12-07-07
BY JACK BULLOCK
THOMPSONVILLE - Friday night’s 57-46 win over Pope County at home gave Thompsonville a 2-1 Greater Egyptian Conference record and a 5-2 mark overall.

The fact that they didn’t play very well but still won is most important aspect.

The Tigers gave the Pirates every opportunity to take this league contest but Coach Ryan Fritch’s club refused to take advantage.

Pope County (0-3 GEC, 1-7 overall) spent the entire second quarter in the free throw bonus and should have led by at least double-digits heading into intermission. But this team missed nine free throws in the first half, which allowed Thompsonville to eventually take control of the game.

Three Thompsonville players hit for double-figures and the Tigers commanded the boards with a whopping 49-25 rebounding edge in the key GEC win.

With neither team shooting the ball well the rebounding advantage put Thompsonville over the top.

A blow up near the end of the game by Pope County gave Thompsonville six technical free throws and an eventual victory.

“We got them in foul trouble and had them right where we needed them to be but we didn’t take advantage of it,” said a disappointed Fritch – whose team is now in the basement of the GEC. “With them in foul trouble we should have been up 10 or 15 at the half but we couldn’t get some shots to fall.”

The Pirates – after trailing 13-10 at the end of the first quarter – made a run to take the lead at intermission.

Five-foot-ten junior Gusten Wallace scored eight of his team-high 20 points in the second quarter.

His steal and fast break lay up gave Pope County a 20-19 lead with 1:56 remaining.

A conventional three-point play by junior forward Ethan Billington put the Pirates up 25-20.

Billington made a spin move and banked home a shot while being fouled by Thompsonville’s Ethan Kerley.

But the Pirates missed four straight free throws in the quarter and then gave up a late score as the Tigers rallied.

Thompsonville (5-2 overall, 2-1 in the GEC) took off on a quick run in the second half with Jordan Browning scoring six consecutive points for Coach John Robinson’s bunch.

Two straight offensive rebound put backs and a drive down the baseline cut the Pope lead to 29-28.

Following another Billington score for the Pirates – the Tigers scored the games’ next ten points.

Jacob Nielsen – a 5-foot-9 junior guard – scored four of those points with a driving bank shot on an assist from Browning and then a steal and fast break lay in.

Teammate Josh Fisher scored the next six points on a 1-of-2 free throw opportunity, a 3-pointer from the left corner and a rebound basket.

His stick back made it 38-31 Tigers with 3:01 left.

The Pirates managed to get within 40-37 early in the fourth quarter before fading.

Buckets by Buccaneers’ Billington, Wallace and Gage Jackson closed the gap at the end of the third and early in the fourth.

Thompsonville closed out the game by hitting 10-15 free throws in the final 3:08.

A trifecta of technical fouls aided the Tiger victory as Pope County lost its cool at the end.

Pope County’s Aaron Webb hit a pair of late 3-pointers but Thompsonville was never in any danger.

Fisher (16) Nielson (15) and Browning (12) all reached double figures for the Tigers.

Pope County was just 19-of-47 overall from the field and managed just eight offensive rebounds.

The Tigers shot just 19-of-61, overcame foul problems and 17 turnovers to post the win.

Coach Robinson’s club will play at the Conrad Allen Wayne City Holiday Tournament next week.

Pope County saw its record slip to 1-8 overall with a Saturday night loss to Goreville on the road 89-49.

The Pirates will host Carrier Mills on December 14.

Pope County (46) - Wallace 10 0 0-0 20, Webb 1 2 4-4 12, G. Jackson 1 0 0-6 2, Billington 3 0 1-1 7, Butler 2 0 1-5 5, Benard 0 0 0-0 0, Gurley 0 0 0-0 0.
2FG-17, 3FG-4, FT-6-16, PF-22.
Thompsonville (57) - Jake Nielson 4 0 7-10 15, Browning 6 0 0-3 12, Josh Fisher 3 3 1-5 16, Sickmeyer 0 0 2-4 2, Householder 0 1 0-0 3, Gaither 0 0 3-4 3, Jordan Nielsen 1 0 0-0 2, Kerley 1 0 3-6 4, Williams 0 0 0-0 0.
2FG-15, 3FG-4, FT-16-32, PF-22.
Fouled Out - Butler - Pope College; Josh Fisher - Thompsonville.
Technical Fouls - Wallace - Pope County; Pope County Bench.