Mt. Vernon Register-News

Sports

December 3, 2009

Cardinals bounce back at Okawville

OKAWVILLE — With a little more than 24 hours to stew over its first loss, the Woodlawn High School boys basketball team bounced back Thursday night, blasting Marissa 63-40 in the Okawville Invitational’s third-place game.

Casey Hammond and Josh Wiggs, who both struggled in Wednesday’s loss to New Athens, were ready from the get-go Thursday, combining for 34 points.

Hammond, who made just one 3-point shot Wednesday, bounced back with four treys and a game-high 18 points. Wiggs, who fouled out early and sat out a good part of Wednesday’s proceedings, put up 16.

“We did a much better job against the zone,” WHS coach Shane Witzel said. “We attacked it and didn’t try to force shots as we did Wednesday night. We were much more patient and controlled, and we distributed the ball better.”

Wiggs, who didn’t miss a shot in seven field-goal attempts, had seven first-quarter points as the Cardinals (2-1) built as 15-8 lead at the first stop.

Hammond (seven points) and Wiggs (five) did all the second-period scoring for WHS, which led 28-22 at halftime.

Woodlawn then resorted to the 3-pointer in the third quarter. Hammond knocked down three — he was 4 of 7 from beyojdn the arc — and Kirk Dunbar added a long-range shot, part of a 22-10 Cardinals domination that gave them a 50-32 command heading into the fourth frame.

Dunbar added 11 points, A.J. Webb 10 for the Cardinals.

Witzel thought his team was carrying too much weight on its shoulders, coming off last year’s 30-2 Class 1A runnerup campaign.

“We were playing with too much pressure,” Witzel said. “You can’t plan your whole season around a return run to Peoria. I thought the kids were playing with that on their backs.”

The Cardinals will play their annual Jefferson County rivalry contest against visiting Waltonville Tuesday night at Sides Gymnasium.

Okawville Invitational

3rd-place game

Woodlawn 63, Marissa 40

Marissa 8 14 10 8—40

Woodlawn 15 12 22 13—63

MARISSA (1-2)

Smith 3 1-1 8, Tabor 1 1-2 4, Sinn 1 0-0 3, Fullerton 1 1-3 3, Lloyd 3 0-0 6, Martin 2 0-0 5, Burton 1 2-5 4, Galle 3 0-0 7. Totals 15 5-11 40

WOODLAWN (2-1)

Hammond 7 0-0 18, Wiggs 7 2-5 16, Dunbar 4 1-1 11, McNeil 2 0-0 4, Johnson 2 0-0 4, Webb 2 4-6 10. Totals 24 7-12 63

3-point goals — Marissa 5 (Smith, Tabor, Sinn, Martin, Galle). Woodlawn 8 (Hammond 4, Dunbar 2, Webb 2). Total fouls — Marissa 18, Woodlawn 16.

—John Roark

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