#5 John A. Logan Bounces Back After Loss To Shawnee
Belleville, IL – The top two teams in the Great Rivers Athletic Conference standings squared off last night. John A. Logan, the fifth ranked team in latest NJCAA poll, and the host Southwestern Illinois College, who has been receiving votes in the polls.
Going in, Logan was seated at the top of the GRAC with a record of 6-1, with Southwestern nipping at their heels at 5-1.
It was slow out of the gates for both teams, maybe by design. Both teams averaging over 76 ppg, but patience and defense were the early schemes for each. Logan, started to take control midway thru the first half, but the Blue Storm kept the game within striking distance.
Leading 30-29 with 2:54 left, the Volunteers, scored the last 7 points in the half to stretch their advantage to 37-29 heading into the locker room. That cushion was largely due to their offensive rebounds and put back points, particularly by Cobie Barnes.
SWIC would’ve been in a world of hurt in that first period it it not been for Lamarius Lillards’ performance. Lilliard came off the bench to score 17 of his team’s 29.
In the second half, Logan pressed the lead to double digits five minutes in. From that point, the lead teetered around ten points for the remainder of the game. JALC’s biggest lead was 15 late in the game before settling for the 74-61 victory.
Proud of his team’s poise, HC Kyle Smithpeters offered this, “the word we’ve been putting on the (chalk) board the last few days is resilience…what’s our resilience, and I thought today, through the good and the bad, it was very good.”
For the game, the Vols (17-2, 7-1) out rebounded SWIC 36 to 32, with 14 of those following their own missed shots. Logan also forced twice as many ball handling errors as they committed (17-9).
Paving the way for the Vols was Sean East, who completed play with 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 helpers. Just about average according to his season’s averages. In reserve, Sarion McGee found his way to 16 points and 8 boards. Chairman of the boards with nine, Barnes added 15 points to the cause.
HC Kyle Smithpeters on Barnes, “You’ve always got to appreciate when you challenge a guy to take the job of stopping (Luke Davis) the leagues leading rebounder, averaging a double-double, and do that kind of a job he did on him, and still be that good for us offensively. I thought this was one of Cobie’s (Barnes) most complete games, on both sides of the floor.”
On his teams response to their 10 game winning streak snapped last Wednesday at Shawnee, Smithpeters had this reply, “I think from film on Thursday to today’s (Monday’s) shoot around, is about as locked as I’ve seen our guys since we started the season.”
For the Blue Storm (16-2, 5-2), Lamarius Lillard had game high 17, all coming before the break. Lillard with 5 boards, shared team high rebound with Luke Davis and Jaquias Franklin. Davis ended the game with 12 points. Even in the loss, SWIC remains in second place in the GRAC,1/2 game ahead of Lake Land College.
Logan halts the Blue Storm’s six game victory sweep, and will face Lake Land In Mattoon on Wednesday. SW remains on Jay Harrington Court for their fourth of five straight home games, and will take on Olney Central (Wed.).
