By JON REITER
CLARKSVILLE — The favorites did what they were supposed to in Wednesday’s opening round 2A sectional matchups at Providence.
The sectional host Pioneers faced some anxious moments against a scrappy Pekin Eastern squad, but a strong fourth quarter effort ultimately led to a 60-53 win in the early game. Clarksville challenged West Washington throughout the late contest, but fell 54-43.
Providence-Pekin Eastern
The Pioneers (17-4) were heavy favorites against the Musketeers (4-17) but it was the visitors who played like a veteran team throughout much of the first three quarters.
Pekin Eastern led for virtually the entire first half. However, an 8-0 Providence run over the last three minutes of the second quarter changed a 24-17 Musketeer lead into a 25-24 Pioneer advantage at intermission.
Nick Koetter’s layup off a feed from David Schellenberger with 16 seconds left in the half gave Providence its first lead of the night heading to the locker room.
One key to Pekin Eastern’s success against the Pioneers, coach Lou Lefevre said, was the Musketeers’ work on the boards. Providence was outrebounded 32-20, with 6-foot-5 senior center Uriah Maudlin grabbing 12 and 6-2 sophomore Todd Albertson netting 11.
“There hasn’t been a team that has outrebounded us throughout the course of the game like that,” Lefevre said. “And it wasn’t just their big kids, it was some of their tough kids getting in there and taking the ball away from us. They hurt us in there, and that wasn’t good to see by us.”
The two squads took turns swapping leads throughout the third and early fourth quarters. It was 42-41 Pekin when Nick Koetter scored inside to give Providence a one-point lead with 4:57 remaining in the game. Koetter then blocked and captured an attempt by Albertson on the other end and fed cousin Jake Koetter for a Providence lay-up to give the Pioneers a 44-41 lead with just over four minutes remaining.
The Pioneers never trailed again in the contest. After only converting 1-of-6 free-throw attempts heading into the fourth quarter, Providence sank 13-of-16 from the line during the final 2:30 to seal the win.
David Schellenberger was 6-of-6 from the line over that stretch for the Pioneers and finished with 10 points. Each of the other four Pioneer starters scored in double figures. Nick Koetter and Bryce Very led Providence with 13 points apiece, and Tucker Coots and Jake Koetter notched 12.
Lefevre said he was most impressed by the play of Very, a 5-10 freshman, who scored nine of his 13 points during the fourth quarter, and who nailed two three-pointers that gave the Pioneers leads during the final eight minutes.
“Bryce Very was probably not just our best offensive player tonight, he was also our best defensive player,” Lefevre said. “That’s the kind of game you expect from your seniors, but we got it from a freshman tonight, and a freshman who hasn’t played all that much. If he wasn’t out there playing like he did, then we’re done.”
Lefevre said he hoped his squad would regroup before facing West Washington on Friday night.
“There’s supposed to be no such thing as a bad win during the postseason, but this one is testing that theory,” Lefevre said.
Clarksville-West Washington
Robert Noe’s 3-pointer from the left wing gave the Generals (7-14) a 3-0 lead to start off Clarksville’s matchup against the Senators (13-8).
That quick lead though would be Clarksville’s only advantage of the contest as the Generals paddled upstream for the remainder of the contest. The Senators didn’t put the game away until late, as Clarksville battled back from double-digit deficits three times during the fourth quarter.
Clarksville’s final push came when the Generals pulled to within 8, 45-37, after Noe drilled a 19-footer with 1:47 left in the game. But West Washington converted 5-of-6 free throws over the next 45 seconds to end the threat.
The inside duo of 6-3 center Joe McKinley and 6-4 Chase Thompson were too much to handle for the smaller Generals, as the pair combined for 28 points and 17 rebounds. Clarksville’s main inside presence, Jacob Carver, fell into foul trouble early handling both and never completely recovered.
“Carver got into foul trouble early, and that bumped everybody back down,” Clarksville coach Scott Matthews said. “But I thought our perimeter play was good and we played as hard as we could, we were just physically outmanned. Over the course of the game, we just got hit hard on the offensive glass, and that was a big benefit for them.”
Matthews had some kind words for his departing seniors, Noe, Jon Bramer and Tyler Merchant, who led the Generals with 15 points.
“Those kids taught our younger kids a lot, and were good role models for them on and off the court,” he said. “They’ll be missed.”
CLASS 2A PROVIDENCE SECTIONAL
First round
PEKIN EASTERN 16 8 12 17—53
PROVIDENCE 12 13 13 22—60
Pekin Eastern (4-17) — Tr. Albertson 4, Doebler 11, Gilstrap 9, To. Albertson 18, Maudlin 11, Hensley 0, Collier 0.
Providence (17-4) — Coots 12, Very 13, Schellenberger 10, J. Koetter 12, N. Koetter 13, A. Schmidt 0, Griffith 0, Brown 0.
Three-point goals: Pekin Eastern 4 (Doebler 2, Tr. Albertson, Maudlin); Providence 6 (Coots 2, Very 2, N. Koetter 2).
Rebounds: Pekin Eastern 31 (Maudlin 11); Providence 20 (N. Koetter 8)
Turnovers: Pekin Eastern 14, Providence 10.
CLARKSVILLE 10 6 14 13—43
WEST WASHINGTON 14 7 18 15—54
Clarksville (7-14) — Merchant 15, Masters 11, Noe 6, Bramer 7, Carver 2, Edelen 0, St. Clair 0, Edelman 0, McNew 2.
West Washington (13-8) — Green 19, McKinley 18, Thompson 10, Trueblood 4, Nice 2, Batt 1, Chastain 0.
Three-point goals: Clarksville 4 (Merchant, Noe, Masters, Bramer); West Washington 3 (Green 3)
Rebounds: Clarksville 21 (Masters 6); West Washington 31 (McKinley 9)
Turnovers: Clarksville 15, West Washington 13.
