02-07-04
CAIRO VS. CHICAGO ST. FRANCIS DESALES
NASHVILLE BOOSTER CLUB SHOOTOUT
BY JACK BULLOCK
NASHVILLE - From the opening tap to the final horn, the Cairo Pilots never fully reached a 'comfort zone' against the Pioneers from Chicago St. Francis de Sales at the Nashville Shootout on Saturday night.

However a sign of a great team is winning games when they are not on top of their game.

Brandon Childs and Anthony Jackson each scored 21-points and Seville Bell provided five blocked shots in the 64-55 win that was neither pretty or pleasing to coach Larry Baldwin.

He was glad to escape with a victory in a game which Cairo never led by more than six points in the first half.

"We didn't come to play today and I don't know why," said Baldwin, whose club is the top ranked team in the ABV Rankings as well as the AP statewide poll. "The first half we didn't play very well but in the second half we executed a little better."

Chicago St. Francis deSales had a lot to do with the Pilot problems.
The Pioneers stayed with the top ranked team for most of the first half.

In fact Coach Tony Michalski's club led for most of the first quarter.

A rebound basket by Teeaye Nettles and Troy Boyd driving lay in staked the Pioneers to an early 9-3 advantage.

But Childs and Jackson got Cairo rolling with a 7-0 run.

Jackson converted a 3-point play while being fouled on a rebound attempt by SF's Russ Rosiak.

He converted one more time on another rebound and then made a defensive steal to set up Childs on an easy lay in to give Cairo back the lead at 10-9 with 2:20 left.

But the Pioneers responded with a 5-0 run of their own. Nettles hit on a lay in which was followed by 3-of-4 free throws by Rosiak and Boyd.

Rosiak half of the two shot attempt caused by Russell Mackins getting a technical foul.

Cairo got back within 14-13 at the end of the first quarter on a top of the arc 3-pointer from Jackson.

The Pilots, who struggled defensively most of the night, put together a good run in the final moments of the second quarter to take command.

Mackins, Cairo's 6-6 freshman, hit 5-of-6 free throws and Childs hit his only 3-pointer of the night to push the lead to 30-24 at the half.

"They (St. Francis deSales) executed their offense well tonight," added Baldwin. "They weren't that big but they were physical."

Cairo increased its lead in the third quarter as the Pilots team speed started causing the Pioneers more problems.

Childs scored four more points for Cairo while teammate Kalin Lowe stepped up with five points in the quarter.

Lowe's 3-pointer to open the second half gave his club a 33-24 lead.

Then he and Childs both hit big shots late in the frame.

Childs scored on another fast break lay in as they continued to beat the Pioneers down the floor.

Lowe's lay up on a pass from Childs and two free throws by Bell sent the game to the final frame with Cairo up 46-35.

Boyd gave the Pioneers a glimmer of hope to start the final quarter with five points on a short jumper and a conventional 3-point play while being fouled by Bell, which sliced the Pilot advantage to 48-40.

However Coach Baldwin's club put the game on ice with a 10-3 run.

Childs and Jackson each scored four points in the run.

When Jackson scored in the lane on a pass from Childs, it was 58-43 with 4:16 to go.

Childs scored the Pilots next six points to put the game to rest.

He scored on another fast break lay in and made all four of his free throw attempts to make it 64-48 with 2:17 left.

St. Francis deSales did managed to score the games final seven points but it was way to little and late as Cairo remained unbeaten.

"I think late in the season you will go through some lulls where you don't play that well and sometimes you can lose your intensity and that was kind of what happened tonight," added Baldwin. "We did what we needed to do to get the win."

Childs and Jackson's 21-points apiece topped both teams.

Lowe added 14-points, Mackins six and Bell two in the win.

The Pioneers three double-digit performances, with freshman Tracy Wilson scoring 16-points and his sophomore brother Randy added 11. Nettles contributed 10-points in the loss.

The Pilots, long known for their problems at the foul line, connected on 18-of-25 in the game compared to St. Francis deSales' 13-of-20.

Cairo (64) - Childs 7 1 4-4 21, G. Wiliams 0 0 0-2 0, Lowe 4 2 0-2 14, Jackson 6 1 6-7 21, Mackins 0 0 6-8 6.
2FG-17, 3FG-4, FT-18-25, PF-16.
Chicago St. Francis deSales (55) - R. Wilson 1 2 3-5 11, Boyd 3 0 3-5 9, Rosiak 1 0 1-2 3, T. Wilson 5 0 6-8 16, Nettles 5 0 0-0 10, Djukie 0 0 0-1 0, Thomas 0 2 0-3 6.
2FG-15, 3FG-4, FT-13-20, PF-20.
Technical Foul - Mackins, Cairo.
Fouled Out - None.