01-22-16
BY JACK BULLOCK
SPARTA - Most high school basketball teams when a new coach is brought in the players will take time to adjust to a new way of doing things.

For the Freeburg Midgets and head coach Matt Laur, the time spent learning the new system is starting to pay off for his kids.

On Friday night the team made the right moves and the big plays in the fourth quarter to complete an undefeated run through Pool A of the 52nd annual Sparta Mid-Winter Classic.

With senior forward Will Berger doing damage inside, outside and from the foul line for 19-points and junior guard Bryce Rutledge helping out with 13, Freeburg improved to 3-0 in the event as they secured a spot in the title game with a 52-48 win over Steeleville.

Coach Laur's team improved to 9-11 on the season in winning a cross over game from the large and small schools of the Cahokia Conference and now have a title shot against Murphysboro on Saturday night.

The Red Devils went 3-0 in Pool B.

“Learning a new system offensively and defensively and the tenacity that we bring every day in practice and it was tough for these guys to pick up on right away. Early in the year things were moving really fast for them but we told them as time moves on things will slow down,” said Coach Laur. “We said coming down here, we're not coming down here to just play in this tournament, we're here to win this thing. That is the mindset that any team and coach is going to have. They have really bought in and I couldn't be more proud of them.”

In a contest in which the largest lead by either team was five-points, it was Freeburg who handled the important final minutes to ensure a trip to the championship game.

Coach Bryce Bainter's Warriors were right there at the end and had chances to get the victory.

However some key mistakes in the final minutes cost Steeleville a chance at getting to the finale on Saturday.

In a game that was statistically even for the most part, Freeburg was the club that ended up making the biggest plays in the final quarter.

The Midgets rallied from a 43-38 deficit after a Steeleville run that got the Warriors in front.

Coach Bainter's club was led in scoring on the night by seniors Trey Lazenby and Nic Hagel as the duo netted 16 and 12-points respectively.

RJ Smith added 10-points to the mix, all in the first half.

Hagel scored twice during an 8-0 run that gave the Warriors that five-point bulge late.

His 3-pointer from the top of the circle closed the sprint and forced a time out from the Midgets.

Senior guard Awstin Weber scored just two-points for Freeburg but he made some nice passes to set up Berger.

On consecutive possessions, he found Berger on lob passes over the defense for a lay in and a shot attempt while being fouled.

Berger converted both free throws as he was 7-of-9 from the line in the game.

The Midgets got the lead back and secured the win with a pair of 3-pointers in the final 1:17 of the contest.

Rutledge, a 6-foot junior guard, canned his third 3-pointer of the night and his junior classmate Parker Weiss followed with another long range bomb.

As Weiss found the mark with :57 left, the Midgets led 50-48.

Steeleville had chances in the final seconds but they couldn't get another shot to fall.

Freeburg's Webber misfired on the front end of a 1-and-1 with Steeleville getting the ball back, down just two.

The Warriors took a time out in a the final seconds to set up a play to get the game even.

But they didn't get a very good look at the basket.

Freshman Owen Gross got the ball in the right corner but his leaning, off-balanced shot where he was trying to get fouled went off the backboard and out of bounds giving the ball back to Freeburg with :02.5 to go.

Forced to foul, Steeleville sent Berger to the line with :01.2 left.

The senior forward sent the Midgets into the title game by nailing the coffin shut with both charities finding the bottom of the net.

“We have had a couple of games where late in the game we haven't been able to close it out. But you have to make free throws and you have to take care of the ball. You have to get rebounds late and we didn't do any of those things,” said Coach Bainter. “I give credit to them (Freeburg) they hit a couple of shots late. It's a shame that either team has to lose that game. I've been on both sides of it. They made the shots to win.”

Freeburg shot the ball slightly better than the opposition on Friday night, hitting 18-of-40 overall and 7-of-21 from beyond the arc.

Coach Laur's club committed just 11-turnovers in the game with just two in the final eight minutes.

Steeleville hit on 17-of-43 from the field, 6-of-18 from downtown.

The Warriors held a small rebounding edge (23-22).

With Smith hitting a pair of 3-pointers in the opening minutes, Steeleville got going early.

His second trey gave Steeleville an 11-7 edge.

Hagel converted a three-point play on a drive to the basket and Lazenby grabbed a rebound of a Hagel miss as the Warriors led 16-14 at the end of the first quarter.

Freeburg got some early contributions from a “Pair of Zach's.”

Zach Dieker and Zach Muir each netted shots in the first frame.

Muir nailed a 3-pointer, one of seven the team made in the match up.

Rutledge netted nine of his points in the second quarter, giving Freeburg a lead.

He got a pass from Weber on a fast break after a Steeleville turnover and moments late he made a steal and went the distance for a 23-19 Midget lead.

Those two turnovers were part of five miscues by the Warriors in the second quarter as they trailed 25-23 at intermission.

Freeburg caught the turnover virus coming out of the break and coughed up three straight to begin the second half.

All three turned into points for the Warriors.

An 8-2 ensued, with Steeleville taking a 31-27 lead.

Berger proved quickly that he could step outside and produce as he nailed back-to-back 3-pointers which gave the lead back to the Midgets.

Gross and Lazenby each scored to close the quarter as their points sandwiched around a pair of Berger free throws to even the score heading into the final quarter.

“This was a fantastic high school basketball game, two teams that just laid it all out there. Bryce (Bainter) had a fantastic game play and their kids played well. Our guys remained calm and found a way to make plays,” said Coach Laur.

The Midgets will take on Murphysboro in the championship game Saturday night at 8:30.

The program, after having off-and-on appearances at the Mid-Winter Classic over the years, have never won the title.

The Red Devils recently won consecutive championships in 2011 and 2012.

With the loss, Steeleville finished 1-2 in Pool B (11-7 overall) and with the tie-breaker they will play for third place at 7 pm against Red Bud.

The other games on Saturday feature Sparta against DuQuoin for fifth place and Waterloo and Trico for seventh.

SPARTA 50, TRICO 43
The host Bulldogs took advantage of the Pioneers free throw shooting woes and won the last game of pool play with a seven-point win.

Coach Jeff Bowlby's club made 12-of-18 from the line compared to just 5-of-20 from Trico.

Sparta will now play in the fifth place game against DuQuoin while Trico (8-10) will face Waterloo.

The Bulldogs (4-15) were led by Ethan Gwin with 12-points while Devin Brown added 11.

Senior Jake Compton was the only Pioneer player in double-figures with 16.

RED BUD 63, WATERLOO 52
The Musketeers (1-2 in Pool B) secured a spot in the third place game with a win over the Bulldogs with 6-foot-6 senior Jack Richards netting a game-best 22-points.

Antonio Stefani added 14 while the Musketeers got 13 from Frederick Grohmann and 11 from Griffin Ziebold.

Waterloo (1-2 in Pool B) was led by Dylan Hunt with 15-points.

The Musketeers won the tie-breaker to reach the third place contest.