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 club to an 81-76 win over previously undefeated Trico in front of a packed house at Ander's Gymnasium.

Wheeler – a 6-foot-1 guard – nailed a 3-pointer to open the scoring in the second extra session and added another drive to the basket along with 5-of-6 free throws to push the DQ record to 13-2 on the season.

Wheeler finished with 24-points to top the Indians scoring while teammates James Williams (19) J.C. Davis (14) and Sam Gossett (12) all hit for double-figures in the high-scoring contest.

“The defense was good on both ends but both teams were hitting big shots, tough shots,” said Du Quoin head coach Sveda. “Both teams left everything on the floor. I would say everybody is proud of both teams tonight.”

Trico – who fell to 16-1 on the season – had opportunities to win the game in the first overtime but couldn't keep the Indians down.

Taylor Pyatt hit a pair of late free throws to give the Pioneers a 71-68 lead with :24.4 remaining.

But Du Quoin guard J.C. Davis nailed a 3-pointer from the left wing to send the game to the second overtime where Wheeler took over.

“We hadn't been down double-digits this season and on the road against a very good team we could have folded our tents but we didn't, we battled,” said Trico head coach Shane Hawkins. “We put ourselves in position to win but we didn't execute down the stretch.”

Du Quoin led the whole game until the first overtime in part because of its long range accuracy.

Coach Gabe Sveda's team hit 13-of-23 3-point attempts on the night – many of which were in closely guarded situations.

“Those guards (Davis and Wheeler) are so good and then James Williams steps out and hits 3's and Aaron Smith hits 3's,” added Coach Hawkins. “That is what it took to beat us. Tonight our guys understand that we are pretty good now. I don't know what they were (from the field) but that kind of performance is what it took. Hopefully we can learn from it.”

Chase Heins – Trico's 6-foot-6 junior power forward - muscled his way to 29-points to lead all scorers while teammate 6-foot senior guard Jesse Smith added 24.

Dylan Witthoft chipped in 17-points for the Pioneers.

Falling behind early in the contest – Trico could have given up but the Pioneers rallied.

Nearly everyone in uniform got in the scoring act in the first half for Du Quoin.

Smith stepped off the bench and hit a pair of big 3-point shots and John Galik finished a fast break with a lay in for a 40-32 lead.

Trailing 40-33 at the half – Trico saw Du Quoin go on an 8-0 run midway through the third quarter to take full command.

After a Wheeler 3-pointer with 1:31 remaining in the third quarter – DQ led 57-43.

However Trico scored the final six points of the stanza and trailed by just eight points heading to the fourth.

Heins scored twice on drives to the basket and Smith scored on a short bank shot to cut the Indians advantage to 57-49.

But one of the problems that Trico had on the night was failure to take advantage of foul line opportunities.

The Pioneers were just 19-of-30 from the line and missed four key free throws during a 19-5 run that tied the game at 62-all.

Trico's comeback was powered on the defensive end of the floor in the fourth quarter where they held Du Quoin to just 1-of-10 shooting from the floor.

Smith converted a conventional three-point play after corralling his own missed shot to score while being fouled by Smith.

His made free throw cut the Pioneers' deficit to 59-56 with 6:17 to go.

DQ appeared to be headed for a regulation victory after a pair of free throws by Williams pushed the lead to 62-58 with 1:14 to go.

But a pair of Heins' baskets sandwiched around a Davis missed free throw sent the game to the first extra period.

Du Quoin finished 28-of-64 from the field in the shootout while Trico knocked down 27-of-56 shots (48 percent).

The Pioneers held a slight 33-32 rebounding edge while DQ won the turnover battle by committing just 11 miscues compared to Trico's 16.

“We hadn't talked about going undefeated. We talked about winning championships and that is the way that we have approached it. I thought our guys have handled it (being undefeated) pretty well this year,” added Coach Hawkins. “It is new to us (Trico) being 16-0 and beating the people that we have beat but I think as a team I thought our players have done an unbelievable job of not worrying about it. It was one game at a time.”

Both teams head back into action next week at the Pool Play Sparta Mid-Winter Classic. Being in opposite Pools – DQ and Trico could meet again next Saturday.

“They (Trico) are a tremendous team and their coaches do a good job,” added Coach Sveda. “Our kids, our seniors stepped up and our bench stepped up.”

Trico (76) – Froemling 0 0 0-0 0, Witthoft 3 3 2-2 17, Thies 1 0 0-0 2, Smith 7 0 10-12 24, Heller 0 0 0-0 0, Pyatt 0 0 2-4 2, Coleman 0 0 2-4 2, Heins 13 0 3-8 29.
2FG-24, 3FG-3, FT-19-30, PF-20.
Du Quoin (81) - Davis 1 4 0-1 14, Smith 0 2 0-2 6, Galik 1 0 0-0 2, Wheeler 4 3 7-8 24, Gossett 4 1 1-3 12, J. Williams 3 3 4-7 19, B. Williams 2 0 0-0 4, McDicken 0 0 0-0 0, Boss 0 0 0-0 0.
2FG-15, 3FG-13, FT-12-21, PF-26.
Fouled Out – Gossett, J. Williams - Du Quoin.
Technical Fouls – None.