Journal Gazette from Mattoon, Illinois • Page 7

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 201 1 SICTION I ILUNI GET READY FOR ST. BONAVENTURE Visitors bring star guard that figures to be big test tor unbeaten Mini. B4 COME BACK TOMORROW A look at area boys basketball scoring leaders 0X0. Newton upends Charleston Sparks' 3 -pointers spark Green Wave to victory ft ond-half turnovers with only two turnovers in the fourth quarter. Bloomington committed seven second-half turnovers, but the Raiders committed four of their seven second-half turnovers in the fourth quarter.

"I thought we played really well the second half," Smith said. "We did a lot of things well defensively and rebounding. We were iffy there when the pressure came, but that's one of the better halves of basketball we've played this year." Mattoon outrebounded Bloomington 12-9 in the second half, and Mattoon held Bloomington to 5-for-19 shooting (26.3 percent) the second half. "Solid team play from everyone," Sparks said. "Everyone worked hard.

We switched ball screens the second half) and that limited openings." The final 88 seconds, the Mattoon defense was particularly limiting. Bloomington went up 44-43 with 1 :28 to play, but two layups from White in the next 40 seconds gave the Green Wave a 47-44 lead they never relinquished. "He did pretty good rebounding the second half and fighting for spots, and with fighting for spots comes baskets," Sparks said Mattoon improves to 2-4 overall and 1-1 in the Big 12 heading into a conference game Friday at Champaign Centennial. Bloomington drops to 0-7 overall and 0-4 in the Big 12. Mattoon played without Grant Speer who dislocated a knee in Monday's practice.

Smith said he expects Speer to miss the next month. MHS (2 4, 1 1) 5 13 11 23 52 BHS 15 7 13 44 MATTOON (52): Gates 00, Miller 2-0A Harttank 13 5, Pilson 4-4-12, Sparks 3 3 12; Heller 2-0-4; Hutchinson 2 15, White 4-0-1. Team totals: II 52. BLOOMINGTON (44): Donnelly 2 7 11, Pittman fr2 2. Stevens 00, Sims 1-0 2, Rose 4-0-11; Mantis 39; Romani 12 4, Beasley 11 Scoggins 113; Funk 00.

Team totals: 13 12 44 3 point field goals: MHS 5 (Sparks 3. Miller 2), BHS 6 (Rose 3, Mardis 3) Turnovers: MHS BHS 21. Rebounds: MHS 24 (Heller 6, Pilson 5), BHS 20 (Donnelly 7, Mike EstellFbr trie JG-TC Charleston's Zach Steidl drives through two Newton defenders Tuesday night In Charleston's high school basketball game against the visiting Eagles at Baker Gym. Stone 9-0-18; Knepper 1-1-4: Huston 0-0-0 CHARLESTON: Hellman 1-0-2; Bartlett 1-0-2; Steidl 7-2-20; Miller 4-0-8; Miller 1-0-2; Bell 8-0-16; Sheppard 2-2-6 JV Trojans win Jordan Hellman hit a 3-point in each quarter and totaled 18 points in Charleston's 60-55 junior varsity win over Newton. Robbie Miller added 12 points for the JV Trojans, who are 1-1.

Newton 13 17 15 SS Charleston 15 14 30 11 60 CHARLESTON: Cailey 31 Gowin 1-0-J; Hellman Miller 3-5-11 Martin 2-4-8; Black 1-0-fc Brown 1-0-2; Wilson 3 0 4, Thomas 12. Totals 22 10-60 3 point goals: Cazley, Hellman 4, Miller. Contact Brian Nielsen at or 238-6856. run to take a 24-14 lead two minutes into the second quarter. But the Trojans had two straight turnovers and Newton three straight baskets to close the gap and eventually tied the game 1:06 before half-time on Dylan Johnson's two free throws.

Bell drove past Newton's full-court press to regain Charleston's lead temporarily but Dylan Davidson tied it again and then with Ethan Miller on the bench Wyatt drove the baseline for a basket putting Newton ahead 36-34 at halftime. Charleston has another Apollo game Friday at Olney. Newton 11 25 16 5 -68 Charleston 17 17 19 4-67 NEWTON: Mammoser 5-2-12; Davidson 4-0-8; Johnson 3-2-8; Hyatt 04-0; Wyatt 7-4-21; Last second shot lifts Eagles in overtime in Apollo game BY BRIAN NIELSEN JQTK Sports Editor CHARLESTON Hitting a 15-footer with six seconds remaining, Indiana State recruit T.J. Bell seemingly had a game-winner with Sycamores assistant coach Marcus Belcher watching. More importantly, Charleston's senior forward had the Trojans on the verge of a second straight close win in overtime while Newton was about to lose a second straight close game.

But Newton still had a timeout with S.4 seconds to go. "I just wanted to make something happen," Newton's senior guard Peyton Wyatt said. "He made a big shot and it was our turn." So Wyatt got the ball in the back court drove inside the 3-point arc and hit a shot at the buzzer giving Newton a 68-67 Apollo Conference boys basketball win at Baker Gym. "Like I told the kids, Paris could have made a shot too," said coach Trevor Doughty whose Trojans had won a double-overtime game at Paris. "We did a lot of things right on that play.

T.J. came out to help and he had to shoot over him and he made a great shot. You have to give him credit and them credit." Wyatt finished with 21 points and Lucas Stone added 18 for Newton, which improved to 6-1 overall and 1-1 in the Apollo. Zach Steidl scored 20 points and Bell had 16 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots for Charleston, which fell to 2-4 and 1-1. "It was a good game, Doughty said.

"I'm not saying we played perfect but we played a good game." Newton had the chance to win in regulation when T. J. Bell was called for a foul while Charleston coach Trevor Doughty was shouting for a traveling call with three seconds on the clock. Doughty then called a timeout trying to ice Newton's Eli- EIU's Miller leery of Division II visitor BY BRIAN NIELSEN JQftC Sports Edtor CHARLESTON -Before you chalk up the automatic win for an Eastern Illinois team already through the supposed tough part of this home stand, Mike Miller sounds his warning. "We've seen it happen the EIU men's basketball coach said "Arizona got beat by a non-Division I team that shot ss.

Butler got beat in an exhtV -bition game like that, Now Oakland City, an NCAA Division II program that also has been to 14 national tournaments in its -n nainuai uuouaa tvucguua a Athltta Ascnriatinn la ing to poll an upset today at Lantz Arena in a 7 p.m. game, that counts on each team's reconL ts w-4m 's-iuvj- Oakland City, 4-3, brings that S-point potential having made 68 of 180 from behind the arc so far compared to 5-2 Eastern's 40-for-122 In the same number of games. Plus, this is not the Indiana private school team's first venture into Division I territory this season having already lost games to EvansviUe and This team that ve're lay-ir- won trr 23 list ss.il V.s r-t we're flzyirj a i th jah Knepper, who missed the first of the two free throws. Doughty called another timeout, Knepper missed another free throw, Bell rebounded and Doughty called another timeout with two seconds remaining. When Truston Winnett missed a shot from beyond half court, the game went overtime.

Charleston went on a 19-5 BY ERIK HALL For the JGT-C BLOOMINGTON Mat-toon's boys basketball team never led Tuesday against Bloomington until a pair of 3-pointers from the top of the key by junior guard Ryan Sparks that started the fourth quarter. Sparks put the Green Wave ahead by one with a 3-pointer just seven seconds into the final quarter on a play drawn for him. He then gave Mattoon a four-point lead on his team's second possession when junior forward Michael White grabbed an offensive rebound and kicked the ball out to a waiting Sparks. "I was pretty pumped," Sparks said. "We had the momentum, and we just kept it going." Mattoon rode that momentum to a 52-44 Big 12 Conference victory at Bloomington.

Sparks scored eight points the fourth quarter to finish with a game-high 12 points. Sophomore teammate Jared Pilson matched Sparks with 12 points. "He knocked them down," said Mattoon coach Bryan Smith of Sparks' 3-pointers. "He's a hard-nosed kid. He's a competitor.

He wants to win. He wants to do anything it takes to win, and you need guys like that on your team to compete, regardless of what the score is." Sparks was instrumental in Mattoon fixing its biggest ailment of the first half, which was committing 14 turnovers. Both teams struggled to possess the ball the first half. Mattoon and Bloomington each had 14 first-half turnovers for a combined 28 turnovers in 16 minutes. Bloomington managed to look slightly better and led 22-18 at halftime.

A 3-pointer by Bloomington sophomore Brady Rose with 1 minute, 11 seconds left until halftime put Bloomington up 22-18. It also ended an 8-0 Green Wave run. "We didn't' start off too hot, but we got it going the second half," Sparks said. "We just limited turnovers." Mattoon had only five sec DINO BABERS RESUME Hawaii, graduate assistant. 1984.

jW Arizona State, graduate assistant, 1985, Eastern ympftin, running backs, 1987. UNLV, special teams, run-' ning backs, 1988-89. Northern Arizona, special teams, 1990. 'v. Purdue, wide receivers, 1991-93.

San Diet State, wide receivers, 1994. 1 Arizona, wide special teams. "The (opposing) team will break down. TCU cramped up in the fourth quarter. Oklahoma cramped up in the fourth quarter.

Texas cramped up in the fourth quartec" -i With that same philosophy that has oiarterback Robert Griffin a Heisman Trophy candidate for a Baylor team ta a major bowl Babers Is not planning to put too much stock into punting. i "Special teams Babers said repeating a ques-T tton. "Simple. Sometimes toe much practice time Isputoa special teams and this com- 1 ing from a special teams coach. Have you seen bow many times we've punted this year I think it's something Lke 23.

Pm not sure but it's something Lke that There are games we dont even punt Babers offers EIU a fast-paced offense OAKLAND CITY (4-3) AT EASTERN (5-2) today at Lantz Arena in Charleston fi Internet only: www.eiuodyssey.com -'w. i Probable Oakland City starters: forwards-Billy Newton, $-5 so. (4.7 points, 3.7 rebounds per game: Yancey Duckett, so. (2.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg); guards-Mitch Stahl, 6-5 jr. (14.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg); Cameron LeFear, 6-3 so.

13.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg); Maurice Fuller, 6-3, fr. (14.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg), i "I Probable Eastern Illinois starters: forwards Alfonzo McK-binie, 6-7 so. (12.4 points, 7.7 rebounds per game); Zavier Sanders, 64 sr. (6.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg); guards Jeremy Granger, 6-1 r. (18.1 ppg; 4.3 rpg); Joey Miller, 6-3, fr.

(10.9 ppg, 1,7 rpg); LCv Doss, 6-2 sr. (6.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg) Notes: Eastern Illinois has won eight of nine meetings with Oakland City, the last a 117-57 game in 1990. Oakland City's win was 36-30 in 1937. now faces three straight road games starting with a 7 p.m. Saturday game at Western Illinois.

The next home game is the Panthers' Ohio VaUeyj See WAVE, B2 running backs, quarterbacks, 1995-97. a Arizona, off ensive coordinator, Qiaxterbacks, 1998-2000. Texas off ensive coordinator, quarterbacks, 2001-02. Pittsburgh, running backs, 2003. UCLA, assistant head coach, running backs, wide -receivers, 2004-07.

Baylor, recruiting coordinator, wide receivers, 2008. Baylor, special teams coor dinator, wide receivers, 2009- so why spend too much time practicing it Now the kkkoff teams, we are going to be doing that a Jot" In accordance with bis fast-, paced offensive philosophy, Babers talked of conditioning -but spoke of nutrition, hydra-. tion and rest more than ding off-season workouts." "You're basically going to be sprinters running the marathon," be said. u- With mmerous EIU players to the audience that also fi Included football parents, i assistant coaches from the past EIU teams, media and fans, Babers looked at players when talking of bow he would deal with players. "I didnt want a coach touching me so I won't touch you," be said.

"I deal believe BY BRIAN NIELSEN JGTC Sports Editor CHARLESTON Get ready for a fast-paced offense if Dino Babers is the next Eastern Illinois football coach. The receiversspecial teams coach for a 9-3 Alamo Bowl-bound Baylor team in his public interview session for the EIU football job said that while he may have an offensive coordinator in name and assistants suggesting plays, he would be the one making the crucial play calls offensively. With experience that includes being offensive coordinator at Arizona and Texas and offensive position coaches at his current school as well as UCLA, Pittsburgh and Purdue, why not? It wouldn't be wise not to use that experience," Babers said. v'-5 trtr So the last of four scheduled finalists interviewing on campus got in Ids plug not hesitating on what be would like to bring to Eastern offen- sively. "Upbeat, fast Babers said.

"Have you seen Baylor play? That's how we're going to play. You have to get nutrition, you have to -get sleep at night and you have to go to class. We'll have 150 plays In practice and practice is an hour and a half. And that doesn't include 2000-01. But wins over NCAA Division I America East visitors Maine and Stony Brook making EIU 4-0 at home so far this season are not enough for Mike Miller to see reason for complacency going into this game against nis second non-Division I foe.

"You know what, I think we know we have to get better," the EIU coach said. "We've played good schedule that fits our team's needs and i given us different expert-i i ences. I can say right now I think we've gotten something -out of every i i "We came back because of the afternoon on Saturday, i $-tin they had the rest of the day off and then Sunday they bad almost 48 hours off. We came back and got after it pretty good. I feel like we've slipped.

in some areas lately because we haven't been able to have many practices. It took a -while but I think we got it We need to get better. 'e need to build depth, we need to do a Cm C. 4 can't play basketball "They play a five-man motion, maybe not a lot of post up but multiple, multiple screening motions. They've shot 180 3s in severi games.

They made 13 3s in their last game They're shooting 38 percent from 3. As a team they're shooting a pretty good Eastern has gone about. things differently outscoring its opponents by 31 points from the free-throw line with" nearly as many foul shots made, 120, as its opponents V(, have attempted, 127. Jeremy Granger is having t' an All-Ohio Valley Conference -type of early season averag-1 ing 18.7 points and 4.3 assists per game while making 33 of 36 free throws, Alfonzo McK-v i innie has made one of the league's biggest freshman-to-6 sophomore season leaps averaging 12.4 points and 7.7 rebounds and Charleston's Joey Kilkr is as one of the CVCs trp fresh- men tvert-'r 13.9 rcir.fs 5 be: i 3 -1 Bhv the IV.r.ihcrs to. the 5 2 start since.