02-25-10
BY JACK BULLOCK
CRAB ORCHARD - Taking the game right at the host Trojans in Thursday nights’ regional semifinal game – Sesser-Valier steamrolled Crab Orchard.

Breaking away with a 10-0 run in the early part of the second quarter and finishing the frame strong – Coach Chip Basso’s club romped into the regional final with an overwhelming 69-36 win.

Driving that steamroller was Justin Matyi – who dominated the paint with 31-points to lead all scorers and was the beneficiary of assists from Myles Tinsley and Dane Eubanks all night long.

The S-V guard tandem took the ball right at Crab Orchard and there was little the Trojans could do to stop the onslaught.

On the defensive side of the floor – S-V pushed the Trojans in a way that they hadn’t experienced this season as Coach Jon Brown’s club were a miserable 15-of-61 from the floor and just 4-of-29 from behind the arc.

The Trojans saw their season screech to a halt at 26-5 with Ben Kissing being the only Crab Orchard player to reach double-figures with 11-points.

‘It was a frustrating night for us,” said a disappointed Coach Brown. “We were hoping that we could play with them (Sesser-Valier) and give them a ballgame but we didn’t shoot the ball well – we didn’t do a lot of things well.”

After playing pretty close to Sesser-Valier in the early going – Crab Orchard couldn’t keep S-V away from the basket.

Drives by Dane Eubanks resulted in points for the 6-foot-1 senior guard or assists to the waiting Matyi.

Matyi scored the clubs’ first six points in the lane and Eubanks split defenders for a driving lay up that forced the first of three first half timeouts by Coach Brown at 8-2 with 5:37 left in the opening stanza.

Matyi also managed to hit the offensive glass for a pair of scores in the first quarter and when he scored on a nice assist from Tinsley that turned into a three-point play – Sesser-Valier led 17-8.

“They (Crab Orchard) got into a position of ‘do you front him (Matyi)? Or do you play behind him?” said Coach Basso. “They wanted to come up and pressure and deny our guards but he (Matyi) did a great job and was strong down there.”

Drew Johnson – a 5-foot-9 sophomore guard – hit his only 3-pointer of the night late in the first quarter to cut the Trojans’ deficit to just 17-13.

But Tinsley scored again as the lay up parade paused at 19-13 at the end of the quarter.

“Myles did a good job tonight of handling their pressure and was able to go around their defenders. I thought he was a big key tonight,” Basso explained.

That parade took off in full force in the second quarter – removing the games’ doubt.

After two Matyi shots opened the frame – Sesser-Valier scored on its next five possessions for a 33-18 lead.

Tinsley scored twice on nice moves in the lane, as Crab Orchard failed to muster up any defensive pressure on the S-V backcourt.

“We told the kids tonight that you’ve been in this situation before and in big games before. You’ve been in regional championship games and in sectional games and you have to take that experience and make it work for you,” added Coach Basso. “Tonight we got off to a good start and that was important.”

Crab Orchard’s Adam Perry – playing in his final prep game – scored seven of his nine points in the second quarter to try and keep the Trojans in the contest.

His rebound bucket closed the gap to just 39-24 late in the half.

But Matyi got yet another nice pass from Tinsley for a score and a 41-24 lead at the break.

“He (Matyi) was impressive tonight and we didn’t do a very good job containing him,” added Coach Brown. “We were really trying to honor (defend) Matyi but the way they kept beating us on the dribble we were forced to give help. They kept breaking us down.”

The second half nightmare for Crab Orchard was nearly the same as the first.

A Dane Eubanks assist to Matyi was part of a quick offensive run early in the third quarter that forced another Trojan timeout at 46-26.

Kendal Gibson and T.J. Eubanks got in on the scoring fun in the third quarter.

Gibson scored on a drive to the lane and Eubanks scored on a fast break lay in to reach 1,000-points for his career. His basket made it 58-31 late in the third quarter.

Sesser-Valier – in the early part of the fourth quarter – inserted its reserves and Crab Orchard followed suit.

Sesser-Valier dominated the rebounding phase of the game as well – ripping down a 38-22 edge on the glass with Matyi finishing with seven board (five in the first quarter).

“The one thing we talked about tonight was to just give them one shot and I think we did a good job of that tonight,” added Coach Basso.

S-V had 12 turnovers but seven of those came after the outcome had been decided.

The Red Devils – the ABV Preseason top ranked team in Class 1A - move on to face Waltonville on Friday night for the Regional title.

“I just told the kids, enjoy this one for about three seconds and then that is over with and now it is time to go back to work,” said Coach Basso. “Waltonville is so good offensively and defensively and they do so many things right. They are well coached and we’re going to have to come out and put four good quarters together. We’ll take a shot at them and see what happens.”

Crab Orchard (36) – Johnson 2 1 0-0 7, Wece 0 1 0-0 3, Kissing 5 0 1-3 11, Killen 1 1 0-0 5, Perry 3 1 0-0 9, Boester 0 0 0-0 0, A. Emery 0 0 0-0 0, Dorries 0 0 0-0 0, C. Emery 0 0 0-0 0, Barwick 0 0 0-0 0.
2FG-11, 3FG-4, FT-2-5, PF-11.
Sesser-Valier (69) – D. Eubanks 3 0 1-2 7, Witcher 0 1 0-0 3, Hicks 1 0 0-0 2, Tinsley 4 0 0-3 8, DelBene 0 0 0-0 0, Pitchford 0 0 0-0 0, Gibson 3 0 0-0 6, Jenkins 0 0 0-0 0, Donavan 0 0 0-0 0, T. Eubanks 3 0 0-0 6, Matyi 14 0 3-3 31, Vercellino 0 0 0-0 0, Stanley 1 0 0-0 2, Edwards 1 0 0-0 2, Rock 0 0 0-0 0.
2FG-31, 3FG-1, FT-4-8, PF-12.
Fouled Out – None.
Technical Fouls – None.