By Fred Kroner
Fourteen days after losing to the same school in the same gymnasium, St. Joseph-Ogden’s boys’ basketball team gained a measure of revenge on Friday (Feb. 25).
In the championship game of the Tolono Unity Class 2A regional tournament, SJ-O upended the Rockets, 58-50.
Unity (19-10) had posted a 23-point win in the previous encounter.
Spartan junior Ty Pence landed a double-double with 23 points and a season-high 16 rebounds. Pence also had four assists.
The double-double was the ninth of the season for Pence and the third in his past four games.
Andrew Beyers collected 14 points and three rebounds.
Evan Ingram, who has returned to the lineup in the postseason following an ankle injury, registered nine points, including a 6-for-6 showing from the free throw line.
Since the calendar turned to 2022, Ingram has made all 24 free throws that he has attempted. For the season, he has dropped in 84.4 percent of his free throws (49-of-58).
Logan Smith totaled seven points, six rebounds and two assists against Unity. Coy Taylor put up five points and three rebounds.
The teams were tied, 11-11, after one period. By halftime, the Spartans had built a 20-16 lead. Their SJ-O margin stood at 36-33 entering the final eight minutes.
SJ-O (23-9) returns to action on Wednesday (March 2) at the Clifton Central Sectional against El Paso/Gridley (27-2). The teams played in the State Farm Classic, in Bloomington, in December and SJ-O dropped a 60-36 decision.
