Panthers win Hoopeston Area Regional Tournament

By Fred Kroner

St. Joseph Junior High’s eighth-grade boys’ basketball team won the championship game of the IESA Class 3A Hoopeston Area Regional tournament on Thursday (Feb. 2), overpowering third-seeded Oakwood, 38-28.

Tyler Hess led the way with 14 points. Cam Wagner added nine points.

To reach the finals, the top-seeded Panthers topped fifth-seeded Watseka, 40-17, in the semifinals and eighth-seeded Hoopeston Area, 66-11, in the quarterfinals.

Against Watseka, Cam Wagner hit a team-high 16 points. Adding six points apiece were Nolan Franzen and Tyler Hess.

Against Hoopeston, Franzen led the way with 15 points. Finishing with eight points apiece were Cameron Kuchenbrod and Tripp Palmer.

St. Joseph finished the regular season with a 42-7 win at home over Paxton and a 46-39 loss at Charleston.

Against Paxton, Wagner had 14 points and Franzen totaled 12.

Against Charleston, Wagner netted 12 points and Finnegan Miller scored eight points.

St. Joseph has a 22-4 overall record.