Prep Hoops Notebook: Something For Everyone
There was the first course that was the Thanksgiving Tournaments, which aptly followed what many would consider the main course being all the annual Christmas Tournaments. Now, in the new year, it’s time to push yourself back up to the table and take in a third helping of hoops.
Starting Saturday, the Lady Eagle Mid-Winter Tournament kicks off at Duff-Kingston Gymnasium. The week long tournament includes last year’s winner Benton and runner up Harrisburg, along with Anna-Jonesboro, Carmi-White County, Goreville, Fairfield, Mt. Carmel and Vienna.
Benton, who is in the tournament for a second straight season, looks to repeat as champs and has returning MVP Ally Gischer as well.
On Saturday, the West Frankfort Mid-Winter Tournament kicks off at Max Morris Gymnasium and will feature the host Redbirds and Eldorado, along with Anna-Jonesboro, Cairo, Carterville, Christopher, Herrin and Marion.
Herrin won the Mid-Winter last season and knocked off West Frankfort in the championship game with Dalton Bush taking home MVP honors.
Eldorado, which won the Vienna Classic in November and capped off an amazing run through their own EHT with a win over Herrin in the championship game, will go for their third straight tournament title.
The Eagles soared up the Associated Press ranks, moving up four spots from No. 10 to No. 6 this week and haven’t won the Mid-Winter Tournament since 2007.
Finally, the Carmi-White County Invitational Tournament starts Monday and features Carmi and Harrisburg, along with Fairfield, Mt. Carmel and Mt. Vernon, Ind.
Mt. Carmel 6-foot-9 senior center Justin Carpenter, who will play his college ball at Southeast Missouri State, was named MVP of the CWCIT last season. Carpenter is averaging 15.5 points per game for the Aces, while 6-foot-7 junior forward Jackson Marcotte is leading the way at 18 points per game for Tyler Buss and Mt. Carmel.
<strong>Heating Up</strong>
The weather outside might be getting colder, but apparently Mother Nature is not taking her toll on area basketball players.
Plenty of local scoring records fell by the wayside as we embark on 2017.
On Monday night, Harrisburg’s Jessica Hopson tied the school’s 3-point record with a made seven trifectas in the Bulldogs’ win over Meridian. Hopson tied former players Ashley Ferrell and Alexa Burtis as the only three to make seven 3-pointers in a game.
Gallatin County’s Seth Ramsey set a school record, pouring in 48 points in the Hawks’ win at Pope County Friday and earlier in the week, West Frankfort’s Morgan Griffith set a school individual game record, dropping 61 points in a 90-64 win at Eldorado.
Murphysboro’s Mikaya Brasel overtook former Red Devil Jasmine Frazier as the top spot, as she had 22 points in a 52-35 win over Pinckneyville. Brasel finished the night with 1,384 career points, one more than Frazier.
Another Red Devil scoring record went down last week, this one coming for Sesser-Valier-Waltonville.
Senior Jaylin Hayley scored 24 points at Vienna to move past Emmalee Metcalf and become SVW’s all-time leading scorer with 1158 points. The win gave head coach Rick Metcalf his 550th career win and after moving to 17-0 on the season, the Red Devils found themselves in the Associated Press girls’ basketball poll at No. 8 this week.
<strong>On Tap</strong>
Harrisburg has just one game on the schedule this weekend, playing host to Herrin on Friday night at Davenport Gymnasium.
Harrisburg junior guard Isaiah Saulsberry needs just six points to become the school’s sixthteen 1,000th point scorer.
Eldorado plays host to Edwards County Friday night in a quarterfinal rematch from the EHT, a game the Eagles won 56-49. On Saturday, Eldorado makes the short drive to NCOE.
Carrier Mills-Stonefort travels to Thompsonville Friday, while Galatia is at Crab Orachrd.
On Saturday, Gallatin County will play host to Elverado.
<em>Michael Dann covers prep and college sports for the Harrisburg Daily Register and Eldorado Daily Journal. Follow him on Twitter: @spydieshooter.</em>
Area Mid-Winter Touranments
<p><strong>Carmi-White County Invitational Tournament</strong><br />Monday, Jan. 16<br />Mt. Vernon, Ind. vs. Harrisburg 6 PM<br />Mt. Carmel vs. Fairfield 7:30 PM<br />Tuesday, Jan. 17<br />Harrisburg vs. Mt. Carmel 6 PM<br />Carmi vs. Mt. Vernon, Ind. 7:30 PM<br />Thursday, Jan. 19<br />Fairfield vs. Mt. Vernon, Ind. 6 PM<br />Carmi vs. Harrisburg 7:30 PM<br />Friday, Jan. 20<br />Mt. Vernon, Ind. vs. Mt. Carmel 6 PM<br />Carmi vs. Fairfield 7:30 PM<br />Saturday, Jan. 21<br />Fairfield vs. Harrisburg 6 PM<br />Carmi vs. Mt. Carmel 7:30 PM<br /><br /><strong>West Frankfort Mid-Winter Tournament</strong><br />Pool 1: Anna-Jonesboro, Cairo, Herrin, Marion<br />Pool 2: Carterville, Christopher, Eldorado, West Frankfort<br />Saturday, Jan. 14<br />Cairo vs. Marion 6:30 PM<br />Monday, Jan. 16<br />Anna-Jonesboro vs. Herrin 5:30 PM<br />Eldorado vs. Carterville 7 PM<br />West Frankfort vs. Christopher 8:30 PM<br />Tuesday, Jan. 17<br />Christopher vs. Eldorado 8:30 PM<br />Wednesday, Jan. 18<br />Marion vs. Anna-Jonesboro 5:30 PM<br />Herrin vs. Cairo 7 PM<br />West Frankfort vs. Carterville 8:30 PM<br />Thursday, Jan. 19<br />Cairo vs. Anna-Jonesboro 8:30 PM<br />Friday, Jan. 20<br />Carterville vs. Christopher 5:30 PM<br />West Frankfort vs. Eldorado 7 PM<br />Herrin vs. Marion 8:30 PM<br />Saturday, Jan. 21<br />4th Place Pool 1 vs. 4th Place Pool 2 3:30 PM<br />3rd Place Pool 1 vs. 3rd Place Pool 5 PM<br />2nd Place Pool 1 vs. 2nd Place Pool 6:30 PM<br />1st Place Pool 1 vs. 1st Place Pool 2 8 PM<br /><br /><strong>Eldorado Lady Eagle Mid-Winter Classic</strong><br />Gold Pool: Eldorado, Harrisburg, Goreville, Fairfield, Mt. Carmel<br />Purple Pool: Anna-Jonesboro, Benton, Carmi-White County, Gallatin County, Vienna<br /><br />Saturday, Jan. 14<br />Fairfield vs. Goreville 9 AM<br />Vienna vs. Carmi 10:30 AM<br />Anna-Jonesboro vs. Benton 12 PM<br />Eldorado vs. Harrisburg 1:30 PM<br />Monday, Jan. 16<br />Vienna vs. Gallatin County 1 PM<br />Carmi vs. Anna-Jonesboro 2:30 PM<br />Harrisburg vs. Mt. Carmel 4 PM<br />Eldorado vs. Fairfield 5:30 PM<br />Tuesday, Jan. 17<br />Goreville vs. Mt. Carmel 5 PM<br />Vienna vs. Benton 6:30 PM<br />Gallatin County vs. Anna-Jonesboro 8 PM<br />Wednesday, Jan. 18<br />Eldorado vs. Goreville 5 PM<br />Harrisburg vs. Fairfield 6:30 PM<br />Carmi vs. Benton 8 PM<br />Thursday, Jan. 19<br />Vienna vs. Anna-Jonesboro 5 PM<br />Gallatin County vs. Benton 6:30 PM<br />Eldorado vs. Mt. Carmel 8 PM<br />Friday, Jan. 20<br />Gallatin County vs. Carmi 5 PM<br />Harrisburg vs. Goreville 6:30 PM<br />Fairfield vs. Mt. Carmel 8 PM<br />Saturday, Jan. 21<br />5th Place Gold vs. 5th Place Purple 1 PM<br />4th Place Gold vs. 4th Place Purple 2:30 PM<br />3rd Place Gold vs. 3rd Place Purple 4 PM<br />2nd Place Gold vs. 2nd Place Purple 5:30 PM<br />1st Place Gold vs. 1st Place Purple 7 PM<br /><br /></p>