03-12-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
PEORIA – Chicago Hales Franciscan head coach Gary London told his club before that state championship game that they had to make Murphysboro earn every point.

Unfortunately for the Red Devils – only 47 points were earned.

03-12-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
PEORIA – What a difference a day makes in a life of a high school basketball team.

Just 24-hours after playing perhaps the worst game of their collective lives – the Woodlawn Cardinals responded with one of their best performances of the season.

03-11-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
PEORIA – The Murphysboro Red Devils boy's basketball team has been driven by the slogan “One Team, One Dream” for all of the 2010-11 season.

That ultimate dream of an unbeaten state championship is just “One Game” away.

03-11-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
PEORIA – The Woodlawn Cardinals' dream of winning a state championship came to an abrupt end on Friday afternoon in the Class 1A Semifinals.

Winchester (West Central) shot down and shut down the Cardinals with a strong ....

03-08-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
WEST FRANKFORT – On Tuesday night at the West Frankfort Class 2A Supersectional – the Murphysboro Red Devils proved that they don't have to score a lot of points to be successful.

Holding the other team to 34-points works out just fine.

03-04-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
NORRIS CITY – In the storied history of the Mounds Meridian high school basketball program there have been many postseason failures.

Defeats in regional and sectional games led to heartache and dismay.

03-02-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
ALTAMONT – For the first 6:17 of their Altamont Class 1A Sectional contest on Wednesday night the St. Elmo Eagles were “living the dream.”

After having upset a pair of teams to win their own regional last week ....

03-01-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
ALTAMONT – On Tuesday night Red Hill was “in a zone” which kept Neoga from getting into its “zone.”

Using a match-up “3-2 scheme” - which capitalized on the Salukis size advantage – Red Hill moved into its second sectional title game in three years with a 49-37 victory in the ...

02-25-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
SPARTA – Du Quoin head coach Gabe Sveda has talked all season about how his seniors have stepped up in big games.

In the title game of the Sparta Class 2A Regional against Perry County rival Pinckneyville – those vets got the job done again.

02-24-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
WOODLAWN – The Wayne City Indians blew a seven-point lead to Okawville last Friday night and lost a heartbreaking 61-58 decision at home in the regular season finale between the two schools.

On Thursday night the Tribe nearly coughed up another lead in the Woodlawn 1A Regional semifinal.

02-22-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
NASHVILLE – The Carlyle Indians game plan on Tuesday night was simple.

Defend well, be deliberate on offense and cut down on their turnovers. In the matter of pulling an upset over state ranked and ABV top ranked Breese Central – two out of three doesn't get the job done.

02-21-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
WOODLAWN – Rivalry games. They are one of the biggest draws in sports.

Celtics/Lakers, Raiders/Chiefs, North Carolina/Duke.

Odin and Sandoval – a mere five miles apart – have been competing in sports for a long time.

02-19-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
WINDSOR – Don't pinch anyone in Windsor because this dream has been way too good.

The Blue Devils haven't had much basketball success in the past few decades so no one should leave wake up call until at least March.

02-19-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
NEOGA – Quickness is a trait that can't be taught or simulated. But it is also a great attribute to have.

The Egyptian Pharaohs are a very quick team. The Neoga Indians found that out on Saturday.

02-16-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
NASHVILLE – Coming up big in big games is nothing new to Murphysboro's Jerrod Gaston. He has done it all year. In front of a near capacity crowd on the road at Nashville's Assembly Hall on Wednesday night – the senior had his way with one of the best defensive teams in the state.

The 6-foot-2 senior guard put his team on his back and carried them to a big-time ....

02-15-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
FAIRFIELD – With his teammates all feeling the ill effects of the flu this week – Flora junior shooting guard Paul Knapp had just the remedy for his buddies on Tuesday at Fairfield.

Take seven 3-pointers and call me in the morning.

The 6-foot-1 guard put on a clinic from the outside in the road win over the Mules ....

02-11-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
SESSER - In a contest in which Sesser-Valier wanted to attack Waltonville's zone defense – the Red Devils found a player who was in a zone of his own.

Six-foot-one senior guard Dustin Hicks lit up the Spartans by nailing seven 3-pointers from all around the arc in a 74-51 triumph on Friday night in a contest between two ....

02-08-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
TEUTOPOLIS - In a battle between long time rivals Teutopolis and Effingham St. Anthony the play of the frontcourt for the Wooden Shoes offensively and defensively was the major difference in the 76-58 win by the hosts.

Teutopolis' Brett Deters led the way with 25-points with most of those points ....

02-05-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
NASHVILLE – It was fitting that on a night in which the Nashville Sports Boosters honored the 100-year history of Nashville Basketball that the 2010-11 Hornets put up a typical defensive stand against their opponent Columbia.

Nashville held the Eagles to just eight first half points and by the time Columbia ....

02-04-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
HERRIN – Eleven in a row!
The Herrin Tigers are hot at the right time and the teams remaining on their schedule had better pay attention.
After a 4-10 start to the season Coach Irv Lukens' ball club played with emotion and precision and SIRR Ohio Division rival Harrisburg found out the hard way ....

02-01-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARRIER MILLS – Feed the post.

A simple basketball phrase that proved to be the difference in the contest Tuesday night between Gallatin County and Carrier Mills.

01-29-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
PINCKNEYVILLE - The Pinckneyville Panthers have struggled offensively this season in finding consistency.

Following a Friday night loss on the road at Anna-Jonesboro in which they shot just 24 percent from the field in a 42-37 loss head coach Bob Waggoner wasn't sure how his team would react on Saturday night when they played host to Roxana in the final game of the Pinckneyville Panther Showcase.

01-22-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
NASHVILLE –  Free throws can win a team a championship.

But it can also contribute to a teams' downfall.

In Saturday nights championship contest of the 29th annual Nashville Invitational Tournament the Mater Dei Knights can look to missed opportunities .....

01-19-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
NASHVILLE – Jumping out to a early lead and then re-energizing with a big third quarter – Breese Central rolled into the semifinals of the Nashville Invitational Tournament with a easy win over Waltonville on Wednesday night.
Coach Stan Eagleson's squad led 9-0 in the first two minutes and overcame a brief lull in the first quarter to win 93-43.
Brandon Book continued is scoring prowess by netting a game-best 27-points.

01-19-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
NASHVILLE – The Nashville Hornets outworked the opposition in every phase on Wednesday night. Defensively speaking – Mascoutah never got an offensive run going because Coach Brad Weathers' Hornets never let the Indians have a breath.
Forcing Mascoutah into a 10-of-26 shoot performance (37 percent) overall – Nashville improved to 16-2 overall with the 47-31 win.

01-15-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
DU QUOIN – In a big time game in a big time atmosphere - it took a big time performance to make a difference.
Connor Wheeler stepped up “big time” in the second overtime on Saturday night at home for the Du Quoin Indians.
Wheeler scored all 10 of the Tribe's points in the OT as this senior guard led his ....

01-08-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
CENTRALIA – In a marquee match-up of highly regarded backcourt specialists at the Centralia Shootout on Saturday afternoon – it was one of the overlooked kids that played the key role in giving Flora a come-from-behind victory.
While guards Paul Knapp of Flora and Dawson Verhines of Woodlawn were putting on a show – it was 6-foot senior forward Austin Lewis who provided a ....

01-07-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
CRAB ORCHARD – In a game that defenses were seldom effective – the Crab Orchard Trojans made the most of its one defensive stand.
Holding Hardin County to just four points in the fourth quarter – Coach Jon Browns' club led nearly wire-to-wire in the Greater Egyptian Conference win Friday night, 74-53.
Behind yet another outstanding performance by 6-foot-5 junior center Ben Kissing (41-points, 18-rebounds) and 19-points from junior guard Drew Johnson – the Trojans improved to 14-2 overall ....

01-04-11
BY JACK BULLOCK
NORRIS CITY – Carrier Mills head coach Mark Motsinger called it the “Perfect Storm.”
What started out as a regular season winnable game on the road at NCOE turned into a total nightmare for the Wildcats.
There is cold shooting and then there was the performance by CM on Tuesday night.
The Wildcats connected on just 7-of-50 shots from the field ....

12-30-10
BY JACK BULLOCK
SESSER – For the second time in three years the Woodlawn Cardinals captured the Sesser-Valier Holiday Tournament championship.
And for senior's Dawson Verhines and Josh Wiggs – two out of three ain't bad.
Jumping on the Goreville Blackcats early and never letting up – Woodlawn cruised to a 68-40 win on Thursday night in front of an overflowing crowd at Sesser.
Wiggs and Verhines were key players on the 2008 tournament championship .....

12-29-10
BY JACK BULLOCK
ELDORADO – After going 23-years without an Eldorado Holiday Tournament championship the Harrisburg Bulldogs finally found a way to winners circle on Wednesday night in the title game with long-standing rival Massac County.
Getting some key plays down the stretch from eventual tournament MVP Tyler Smithpeters and a strong defensive stand in the final minute – Harrisburg reigned supreme in .....

12-28-10
BY JACK BULLOCK
PINCKNEYVILLE – The same formula for winning basketball games at Pinckneyville was showcased on Saturday night in the final game of the Duster Thomas “Hoops' Classic” on Tuesday night.
A strong defensive effort to go with the usual rebounding prowess propelled the host Panthers' to the schools' first ever title triumph in the four-year history of the Christmas event.

12-21-10
BY JACK BULLOCK
BREESE – Total domination.
From the opening tap to the final horn – the Wesclin Warriors had no chance on Tuesday night in their match up at Breese Central.
Wesclin – considered by many to be the main threat to unseat the two time defending Cahokia Conference Mississippi Division champs in 2010-11 – put up little .....

12-18-10
BY JACK BULLOCK
WAYNE CITY - The Crab Orchard Trojans will have a chance to defend its 2009 Conrad Allen Wayne City Holiday Tournament championship.
Behind 24-points from guard Drew Johnson along with 18-points from Dylan Hutson and 14 from Ben Kissing – the Trojans remained unbeaten in winning Pool A with a 62-43 triumph over Cisne on Saturday night.
Head coach Jon Brown's club overcame playing without Kissing (foul trouble) for nearly eight minutes in the second half to pull away from the upstart Lions.

12-11-10
BY JACK BULLOCK
HARRISBURG – In a battle of previously unbeaten teams on Saturday – the visitors proved to be rude guests.
Jumping out to a quick early lead – Du Quoin held off every Harrisburg run in the second half to post an impressive 78-68 win over the host Bulldogs at Davenport Gym.
The Indians never trailed in the contest and exploited its inside game with .....

12-07-10
BY JACK BULLOCK
HERRIN – Games don't always turn out pretty but the Murphysboro win at Herrin on Tuesday night in the SIRR Ohio Division opener for both teams is a keeper.
Behind the scoring of Jerrod Gaston (16-points) and a defensive effort that kept the host Tigers at bay – head coach Daryl Murphy's troops improved to 5-0 on the season with a sluggish - but well in hand – 57-37 road win.
Pierre House and Orlando Jarrett added 12 and 10 points respectively as .....

12-04-10
BY JACK BULLOCK
CAMPBELL HILL - The Trico Pioneers showed everyone in attendance on Saturday night in the final game of the Trico Pioneer Invitational Tournament who was clearly the best team in this field.
Chase Heins – the tournaments Most Valuable Player – scored 15-points and grabbed 13-rebounds as the Pioneers remained unbeaten at 5-0 with a resounding 53-30 victory over an over-matched Sparta team that ended its week at 1-4.

12-03-10
BY JACK BULLOCK
OKAWVILLE - Like most good programs – the Woodlawn Cardinals had to replace some departed seniors with new faces in 2010-11.
But it helps when there are a couple of veterans to help show the way to the varsity rookies.
Head coach Shane Witzel turned to his seniors Dawson Verhines and Josh Wiggs .....

11-30-10
BY JACK BULLOCK
GALATIA – On a night where the Galatia Bearcats were determined to stop the inside game of Gallatin County's 6-foot-11 sophomore Andrew Drone – it was the outside game of the Hawks that proved deadly early.
Sophomore guard Daine Hish took full advantage of the Galatia “packed in” zone defense by burying four 3-pointers in the first quarter on the way to a game-high 22-points .....

11-27-10
BY JACK BULLOCK
CHRISTOPHER - Defensively speaking the Wayne City Indians win over Zeigler-Royalton on Saturday night in the title game of the Christopher Turkey Tournament was a gem.
Holding the Tornadoes scoreless in the third quarter while going on a 20-0 run – head coach Russ Gerlach's team completed a 3-0 week in taking home its first CTT title since 1994 with a 46-19 shellacking.

Dear Loyal ABV fans.
It took a couple of extra days but the preview is complete. Click on the Previews link above and enjoy.
There is one conference that is missing - the South Central Conference.
I hope to get to them this coming weekend after I get some sleep.
There will undoubtedly be some mistakes. Names spelled wrong. Kids that decided not to play. Kids that were left out but decided to play.
The human drama at its best.
One writer, nearly 40,000 words. Less that one total week to do it.
In a Grateful Dead song their was a lyric that went "Living on Reds, Vitamin C and Cocaine."
Well I have been "Living on Amp, Vitamin C and Caffeine."
I hope you enjoy it.
Jack