Redbirds face Carterville at 8:30

The West Frankfort Redbirds try to improve to 2-0 and get to the .500 mark against the Carterville Lions tonight.

Coach Shane Hawkins gave me the points for game of his six man rotation:

• Senior guard Brendan Beasley leads the way at 12.6 ppg.
• His running mate in the back court 5′ 10″ senior Blake Jackson averages 6.9 ppg
• Post player Luke Ford (Sr.) averages 7.6 ppg and is 6’6″
• Taylor Heil is 6′ 5″ and seen some time as a freshman, and his four years on the floor provides senior leadership.
• Dylan Moore a 6’1″ sophomore averages 6.1 per game.
• Justin Johnson a 6′ 2″ junior averages 4.9 ppg.

Here is what coach West Frankfort coach Kevin Toney has to say about the Lions:

“Carterville is a well disciplined, well coached team whose players have an excellent balance of skills. They have a true point guard, their wings can each handle it and shoot it, their bigs complement each other very well, also. They just don’t have glaring weaknesses of which teams can easily take advantage of”

The Lions gave Eldorado everything they wanted.  I see them playing in the third place game on Saturday against Marion or Herrin.  I am going with the Lions by six.

I loved the intensity Shane Hawkins played with as a Panther first and a Saluki.  He has taken that intensity to the sidelines.