03-14-09
BY JACK BULLOCK
PEORIA - Like their Southern Illinois neighbors at Woodlawn – the Massac County Patriots came up a bit short of a state championship on Saturday in the championship game of Class 2A.

Coach Joe Hosman's club brought home the school's first boy's basketball state tournament trophy on Saturday as they will haul the large second place award back home after being beaten by Seton Academy of South Holland, 83-63.

Six-foot-four senior forward Byron Bailey closed his career with 20-points while reserve Dustin Korte – a 6-foot-2 senior – finished with 17.

An 11-2 run early in the fourth quarter by the Sting – burned the Pats and closed a great season for Massac County at 33-2.

Massac County didn't run into too many athletic teams in the 2008-09 season but Seton Academy proved to be a problem.

Jordan Walker with 26-points along with Corbin Thomas with 25 topped all the scorers in the title game for the Sting who ended its season at 32-2.

Walker – at 6-foot-7 – and the 6-foot-6 Thomas were too big and quick especially on the offensive boards.

Seton punished the Patriots 47-25 in rebounding and defensively held Massac to 37.5 percent shooting (24-of-64 overall).

The Sting shot 53.3 percent with Walker and Thomas combining to hit 23-of-34 shots.

“Our kids battled and battled and we got a hand in their face all night but that little point guard (DJ Cooper) is quick as lightning and he got by us some tonight,” said Coach Hosman in talking about Seton's 5-foot-10 senior point guard who dished out 12 assists – a Class 2A title game record. “We wanted to do two things tonight against them. We wanted to keep them off of the offensive glass and get back to stop their transition. They did both of those things well tonight against us. They were a better ball team than we were tonight. It would have taken a great effort for us to win.”

Massac County was outscored 54-26 in the paint and 21-9 in second chance points.

An early 8-1 run erased an 8-4 Massac lead and gave the Sting back the lead for good.

Walker scored his team's first 10-points in the first quarter that ended at 16-13 Seton.

Following a pair of Byron Bailey baskets and two free throws from Korte and the Patriots were down just 21-19 at the 4:30 mark.

But a back door cut for a score and a baseline drive for a dunk by Walker extended the lead and he added another two-handed slam that apparently beat the halftime buzzer for a 37-31 lead.

Massac got as close as 39-36 in the early part of the third quarter before the game got away.

Three-pointers by Khameron Harper (2) and Tony Nixon pushed the Seton Academy advantage back to double-figures as the Sting became the second consecutive Chicago-land private school to win the 2A crown.

“You know they (Massac County) are a good team and they were in the championship game for a reason. I told my kids that they are not going to come out here and roll over and play dead,” said Seton Academy head coach Ken Stevenson. “I told them that they (Massac) had about four runs in them and we did a good job when they threw punches (runs) at us we handled it very well. We got on the boards against them and got to the basket.”

Bailey closed his stellar prep career with a 7-of-17 shooting effort which included his final points coming on a baseline drive that resulted in a two-handed slam-dunk with 3:07 remaining.

Both coaches emptied their respective benches as Bailey left the floor for the final time as a prep.

“I think we missed seven or eight lay ups tonight and that really hurt us tonight,” added Coach Hosman. “I tell you what. I will take this season every year. This was a great group of kids. What a pleasure they have been to coach. To get second in the state – we'll take that.”

Korte – a senior also playing in his final prep game – nailed three 3-pointers while junior teammate Jarelle Johnson handed out nine assists and scored seven points.

Sophomore Cory Ayala added eight points.

The Patriots finished just 3-of-14 from behind the 3-point arc but were 12-of-14 from the foul line.

“This senior group. Their togetherness and the willingness to work together. Our community supported us so much,” finalized Coach Hosman.”I don't know how many years I have left so I am just enjoying every moment of basketball with them. The only other thing that I would rather be than a basketball coach is a Dad.”

Massac County (63) – Kester 2 0 0-0 4, Lang 2 0 0-0 4, Bailey 7 0 6-7 20, Ayala 4 0 0-0 8, Johnson 2 0 3-3 7, Henry 0 0 0-0 0, Morse 0 0 0-0 0, Korte 3 3 2-2 17, Maxie 1 0 0-0 2, Glass 0 0 0-0 0, Sommer 0 0 0-0 0, Amos 0 0 0-0 0, McManus 0 0 1-2 1, Thigpen 0 0 0-0 0.
2FG-21, 3FG-3, FT-12-14, PF-15.
Seton Academy (83) – Walker 11 0 4-4 26, Thomas 12 0 1-1 25, Nixon 1 1 3-4 8, Cooper 2 0 2-2 6, Harper 0 2 2-2 8, Merriweather 0 0 0-0 0, Smith 0 0 0-0 0, Jackson 0 0 0-0 0, Hayes 1 0 0-0 2, Stevenson 2 0 0-0 4, Ingram 0 0 1-2 1, Lett 0 0 1-2 1, Olivier 0 0 0-0 0.
2FG-29, 3FG-3, FT-16-19, PF-15.
Fouled Out – None.
Technical Fouls – None.