02-26-04
CARTERVILLE VS. DU QUOIN
@ SESSER-VALIER CLASS A REGIONAL
BY JACK BULLOCK
SESSER - Matt Rowald put together a fourth quarter that most players can envision but never reach.
The 6-4 senior popped in 14 of his game high 32 points in the final eight minutes as Carterville advanced to Friday nights regional final with a come from behind 71-62 win over Du Quoin Thursday night at the Sesser-Valier Class A Regional.

The win, the Lions seventh in a row, pushed coach Scott Burzynski's club to its third straight regional title game.

Winning their third straight game on the floor at Sesser-Valier (counting last Friday night's regular season finale over the host Red Devils and two wins this week) the Lions stand at 19-13 on the season and are playing their best basketball right now, according to their coach.

"It is always special to win games here for me," said Burzynski, who played his prep basketball for coach Rick Metcalf at S-V from 1989-92. "We are happy to be playing in another regional championship game. We shot the ball well tonight and we attacked the glass. We could have been tentative tonight once we got the lead but we continued to try to score and attack."

Du Quoin, which had dropped its last two regular season games before besting Zeigler-Royalton Tuesday night, seemed in control and well on its way to winning the game as they built a 23-12 second quarter lead.

With Jordan Campanella, Jaymon Alvis and Chad Wilson hitting early shots, the Indians jumped to an 8-4 lead. Alvis, Du Quoin's 6-3 center, stepped out and canned a 3-pointer from the top of the arc while Campanella muscled into the paint for a 3-point play during the run.

Two late baskets in the period by Campanella and Reid Bastien gave coach Wendell Wheeler's club a 13-8 lead at the first horn.

Du Quoin continued its dominance on the offensive end by scoring the first six points in the second quarter to briefly take command of the contest.

Cory Clark and Bastien each hit driving shots while Campanella crashed the boards for a rebound basket and a 19-8 lead with 4:47 left before intermission.

But the Lions, who seemed overmatched by the Du Quoin size advantage early in the game, chipped away at the Indians lead and got back even at the half.

Carterville blitzed DQ with a 10-1 run, highlighted by back-to-back baskets by Ryan Hilliard just moments apart.

After his driving lay in cut the lead to 23-18, Ben Drust stole the inbounds pass and fed Hilliard with a perfect assist and his shot fell through the basket. This forced a Du Quoin timeout with 1:46 left.

Rowald started heating up on the next two Carterville possessions.

He scored on a 10-foot baseline shot and then he made both free throws after being fouled by Wilson with :07 left before the break.

His charities sent both clubs to the locker rooms tied at 24-all.

"When we made the run to get us even at 24 at halftime I think the kids started believing that we could 'do it' and we had an opportunity to win," added Burzynski. "I thought we made the plays when we had to. We knew it wasn't going to be easy but we are fortunate to be in a position to win another regional title."

As the second half began, Alvis scored the first nine points for Du Quoin.

His 3-pointer from the top of the key gave back the lead to DQ at 27-24 and his rebound basket with 3:47 to go made it 33-30.

At this point, Carterville rocked DQ back on its heels with an 8-0 run with Drust hitting two 3-pointers and Rowald canning yet another baseline jumper.

When Drust's second 3-pointer from the right wing trickled through the net, the Lions lead stood at 38-33.

Bastien and Alvis each hit 3-pointers late in the stanza to cut into the Lions advantage.

But Rowald finished the frame with a pair of late free throws when Alvis fouled him in the lane.

"We had way too many quick possessions tonight where we didn't work the ball enough and that sort of game favored Carterville tonight," said Wheeler, whose team ended its season 16-13. "We shot the ball so early that we didn't create any rebounding opportunities. We did a poor job of taking the adjustments we made in the huddle onto the court tonight."

While Du Quoin looked the part of the tired heavyweight fighter heading into the final round, the Lions looked fresh and ready to put the game away.

Rowald took advantage of the Indians as he scored six straight points to open the fourth quarter.

He schooled DQ defenders two straight times on moves in the lane, sending Carterville to a 51-42 lead.

"Our help side defense just wasn't there tonight," added Wheeler. "And you can't do that against good basketball teams like Carterville. They (Carterville) just got the job done tonight."

The Indians did get back within five points on a Campanella conventional 3-point play.

However the Lions went to more of a spread offense and used their superior quickness to create easy buckets to put Du Quoin away late.

Rowald scored twice on back door cuts to the basket as the Indians were forced to try and trap Carterville.

When he hit his second lay in, on a pass by Brandon Burgrabe, Carterville had Du Quoin by the throat with a 61-51 lead with just 1:43 to go.

Campanella ended his prep basketball career when he fouled out with :51.7 to go.

"He (Jordan) is a great kid and he helped us out a lot by playing for us," Wheeler said, referring to Campanella being a football player who happens to play basketball.

Besides Rowald, three other Lions players hit for double figures.

Drust hit three 3-pointers and finished with 16 points.

Keim and Hilliard added 13 and 10.

"Matt (Rowald) did a great job tonight and when he is open he is a very good shooter," Burzynski said. "We set screens well tonight and we haven't done that all the time this season. But tonight we did a much better job of that which created open shots that we buried."

The Indians closed out their season as Campanella led the way with 21 points while Alvis and Bastien contributed 17 and 14 on the night.

The Indians had there chances on the night to make a move. However they were just 14-of-26 from the free throw line.

Carterville (71) - Drust 3 3 1-3 16, Keim 3 0 7-10 13, Rowald 13 0 6-6 32, Hilliard 3 0 2-2 10.
2FG-22, 3FG-3, FT-16-21, PF-19.
Du Quoin (62) - Clark 2 0 0-1 4, Wilson 1 0 0-0 2, Bastien 4 1 3-6 14, Yeager 1 0 2-4 4, Campanella 7 0 7-11 21, Alvis 3 3 2-4 17.
2FG-18, 3FG-4, FT-14-26, PF-19.
Fouled Out - Campanella, Du Quoin.
Technical Fouls - None.