St. Joseph-Ogden’s Overtime Heartbreak Ends Elite Eight Dream in Class 2A Basketball
By FRED KRONER
St. Joseph-Ogden’s boys’ basketball team finished one win short of reaching the 2024 Elite Eight in Class 2A.
The Spartans, ranked 11th in the final state poll, suffered a 61-55 overtime loss to Teutopolis on Friday (March 1) in the championship game of the Shelbyville Sectional.
The teams were tied, 50-50, after regulation.
Tanner Siems hit a team-high 14 points. Luke Landrus scored 13 points and Coy Taylor added 11 points.
Other point-makers for SJ-O were Logan Smith (nine points) and Tanner Jacob (eight points).
Siems hauled in 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Jacob and Landrus both grabbed four rebounds. Landrus handed out four assists and Smith finished with three assists.
Taylor connected on three three-point shots. Jacob hit two long distance shots. Landrus and Smith both nailed one three-pointer.
The Spartans finished with a 27-7 overall record. Teutopolis has a 24-10 record which includes two wins over SJ-O.
Jacob led the team in scoring in 19 games. Siems was the leader in eight games, Landrus led in six games, Taylor led in two games and Smith led in one game.
The team’s top scorers for the season were Jacob (14.7 average), Siems (11.3 average), Smith (10.1 average), Landrus (9.4 average) and Taylor (9.2 average).
Jacob was the team’s most accurate free throw shooter (76.5 percent). He was followed by Taylor (65.9 percent) and Landrus (64.7 percent).
Jacob had the most three-pointers (78), followed by Taylor (30), Siems (21), Landrus (20) and Logan Lackey (13).
The Spartans’ top individual scoring performances were Taylor (31 points), Smith (29 points), Jacob (27 points), Landrus (22 points) and Siems (20 points). Also scoring in double figures were Ryker Lockhart (12 points) and Collin Thomey (12 points).
The leading rebounders were Siems (5.7 average), Landrus (4.1 average), Smith (3.8 average) and Taylor (3.1 average).
The seniors on coach Kiel Duval’s team were Jacob, Landrus and Smith. Six of the team’s 15 roster members were sophomores, including Lockhart.
SJ-O had a nine-game winning streak snapped by Teutopolis. Four of the Spartans’ final 14 games required overtime.
