01-22-13
BY JACK BULLOCK
WEST FRANKFORT – The Johnston City Indians left the door to victory open for Anna-Jonesboro on Wednesday night in the finale of Wednesday night’s session of the 2014 West Frankfort “Mid-Winter Classic.”

However the Wildcats couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity.

Coach Wade Thomas’ club missed five consecutive free throws in the final :26 but A-J couldn’t muster enough made shots to complete a comeback.

By the time the dust had settled at Max Morris Gym after a final Anna-Jonesboro attempt at a score turned into a turnover, Johnston City had a 61-58 win.

The Indians had the game all but locked up, taking a 55-45 lead with 3:40 to play, only to see the Wildcats rally.

Nevertheless, the Tribe picked up the win and moved to 1-1 in the Pool B and 12-5 overall.

Coach Mike Chamness saw his Anna-Jonesboro squad slip to 0-2 in Pool B and 9-9 overall.

His Wildcats had chances to win the contest that featured 13 lead changes in the first half but didn’t put the ball in the basket as well as JC.

A-J finished with a 23-of-59 effort from the floor (43.3 percent) and didn’t convert enough shots in the final minutes.

Anna-Jonesboro was led by 6-foot-1 junior guard Noah Fuller with 17-points while big man 6-foot-7 senior Ben McFarland pitched in 12 and senior Colton James added 11.

“We got down 10 with about three minutes left in the game and we fouled and tried to extend the game. They missed some free throws and let us back in,” said Coach Chamness. “Our effort was a lot better tonight. The last two games we came out flat. So I’m pretty pleased with the effort tonight.”

Johnston City was topped by Luke McCormick with 13-points, Levi Tanner with 12 and Jake Davison with 10.

All three are senior leaders and have been through a lot of games in their varsity careers.

In the past a game like this might have slipped away for Coach Thomas’ team but in the end JC stayed in contention for a chance to play for the championship on Saturday night as they have learned how to win close games.

However it (foul shooting) probably wasn’t in the game plan to miss a bunch of free throws as the Indians were just 11-of-22 from the stripe in the game that they could have lost.

“We made enough plays tonight to win but again you have to make free throws,” said Coach Wade Thomas. “The frustrating part is that we are shooting 71 percent as a team for the year but we didn’t shoot like that tonight.”

Anna-Jonesboro jumped out to an early lead, closing the first quarter strong with steal and fast break by junior guard Noah Prater and a drive to the basket by Zach Parr for a 20-14 lead.

But the Indians, when they shoot the ball well, are a dangerous team.

This showed at the beginning of the second quarter.

Johnston City was 24-of-42 overall in the game and they hit 6-of-7 field goal attempts to turn a deficit into a lead.

Davison, McCormick and Tanner all got rolling as the Indians went on a 13-2 sprint, capped by a McCormick 3-pointer from the right wing for a 27-22 JC lead at the 4:35 mark.

A-J also got going in the second after allowing that JC run.

McFarland and James each produced points to close the half, with James scoring five points on a 3-pointer and a drive to the basket.

Reserve Indian Caleb Burns, a 6-foot-7 senior, scored twice late in the frame as the two teams were tied at 32-all heading to the locker rooms.

After not doing much in the first half in the way of points, Fuller got going for the Wildcats in the third quarter.

This backcourt specialist scored six points in the frame, on three in close shots.

His third bucket on a reverse lay in after grabbing a rebound, gave A-J a 40-39 advantage in this close game with 3:07 left.

When James hit a 3-pointer from the left wing with just over a minute remaining, the game was even at 43-apiece as the two teams headed to what turned out to be an eventful fourth quarter.

Leading 47-45 with 5:31 to go, Johnston City made its best move of the second half with an 8-0 run to give themselves their biggest lead of the night.

Hunter Zeigler and Davison (twice) each scored on drives to the basket and when Zeigler added a pair of made free throws, the Indians had assumed control at 55-45 at the 3:40 mark.

Johnston City looked like it would wrap up this victory as they made 5-of-6 free throws, including a pair by Davison with :32 left for a 60-53 lead.

But at this point, the free throws stopped going in for the Indian Nation.

Davison and senior Derek Smith each missed two free throws as Anna-Jonesboro had reached the double-bonus in which each foul granted JC two free throw attempts.

During this time, James hit yet another 3-pointer and McFarland scored inside to close the gap to 60-58 with :06.5 remaining.

Tanner could have clinched the game had he made both of his free throws as he was fouled on the inbounds play with :05.7 to go.

After missing the first try (the fifth miss in a row by the Indians) he converted the second try for a three-point lead.

Anna-Jonesboro in-bounded the ball and got it to Parr who took off towards the frontcourt, only to lose the ball as Smith got the steal and Johnston City got the win.

Anna-Jonesboro held a slight rebounding edge at 30-29 and the Wildcats were careful with the ball, committing just four turnovers.

On the other hand the Cats just didn’t shoot the ball as well as JC.

The Indians held on for the win in spite of the free throw woes and 11-turnovers.

Both teams have a game left in Pool B play with Johnston City taking on Herrin Friday night at 5:30 pm while Anna-Jonesboro tangles with Goreville.

“I am proud of the kids for fighting through the adversity. We battled and we still found a way to win,” added Coach Thomas. “It all starts with defense and rebounding. In the third and fourth quarter we got on the defensive boards. When we put an emphasis on rebounding the basketball good things happen.”

Johnston City (61) – Tanner 5 0 2-2 12, Zeigler 3 0 4-4 9, McCormick 3 2 0-0 13, Smith 3 0 0-3 6, Davison 4 0 2-4 10, Burns 4 0 3-7 11.
2FG-22, 3FG-2, FT-11-22, PF-10.
Anna-Jonesboro (58) – Fuller 7 0 3-4 17, Prater 2 0 2-2 6, Parr 1 0 0-0 2, Reed 1 0 2-2 4, James 1 3 0-0 11, Dewitt 0 0 2-2 2, McFarland 6 0 0-0 12, Kemp 1 0 0-0 2, Marks 1 0 0-2 2.
2FG-20, 3FG-3, FT-9-12, PF-21.
Fouled Out – None.
Technical Fouls – None.

The Lions committed just three personal fouls in the game and didn’t allow the Eagles a free throw attempt in the 30-point win.