01/07/2022
BY JACK BULLOCK
DUQUOIN - It is always a nice feeling when you can pick up a conference road win to open the second half of the season.

The Nashville Hornets picked up right where they left off in 2021 with a decisive 65-31 victory over host DuQuoin on Friday night at Anders Gymnasium to begin 2022.

Leading from start to finish, the Hornets won their 11th consecutive game on Friday night.

Head coach Patrick Weathers, in his first season at the wheel, got offensive numbers from nine different players in the lopsided contest as Nashville moves forward at 13-2 on the season.

The Hornets, the ABV Preseason and current #1 team in the 2A Deep South, and #3 ranked 2A team in the state, was led in scoring by 5-11 senior guard Nolan Heggemeier.

The Hornets knocked down seven 3-point shots and Heggemeier delivered four of them as he finished with 14-points.

Six-seven senior Saxton Hoepker did damage inside for Nashville scoring 12-points, all of which came in the second half.

Junior guard Carter Schoenherr added 10-points to the totals as he also hit a couple of 3-pointers.

Coach Weathers also got eight-points each from seniors Isaac Turner and Hayden Robinson.

Senior Kolten Gajewski got in on the fun with six-points and was credited with 11-rebounds.

Turner grabbed six-rebounds also for the Hornets as they dominated the stats Friday night.

There wasn't much to smile about for the host Indians and head coach Jason James.

DuQuoin, after getting above .500 for the season with a win over Carlyle on Tuesday, trailed the entire contest on Friday night as they slipped to 7-7 overall on the season, 1-2 in the Mississippi Division.

Six-eight senior center Maurice Washington led the Tribe with nine-points and five-rebounds as no Indians' player got to double-figures in scoring.

Sophomore guard Eli Maynor hit a couple of 3-point shots and ended up with eight-points total while junior guard Nishan Woody and senior guard Caden Hutchens ended up with six-points each.

Coach James has employed an offensive strategy similar to that of the Grinnell College system where he substitutes five players at a time, using his entire roster to try and up-tempo opponents into playing faster than they want to.

That strategy didn't work on Friday night.

The Hornets beat the press, took care of the basketball and knocked down their open looks.

Defensively Coach Weathers' club held the Indians to less than half (68.2 p.p.g.) of their scoring average for the season and by the midway point of the fourth quarter the mercy rule (30-point lead) kicked in.

The Hornets held DuQuoin to just 11-of-42 (26.1 percent) shooting overall and 4-of-19 from the arc.

Nashville commanded the glass, holding a 31-18 rebounding advantage, including grabbing 12-offensive boards.

The visiting team handled the DQ pressure, committing just eight-turnovers through 28-minutes and ended up with four late miscues after the damage was done.

“We have the kind of size that typically we out-rebound teams. Offensively it was a bit different as they were doubling us so we told them before the game that if we are deceptive with our passes and we get to the right spots and don't turn the ball over we will have a chance to pick apart the weak spots (of their defense) when they go and gamble so I was happy with that,” said Coach Weathers. “We were fortunate enough to knock down those open looks we were getting. We want stay in the groove and continue to get better each game.”

Being patient early on, Nashville got two open looks for Heggemeier and the senior knocked down both of the 3-pointer from the left side of the floor.

A bucket by Turner and a pair of scores early on by Gajewski got the offense clicking.

The final seven points of the quarter came from Schoenherr on a 3-pointer and two inside baskets by Robinson.

Robinson scored on a long assist by Heggemeier and then put a rebound back in for a 20-7 lead at the end of the first.

DuQuoin's offense early came from a 3-pointer from Hutchens and 4-of-4 free throws from Washington and Traijon Smith.

For DQ it was just a 1-of-9 first quarter from the field to go with five-turnovers as the hosts trailed early.

Consecutive baskets by Maynor and Woody cut into the margin in the early part of the second quarter before Nashville put the “hammer down.”

Three consecutive long range bombs, four in the quarter, sent an early “knockout blow.”

This was part of a 15-2 run that put Nashville in complete control.

Turner scored twice inside while Heggemeier (twice) and Schoenherr (once) drilled home wide-open shots.

The second Heggemeier trey was a result of three-consecutive offensive rebounds on one possession by the Hornets.

When Heggemeier found the mark from the left corner with :48 left before intermission, Nashville led by 22.

Turner's second score in the sequence and consecutive buckets from Robinson, one on an offensive rebound on a missed free throw by Turner, made it 38-17 at halftime.

DuQuoin was just 4-of-9 from the field in the second quarter with four more turnovers while allowing Nashville six-offensive rebounds that led to 11 of the Hornets' points.

The Tribe got a couple of inside scores from Washington, including a conventional three-point play, and a 3-pointer from Maynor as DQ briefly inched closer to begin the second half.

However eight-points in succession by Coach Weathers' crew removed what little drama that remained.

Schoenherr added two scores and Hoepker got going inside with a pair of baskets in the lane along with 2-of-2 from the foul line as the lead ballooned to 52-29 at the end of the third.

The Hornets switched into a zone defense in the third quarter and it made things worse for the Indians.

“We were just trying to do something to slow them down (by going zone) and I know Coach James is trying something new this year (Grinnell System) and he has so many athletes I give him credit for trying something new,” said Coach Weathers. “It makes it hard to prepare for. We were fortunate enough to make some shots and not turn the ball over as much as what we have seen them do to other teams.”

Hoepker padded the Hornets lead in the fourth quarter with six additional points, including a nice spin move from the left block that turned into a two-handed dunk and a 60-31 lead.

A free throw by Gajewski a few moments later triggered the “mercy rule” as both coaches let reserves close out the final 3:51.

Nashville's offensive figures were exemplary as it painted the picture of a 34-point win.

Inside the arc the Hornets punished DuQuoin with 19-of-34 shooting (55.8 percent) and 7-of-16 from the arc.

Both teams head back to the court on Saturday.

The Hornets host Washington County rival Okawville Saturday night while DuQuoin will host Herrin in a Saturday morning/afternoon triple-header of freshman, junior varsity and varsity contests beginning at 11 am.

Nashville (65) – Hammer 1 0 0-0 2, Schoenherr 2 2 0-1 10, Heggemeier 1 4 0-0 14, Reinburg 0 0 0-0 0, Schwartzkopf 1 0 0-0 2, Hoepker 4 0 4-4 12, Knepp 0 1 0-0 3, Gajewski 2 0 2-4 6, Turner 4 0 0-2 8, Robinson 4 0 0-0 8. 2FG-19, 3FG-7, FT-6-11, PF-10.
DuQuoin (31) – J. Smith 0 0 0-1 0, Hutchens 0 2 0-0 6, Green 0 0 0-0 0, T. Smith 0 0 2-4 2, Washington 3 0 3-3 9, Winters 0 0 0-0 0, Maynor 1 2 0-0 8, Woody 3 0 0-0 6, Howerton 0 0 0-0 0, Hill 0 0 0-0 0, Harsy 0 0 0-0 0, Sizemore 0 0 0-0 0. 2FG-7, 3FG-4, FT-5-8, PF-16.
Fouled Out – None.
Technical Fouls – None.