Spartans win Regional title
By Fred Kroner
St. Joseph-Ogden’s boys’ basketball team earned its third consecutive Class 2A regional championship on Friday (Feb. 23) with a 58-41 win at home over Shelbyville. In the last 12 years, SJ-O has won nine regional crowns in boys’ basketball.
Tanner Jacob led the way with 20 points and also bagged four three-point shots. Teammates joining him in double figures were Logan Smith (15 points) and Tanner Siems (10 points).
Smith dished out eight assists for the second straight postseason game. Siems grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.
Coy Taylor posted eight points and five rebounds. Ryker Lockhart scored all of his points on a three-pointer. Collin Thomey contributed two points.
Smith and Taylor also knocked down one three-pointer. Thomey hauled down four rebounds.
SJ-O (26-6) will put its eight-game winning streak on the line on Tuesday (Feb. 27) in the 7 p.m. semifinal game of the Shelbyville Sectional against Flora (19-13).
That winner will take on the survivor of the other semifinal game (on Wednesday, Feb. 28) between Tolono Unity (26-4) and Teutopolis (22-10).
In the final Class 2A state rankings, Unity was ranked ninth and SJ-O was ranked 11th. Neither Flora nor Teutopolis received any votes.
Since St. Joseph and Ogden consolidated in time for the 1963-64 school year, the district has annexed three sectional titles in boys’ basketball: 2007, 2013 and 2016.
