-of-6 free throws in the fourth quarter (6-of-8 for the game) while Mevert ended up with 12.

Lazenby nailed down two important 3-pointers to finish with six-points.

Cobden's 6-6 junior guard/forward Tyler Franklin led everyone in scoring with 17-points as the Coach Wendell Wheeler's club saw its mark slip to 15-6 overall.

Like many other teams around the state, Cobden has had its share of illnesses and injuries.

“They (Steeleville) play hard and their coach does a great job. They did a good job guarding our bigs. We needed it (the tough test). We've been 'hit and miss' this season with things. With (Cooper) Flamm being under the weather it hurts us. We played him some tonight. We're happy he was cleared to play. He's is important to us.”

Steeleville is now 19-6 for Coach Fiene as the Warriors' six losses are all to 2A and 3A teams.

They are now 14-0 versus 1A teams.

“We're a guard-oriented team and they are a big team so this was an intriguing matchup for us,” said Coach Fiene. “In the first half we didn't shoot the ball well. We defend well and we pride ourselves on that but missing shots gets us out of rhythm. Once we started hitting them that helps us out defensively.”

For Cobden they got eight-points from 6-11 senior Elliot Lowndes along with seven rebounds from 6-6 senior Drake Campbell.

Lowndes spent part of the first half on the bench after picking up an early technical foul.

Cobden had one brief lead, getting scores inside by Franklin and Lowndes for a 4-2 lead with 5:31 left in the opening frame.

That was the only time they led in the game as Steeleville took the lead for good moments later as Mevert found himself open from the left wing and his 3-pointer started a 10-4 run to close out the quarter.

Mevert added another score in the run and Gross converted a fast break off of a Reid Harriss shot block.

A tip-in by 6-2 junior Evan Buch beat the buzzer as the Warriors led 12-8.

With Lowndes still on the bench, Steeleville took their largest lead in the first half with 3-pointers by Lazenby and Gross and inside scores by junior guard/forward Carter Wasson and Harriss, a 6-5 junior.

When Harriss delivered his only field goal of the night on a baseline jumper with 3:59 left before halftime, Steeleville led 22-12.

Lowndes came off of the bench and got a basket down low and a pair of free throws by 6-1 senior Edwin Funes got the Appleknockers closer but a score in a fast break by Mevert sent the teams to intermission at 24-16 Warriors.

While hitting just 10-of-26 shots in the first two quarters, Steeleville were much more patient and selective in the second half offensively.

Using their quickness and having guards that can handle the ball, the Warriors went 4-of-9 from the field in the third quarter.

Three of the made shots were 3-pointers as mentioned before by the guard trio.

Cobden made it interesting in the third quarter, getting scores by Franklin (a three-point play), a rebound basket by Lowndes, two free throws by Lowndes and a 3-pointer from 5-11 senior guard Brock Reynolds as they trailed just 30-26 with just under five minutes left in the stanza.

However Steeleville answered with Mevert hitting shots on consecutive trips, including his second 3-pointer of the night from the left wing.

A Franklin bucket ended the quarter at 35-28 Warriors.

Franklin added a drive in the lane for a score and two free throws in the final quarter.

His two foul shots cut the lead down to just 38-32.

Steeleville closed out the game by defensively forcing six of the Appleknockers' 14-turnovers in the final quarter.

Another Buch score inside and a steal and fast break lay in by Wasson got the Steeleville lead back up to double-digits at 42-32.

Subsequently just seconds later, Gross made a steal and got sent to the foul line with 2:20 left.

He knocked down both shots for a 12-point advantage.

“Carter Wasson is one of the best defenders in the state and he did a pretty good job trying to slow him (Franklin) down and then he and Gross came up with big steals late,” said Coach Fiene. “We're a race car, not a touring car. We want to run, get shots up and go.”

Cobden didn't score another field goal as Wasson and Gross combined for 2-of-4 from the line in the final minutes before both coaches emptied the benches.

The Appleknockers hit just 11-of-27 from the floor in the game, with most of it coming in two-point range (1-of-4 from the arc).

Behind Franklin hitting 7-of-8, Cobden was 12-of-16 from the foul line while Steeleville was 8-of-12.

Cobden, behind Campbell on the glass, edged the Warriors 20-19 in rebounds.

Harriss, a 6-foot-5 junior, led the Warriors with seven rebounds to go with three-points.

Steeleville ended up 17-of-40 with 6-of-17 from long range.

The Warriors took better care of the ball, committing just nine turnovers total with two coming late by the reserves in the final moments.

In what looks like a major weather event coming this week it will likely be the only game play for each of these teams as they both have postseason aspirations.

“We were down six and had a couple of drives for looks but we couldn't finish. They were well defended but we have to make those. If we hit those then maybe it changes things down the stretch,” said Coach Wheeler. “We just didn't get the finish.”

Steeleville (46) – Rees 0 0 0-0 0, Reitz 0 0 0-0 0, Lazenby 0 2 0-0 6, Gross 2 2 6-8 14, Ernsting 0 0 0-0 0, Mevert 3 2 0-0 12, Wasson 3 0 1-2 7, Fiene 0 0 0-0 0, Harriss 1 0 1-2 3, Buch 2 0 0-0 4, Ruby 0 0 0-0 0.
2FG-11, 3FG-6, FT-8-12, PF-14.
Cobden (33) – Bundren 0 0 0-0 0, Reynolds 0 1 0-0 3, Campbell 0 0 0-2 0, Franklin 5 0 7-8 17, Lowndes 3 0 2-2 8, Coleman 0 0 1-2 1, Flamm 0 0 0-0 0, Webb 0 0 0-0 0, Webb 0 0 0-0 0, A. Funes 0 0 0-0 0, E. Funes 2 0 2-2 4.
2FG-10, 3FG-1, FT-12-16, PF-14.
Fouled Out – None.
Technical Fouls – Lowndes, Reynolds - Cobden.