Spartans advance to IHSA Sectional finals, SJO, Heritage and Oakwood boys’ basketball pick up wins
By FRED KRONER
fred@sjodaily.com
A slow start didn’t translate into a slow finish on Monday for the state-ranked St. Joseph-Ogden girls’ basketball team.
Playing the host school in the Class 2A sectional semifinals at Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley, SJ-O trailed 9-0 before Hannah Dukeman’s perimeter prowess got the Spartans rolling and on their way to a 54-31 sectional semifinal triumph.
Dukeman nailed two three-point shots in the opening quarter and hit eight of her 12 points in the stanza as SJ-O pulled into a 12-12 tie after one quarter.
SJ-O (26-4) grabbed a 27-23 lead at halftime and then outscored the Falcons (24-6) 26-15 during the final two frames.
Bree Trimble led SJ-O with 16 points. Maclayne Taylor had 14 and Peyton Crowe added eight.
The Spartans, who have won 13 games in a row, face Watseka in Thursday’s 7 p.m. sectional championship game. The winner will advance into the Elite Eight and a berth in the super-sectional on Monday at Pontiac.
Watseka edged Bismarck-Henning/Rosssville-Alvin in Monday’s other sectional contest, 45-39.
Boys’ basketball
St. Joseph-Ogden
Jack Cook’s ninth 20-point game of the season propelled the Spartan (19-8) to a come-from-behind 44-37 non-conference win on Tuesday at Paxton-Buckley-Loda. PBL is 17-9.
The Spartans trailed, 9-8, after one quarter, but had secured a lead, 16-13, at halftime.
PBL was within a 35-34 count with 3 minutes, 10 second remaining before SJ-O scored nine of the game’s last 12 points to secure the win.
Cook totaled 22 points. Joel Orcutt had 10 points along with five rebounds.
Chance Izard led SJ-O with seven rebounds. Keanen Swanson contributed five rebounds and three assists.
The Spartans return to action on Friday at home against Bloomington Central Catholic.
Oakwood
Led by a season-high 16 points from Noah Ruch, Oakwood (18-9) registered a 50-39 win on Tuesday at Georgetown-Ridge Farm (8-18).
The Comets, 11-1 in Vermilion Valley Conference games, doubled the score at halftime, building a 23-11 lead.
Trevan Garrett scored 11 points and Bryce Jones contributed nine points.
The Comets return to action on Friday at home against Schlarman Academy.
Villa Grove/Heritage
Behind the strength of three double-digit scorers, Villa Grove/Heritage (21-7) clinched no worse than a share of the Little Okaw Valley Conference Southeast Division title on Tuesday with an overtime 66-63 win at Cumberland.
VG/Heritage trailed 32-25 at halftime and 42-36 entering the final period.
The teams were tied, 54-54, after regulation.
Jared Stevens hit a game-high 21 points for the Hawks. Evan Wilson scored 16 points and Will Wilson added 12 points.
VG/Heritage returns to action on Friday at home against Martinsville.
