01/16/2023
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE – This week could be a big turning point for several would be suitors for top-seeds and better paths in the sub-sectionals feeding into the state tournament.

The top teams in 1A and 2A stay the same as Columbia and Altamont have done nothing to diminish what they have accomplished so far.

But they both have plenty of challengers in the upcoming games that will be supreme tests.

The same can be said for the rest of the top teams as it is apparent that there is much to do to secure the votes from the coaches.

Breese Central has done very little wrong so far with just a pair of losses to 3A Mascoutah and Tennessee powerhouse Briarcrest with both defeats coming in the Mater Dei tournament.

The Cougars will get at least two tough games at this week's Nashville Invitational Tournament with Mascoutah, Nashville and Breese Mater Dei also involved with 3A Marion joining the event for the first time.

Out of state teams St. Louis (MO.) KIPP and Brentwood (MO.) along with Edwardsville Metro-East Lutheran round out the eight team bracket.

Massac County, Carterville and Vienna, the 3, 4, and 5 ranked teams this week, are entered in the Metropolis “Superman Classic” along with Missouri power Charleston, who won the event last January.

Pinckneyville apears back on track after a win last week at home against Mater Dei and they're big time favorites at the Benton Invitational that they have dominated for the last decade or more.

Murphysboro jumps up a notch for the rankings and they are in a good Sparta “Mid-Winter Classic” this week.

Teutopolis took it on the chin twice last week at St. Joseph-Ogden and Madison but there is time to regroup as the Wooden Shoes are one of the few programs that skip the tournament grind in January.

Robinson is a very dangerous looking team moving forward as the Maroons have a “tough as a $2 steak” schedule of games against good teams in Illinois and Indiana.

Harrisburg and Carmi-White County will play each other Monday night at the Carmi-White County Invitational Tournament.

Both have a lot to prove heading towards seeding the postseason tournament.

In 1A the National Trail Conference Tournament begins on January 23 and a case can be made for the top four or five seeds to make a title run.

North Clay is the #2 seed in the event and Effingham St. Anthony is #3.

That potential semifinal match up is a rematch of a game won by the Cardinals 54-49 back on November 29th at Louisville.

Casey-Westfield has played one of the toughest schedules for 1A teams in the state and Coach Brannan has done this on purpose as he wants his Warriors ready for a postseason war.

Undefeated Centralia Christ Our Rock Lutheran has a sparkling record but the schedule hasn't been as tough as the ones above them on this list.

Nokomis dropped a game to 3A Taylorville on Saturday at the Litchfield Invitational which basically keeps the Redskins out of championship bracket.

Mounds Meridian, like CORL, hasn't faced a tough slate of games. They have shown they can score a lot of points but things will be a bit tougher this week at the BIT.

Wayne City is probably the one with the best shot to keep the Silver Stallions from winning the MTC tournament this week.

Tuscola, another of the clubs up north that feed into the SIU Carbondale Super-sectional, will need to get better late in the season.

St. Elmo/Brownstown picked up a key win at Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg last week.

The Eagles aren't without a shot next week in the NTC.

Goreville slides into the top group. The five losses are to ABV top-ranked Altamont, 2A Vienna, 1A Mounds Meridian, 2A Benton 2A Hamilton County.

Goreville will face Carterville at the Superman Monday night.