03-01-11 BY JACK BULLOCK HARRISBURG – The Murphysboro Red Devils have no secrets. Everyone in the South understands that they are the 'real deal'. Head coach Daryl Murphys' squad sits at 31-0 after taking care of all opponents in the 2010-11 campaign. In fact the past two seasons have been the best run in the school's history – having a 60-3 mark in those sixty-three contests. This season has been special for this group and their leader is one of the top players in the state. Six-foot-two senior Jarrod Gaston leads this club in all the major offensive categories. Gaston is a guard who can score from anywhere on the floor. The most dangerous player on the Red Devils club – Gaston has lit up some good teams this season. Most recently he laid a 30-spot on defensive stalwarts Nashville on the Hornets home floor. He can shoot the three and he can take it to the basket for the “and-one.” But perhaps his best attribute is his ability to score from the mid-range – the lost art of high school basketball. Gaston has built his reputation on hitting the 12-to-18 foot shot. In other words he is difficult to stop. He averages 15.5 points a night for Murphysboro. And for opposing coaches who are trying to figure out how to beat the Red Devils the news gets much worse. Murphysboro has more weapons. Six-foot-three senior Dylan Craig can get to the basket and score from the outside. This smooth lefty can drain the 3-pointer and this Red Devil is a demon around the glass. Craig has netted 13.1 points a contest this season. The third player for Coach Murphy who is a dangerous offensive threat is Orlando Jarrett – 5-foot-10 senior guard – who has added 11 p.p.g. Pierre House – a 6-foot-1 senior guard averages 8.5 p.p.g. Six-foot-three senior Eben Brooks is also an offensive threat (8.1 p.p.g.) as is 6-foot-5 senior center Jordan Stanton (6.8 p.p.g.). The Benton Rangers (15-15) are the big underdogs in this sectional having lost games to all three of the other teams in this sectional. But don't worry because the Rangers will definitely show up on Tuesday night. Coach Ron Winemiller's club does have some quality lines on the resume heading into the sectional matchup with Murphysboro. They topped a pair of good 1A teams in Okawville and Sesser-Valier and they gave Harrisburg a tough game – a 58-56 decision at home back on February 12. ABV's top 1A club Trico was tested by the Rangers at the Rich Herrin Shootout with the Pioneers getting the win 59-49 in overtime. Benton also played Du Quoin on the road back in December – losing to the Tribe 63-48 at the Du Quoin Tip-Off Classic. But they saved their biggest win for last – topping Fairfield 54-39 to capture the Carmi-White County Class 2A Regional title last Friday. Coach Winemiller has some kids that can score and they all will need to step up if the Rangers are going to shock the SI Basketball planet. Caleb Suver is a 6-foot-3 senior forward for the Rangers and he is the top marksman for Benton at 12.5 points per contest. Although he is the only double-digit scorer on the club – the Rangers have some others that can contribute. Six-foot junior guard Trey Garrett is averaging 9.2 points a night for those Maroon clad Rangers. Add the name Tyler Leffler to the list of dangerous weapons for Benton as this 6-foot-3 junior is hitting for 9.1 p.p.g. Cody Smith – 5-foot-9 junior guard – 6-foot junior Mason Childers and 5-foot-10 Jared Johnston are all in the six points per contest range for the Rangers. Suver is the top Benton glass cleaner at 4.8 rebounds per night. Benton lost both contests to Murphysboro this season and will need to get a maximum effort to win on Tuesday night. The Harrisburg Bulldogs have a good mixture of senior veteran players and some sophomores that have been successful at every level of basketball. The Dawgs enter the Harrisburg 2A Sectional with a 27-6 mark with an Eldorado Holiday Tournament championship as the big red star on the body of work. Head coach Randy Smithpeters is no stranger to winning in the postseason and advancing to this part of the state tournament having led this program to nine regional titles in his 17-years at the helm. Harrisburg - during that period - won four sectional crowns and advance to the state finals in 1995. Two sophomores top the scoring parade for Harrisburg with Capel Henshaw and Tyler Smithpeters leading the charge. The 6-foot-3 Henshaw in netting 17 points a game according to Coach Smithpeters while Randy's son Tyler – at 6-foot-3 - is adding 15 points a night. Two other starters are dangerous – hitting right at 11 points apiece. Six-foot senior Jalen Stewart and 6-foot-2 sophomore Ryne Roper have both averaged double-figures this season for a club that beat Massac County four times and has wins over Cairo and Olney-East Richland in non-conference action. They lost both games to Murphysboro this season but would love another shot at the Red Devils on Friday night. Six-foot senior Keelin Rasch chips in eight points a game for the Bulldogs while contributions off the bench come from 6-foot-2 senior Hunter Price and 6-foot-4 freshman forward Eli Taborn-Scott. “It is what a sectional should be and I expect it to be very competitive,” said Harrisburg head coach Randy Smithpeters. “Hosting is a big deal to us and with four-classes there is a lot of travel involved when you advance very far. It was a big motivation for us down at Massac County last week to get back home for the sectional. We are happy for all the people involved with our program.” The Du Quoin Indians are playing their best basketball – especially on the defensive end of the floor – according to first year head coach Gabe Sveda. The Tribe took care of Perry County rival Pinckneyville in the title game of the Sparta 2A Regional on Friday night behind 22-points from 6-foot-1 senior guard Connor Wheeler. Wheeler – a transfer back to Du Quoin from Carbondale – rejoined the kids he grew up playing with and his presence has help solidify a talented club that finished second in the SIRR Mississippi Division. J.C. Davis – a 6-foot senior guard – helps form a deadly backcourt for the Indians with his cousin Connor. Six-foot senior forward Seth Baxter has played a key role in the DQ season as they improved to 23-6 with the win over Pinckneyville 46-44. Du Quoin gave Murphysboro all it wanted in the Sparta Mid-Winter Classic back in January – losing to the Red Devils 61-59 - and have wins over Harrisburg and Trico this season. They also topped Pinckneyville three times and beat Benton and Anna-Jonesboro twice each. Coach Sveda also has 6-foot-3 junior forward Sam Gossett who is the top rebounder (7.5 r.p.g.) and third leading scorer for the Indians. As a team they have averaged 63.5 points a game while giving up only 52.5. Du Quoin's six losses have come against five different teams that have combined for 120-wins. ABV Projected Sectional Champion – Murphysboro.