Spartans earn win at Rantoul

By Fred Kroner

Ty Pence recorded his fifth double-double of the season on Tuesday (Feb. 7) as the St. Joseph-Ogden boys’ basketball team earned a 64-38 win at Rantoul.

Pence had game-high totals of 20 points and 12 rebounds. He also had three assists.

Scoring 10 points apiece for the Spartans were Tanner Jacob and Tanner Siems. Siems also collected five rebounds.

Logan Smith and Maddux Carter both fired in nine points. Smith had six assists and five rebounds.

SJ-O meshed 12 three-pointers in the Illini Prairie Conference contest.

Carter and Pence each hit three shots from beyond the arc. Jacob and Siems had two three-pointers apiece. Smith and Caleb Ochs each sank one three-point attempt.

On Wednesday (Feb. 8), sophomore Collin Thomey tossed in a game-high 18 points, sophomore Siems added 17 points and senior Carter matched that 17-point output as the Spartans raced to a victory at Westville, 90-34.

The Spartans have won nine consecutive games.

The point total was a season-high for SJ-O, which received 10 points, six rebounds and four assists from Pence.

Siems hauled down a game-high seven rebounds.

Jacob recorded nine points and five assists. Smith added seven points and four rebounds.

The Spartans drained 12 three-point shots, including three apiece by Carter and Thomey.

Pence and Siems each made two three-pointers. Hitting one apiece were Jacob and Smith.

SJ-O (23-4) returns to action on Friday (Feb. 10) at home against Tolono Unity. Also on Friday, the 2013 SJ-O team, which placed fourth at state, will be honored following completion of the junior varsity game, which starts at 5:30 p.m.