12-02-14
BY JACK BULLOCK
CAMPBELL HILL - Sometimes it just boils down to effort when it comes time to separate teams in head-to-head battles.

According to Sparta head coach Jeff Bowlby, his kids didn't bring their lunch pails to work on Wednesday night when they battled the hosts of the annual Trico Pioneer Invitational Tournament.

Getting out-rebounded 35-21 and out gunned at the foul line, Sparta saw its record fall to 1-2 on the season and in the round-robin event after losing to Trico, 57-47, in the opening contest.

Coach Bowlby, after his Bulldogs won their first tournament game against Red Bud and then dropped an overtime decision to Steeleville on Tuesday night, had his club in position to put pressure on the hosts.

However, after a brief move in the second quarter in which Sparta took a lead, Trico closed the half on a 7-0 run to take an 18-15 lead at intermission.

Trico improved to 3-0 on the season with the victory.

They now hold their fate in their own hands with games still remaining against Steeleville and Chester on Friday and Saturday.

Coach Andrew Wilson witnessed his club struggle on offense on the night but the Pioneers came up big on the boards and forced Sparta into a 12-turnovers and 20-of-47 night from the floor.

Senior's Trent Koch and Josh Compton netted 17 and 15-points respectively as Trico hopes to repeat as tournament champions.

Two other seniors; Jake Compton and Grant Kelly, also provided offense.

Compton pitched in eight points while Kelly hit 7-of-9 free throws for seven points, including six consecutive in the fourth quarter to help keep Sparta off of the Pioneers' trail.

As a team Trico canned 14-of-19 charities in the final eight minutes (21-of-32 overall) to seal the win and remain the only unbeaten club in the field of six.

As for the Bulldogs, they were led by senior guard Drew Kordys with 15-points and they also got 11-points from senior forward Ethan Gwin.

With Trico leading 11-5 in the early part of the second quarter, Sparta got 3-pointers from Alex Bennett and Alzye Nesbitt along with fast break lay in on an assist from Nesbitt to Kordys to make it 15-11 Sparta.

With Koch scoring two of the points from the line and Josh Compton and sophomore Ryan Vogt adding baskets, Trico retook control.

Vogt, a 6-foot-3 forward, stepped out and nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the arc as Trico led by three at the break.

Another run, a 7-2 scoring move, which included back-to-back scores from Koch and sophomore forward Jared Meyerhoff, pushed the Pioneers' lead to 29-19.

Kordys scored on another drive to the basket but Josh Compton added two free throws for a ten-point spread heading to the fourth.

Sparta final run at the Pioneers cut the deficit to just 48-43 with 4:08 remaining.

A 3-pointer from Gwin and a fast break by Kordys on a rebound and pass from Gwin, gave the Bulldogs some life.

But at this point, the free throw parade began for Trico and Josh Compton added a pair of scores for a 51-41 lead.

Behind six-straight free throws and a pair of baskets from Koch, Trico stayed unbeaten on the season.

Trico finished 17-of-42 overall and just 2-of-12 from the arc while coughing up 16-turnovers.

But controlling the boards and not letting Sparta to get to the foul line often (1-of-4) the Pioneers moved into title contention.

Trico will take on Steeleville at 7 pm on Friday night while Sparta will tangle with Chester at 8:30 pm Saturday.

“They (Trico) outworked us tonight. That's what I just told the kids. They aren't better than us, they just out played us. We didn't go to the glass, we didn't get to the foul line, we just stood out there on the perimeter,” said Coach Bowlby. “They outworked us on both ends of the floor. We aren't a good shooting team, so we have to drive to the basket and get to the foul line and we didn't do that tonight.”

Sparta (47) - Yearian 3 0 0-2 6, Nesbitt 1 1 0-0 5, Bennett 1 0-0 5, Kordys 4 2 1-2 15, D. Brown 1 1 0-0 5, Gwin 4 1 0-0 11.
2FG-14, 3FG-6, FT-1-4, PF-23.
Trico (57) – Jines 0 0 0-0 0, Jarrett 0 0 2-2 2, Jo. Compton 5 1 2-3 15, Kelly 0 0 7-9 7, Vogt 1 1 0-0 5, Ja. Compton 3 0 2-2 8, Koch 5 0 7-14 17, Meyerhoff 1 0 1-2 3.
2FG-15, 3FG-2, FT-21-32, PF-11.
Fouled Out – Nesbitt - Sparta.
Technical Fouls – Sparta Bench.

The Warriors rolled in the second half and took care of Shawnee in the last game of the evening.

Coach Bryce Bainter saw his club stay the championship conversation with the win over the Redskins behind 22-points from 6-foot-3 senior forward Nic Hagel.

Hagel took advantage of the Redskins' zone defense by nailing five 3-pointers on the night.

“I told the kids tonight, every time Shawnee comes here to play they play extremely hard and the kids responded,” said Coach Bainter. “I knew when they went to that zone we would be able to get some good looks. We have shooters on this team and sometimes their eyes get big when they see a zone. We rebounded pretty well and for the most part I think we did a good job of that.”

After losing to Chester on Monday, the Warriors could win at least a share of the title with a win over Trico on Friday and Red Bud on Saturday.

Six-foot-one senior Trey Lazenby added 14-points for Steeleville while junior guard Dusty Sutton and freshman forward Owen Gross added six-points apiece.

Coach Russ Marsh's club fell to 0-3 but it wasn't because of the effort as his club showed up and played hard against the Warriors.

Senior Lucas Matlock led the Redskins with 13-points.

Late buckets in the second quarter gave Steeleville a 33-20 lead.

Hagel scored on a drive to the goal and a rebound bucket by Bryar Pim closed the half with the lead at 13-points.

Hagel added two trifectas in the third quarter and his second one pushed the advantage to 17-points.

Baskets by Lazenby and Gross gave Steeleville a 21-point spread.

Removing all doubt from the outcome, Hagel notched another long range bomb and converted a conventional three-point play for a 54-31 spread.

Steeleville closed the contest out by delivering on a 4-of-5 free tosses in the final moments.

Coach Bainter saw his club out-rebound Shawnee 37-25 and hit 21-of-45 field goal attempts.

The Warriors were 8-of-22 from the arc.

“After we were able to knock a few of those (3's) down the confidence level rose up,” added Coach Bainter. “I told the team, we can win some games this year but we can't just show up and expect to win. You have to have the energy and intensity, especially on the defensive end.” 

Steeleville (62) – Hagel 2 5 3-3 22, Sutton 1 1 1-2 6, Pim 1 0 0-0 2. Lutz 0 1 0-0 3, Smith 0 1 0-0 3, Gross 2 0 2-3 6, Frederking 0 0 0-0 0, Axtell 0 0 0-0 0, Grafton 0 0 3-4 3, Ebers 0 1 0-0 3, Lazenby 6 0 2-2 14.
2FG-12, 3FG-9, FT-11-14, PF-22.
Shawnee (38) – Smithey 1 0 2-3 4, E. Baltzell 1 0 2-2 5, Matlock 5 0 3-6 13, Crane 1 1 3-6 , Phelps 0 0 0-0 0, Boston 2 0 3-7 7, Willis 0 0 1-2 1.
2FG-10, 3FG-1, FT-14-23, PF-16.
Fouled Out – Lazenby - Steeleville.
Technical Fouls – None.

Red Bud (65) – Riechmann 0 0 0-0 0, Richards 7 0 0-0 4, B. Kueker 0 0 0-0 0, Ziebold 2 0 2-2 6, Birchler 0 0 0-0 0, Grohmann 6 4 1-3 25, Schneider 3 0 4-5 10, Stefani 1 1 0-0 5, Cowell 0 0 0-0 0, L. Kueker 1 1 0-0 5, Heller 0 0 0-0 0.
2FG-20, 3FG-6, FT-7-10, PF-11
Chester (46) – Ja. Haberberger 0 0 0-0 0, Schwartz 3 3 3-4 18, Martin 0 1 0-0 3, Smith 0 0 0-0 0, Bopllman 0 0 0-0 0, Carpenter 1 0 0-0 2, Golding 5 0 0-0 10, Weir 5 0 3-6 13.
2FG-14, 3FG-4, FT-6-10, PF-12.
Fouled Out – Richards - Red Bud.
Technical Fouls – None.