SATURDAY PREPS: Defensive Tribe Holds Back Herrin

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ The Du Quoin High School Boys Basketball team ushered in the New Year with a victory Saturday night.

Granted, it wasn't the prettiest win ever, but it still goes on the positive side of the Tribe's ledger.

Du Quoin built a 13-point third quarter lead and then held off a late Herrin rally, winning 45-37 in Memorial Gymnasium.

Now 8-5, the Indians host Anna-Jonesboro Friday.

The host Tigers fell to 2-13. All but a handful of their losses have been by more than five points.

"By no means was this a perfect display of basketball," Du Quoin coach Mike Crews admitted. "But we held things together down the stretch and were able to come away with the victory. We'll certainly that take and hope to build off it."

Minus starting center and leading rebounder Dalton Morgan-who could be out several more weeks with a severe ankle sprain-the Indians went ahead for good on A.J. Hill's baseline jumper 38 seconds into the second quarter.

Du Quoin led 18-17 late in the period when J.C. Davis came off the bench to score the final five points of the half. The sophomore nailed a mid-range runners and followed that with a long three-pointer as the Indians forged ahead 23-17.

Ahead 24-18, Du Quoin stretched its margin to 10 just two minutes in the third quarter. Jamor Reed swished a three and Marcus Clarry nailed a fall-away jumper over 6'8 Herrin center Alex Brown to open the lead.

Another three ball by Clarry, this with 95 seconds remaining, pushed Du Quoin ahead 35-24. Seth Flint's rebound hoop opened the largest Indian advantage, 37-24, as the period closed.

Herrin started the final frame on an 8-0 run, pulling as close as 37-32 with 5:21 left. The Tigers-despite holding Du Quoin without a field goal the entire quarter-would get no closer.

A scoring drought for both teams-which featured a flurry of turnovers on each side-finally ended when Reed hit two free tosses with 1:33 left. In between, Du Quoin milked nearly three minutes off the clock in its spread offense.

"Maybe we played things a little conservative," Crews said. "But we weren't going to let that lead go back and forth. And if that meant putting up a shot just so we'd have a field goal or two, that wasn't going to be our deal."

Clarry and Hill shared game-high honors with 12 points. Reed finished with nine points, seven steals and five assists.

Matt Gossett, in foul trouble most of the game, added five points and six rebounds.

Flint ended with just two points, but again was a defensive whiz.

Despite giving up six inches in height to Brown, Flint kept the Herrin big man in check. He had four steals, drew two charging fouls and deflected several entry passes bound for Brown.

"Seth's probably been one of our most consistent players all season long," Crews said of the 6'3 senior. "Seth and the kids behind him did an outstanding job on Brown. He did a great job of battling and keeping the ball out of the post."

Greg Guebert topped Herrin with 10 points. Brown finished with eight points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots.

In the fourth quarter, the Indians sank 8-of-12 foul tosses.

JAYVEES STAY PERFECT

Du Quoin's 5-0 at the junior varsity level, defeating Herrin 76-67 in Saturday night's preliminary game.

David Rose topped all scorers with 25 points and was one of four young Indians to reach double figures.

Davis added 20 points with Logan Schneider netting 13. Cody Rose scored 12.

Back-to-back three-pointers from Davis ended Herrin's comeback hopes midway through the final period. During the fourth quarter, Davis scored 12 of his points.

Varsity

Du Quoin 45, Herrin 37

Du Quoin (8-5): Flint 1 0-2 0, Hill 4 (1) 5-6 12, Gossett 2 (1) 0-2 5, Clarry 4 (2) 2-3 12, Reed 2 (1) 4-4 9, Youngman 0 0-0 0, Davis 2 (1) 0-0 5, D. Rose 0 0-0 0. Total 14 (6) 11-17 45.

Herrin (2-13): Mallow 4 0-0 8, Guebert 4 (1) 1-2 10, Brown 4 0-0 8, Gottberg 0 0-0 0, Jones 1 0-0 2, Curran 0 0-0 0, Benjamin 1 0-0 2, Thompson 1 0-0 2, Harris 1 0-0 2, Frattini (1) 0-0 3. Total 17 (2) 1-2 37.

Du Quoin 11 12 14 8-45

Herrin 11 6 7 13-37

Three-pointers: Du Quoin 6 (Hill, Gossett, Clarry 2, Reed, Davis).

Herrin 2 (Frattini, Guebert). Team fouls: Du Quoin 9, Herrin 14.

Junior Varsity

Du Quoin 76, Herrin 67

Du Quoin (5-0): C. Rose 12, D. Rose 25, Davis 20, Schneider 13, Baxter 4, S. Gossett 0, Carson 2, Bigham 0, Williams 0.

Du Quoin 19 16 13 28-76

Herrin 13 9 21 24-67

Three-pointers: Du Quoin 2 (Davis 2).