Thompsonville finishes their summer at .500

July 6, 2017 By Leave a Comment

by Steve Dunford

It is July, and I was talking High School basketball this morning.  I will be getting to the rest of you in the next few days.

It was not biased, but I grabbed Pete Gordon first.  The reason was he was on Facebook when I did.  Matt Morgan was going to be next.  Most of you know that when I get to talking HS basketball, I get very long winded.

I will try to get to everyone in the next couple weeks.  It might be a while to get a hold of Kevin Toney.  He will probably be out west until week seven of the football season.

The Tigers got off to a quick 3-2 start last year with two victories over NCOE, and a win over cross county  Zeigler-Royalton in the consolation championship of  the Christopher Turkey Tournament.

The Tigers finished 7-18 last year.  There were high hopes after a 9-19 season in 2015-16.  Here were two things from last season.  T’ville was banged up, and there was a very good crop of seniors across Southern Illinois.

Thompsonville was very competitive down the stretch last year.  They gave Sweet 16 Gallatin County all they wanted, and with two starters with the flu bug, they hung around most of the night with Elite Eight Woodlawn in the first round  of the regionals.

In a quarterfinal game of the Murphysboro Sophomore Tournament, the Tigers gave 3A Breese Central all they wanted.  For the Cougars were a couple kids that played significant minutes, on the team that fell to Centralia in the Benton Sectional.

When I asked Coach Gordon about their summer, this is what he said, ” We were 9-9 (summer style games) which isn’t exactly the best measure to use. I subbed 5 for 5 most of the time assuring everyone equal minutes, which probably cost us a few wins.  I was very pleased with our summer effort.  There was very good participation.  We never had everyone there at the same time but most of the core guys were there.

We faced Webber Township, Z-R, Joppa, Waltonville (twice), Elverado, West Frankfort, Chester, Benton JV, NCOE (twice), Gallatin County (twice),  Hardin County, New Athens, and Trico.
He said they split with GEC foe Gallatin County, and defeated Elverado and NCOE without Tyson Kessler, who is one of the most underrated 1A point guards in Southern Illinois in my book.
We were talking about the GEC race.  Coach Gordon thinks they have a good shot to win the conference.  If it was November and I would be writing a preview, I would have Thompsonville slotted in the two slot, right behind Doug Miller’s Gallatin County Hawks.
I would have thrown Carrier Mills in the mix, but Keil Peebles lost his point guard Will Gibbs.  He will be still wearing purple, but for Randy Smithpeters’ Harrisburg Bulldogs.
Rod Wallace has a lot coming back at Galatia, so does Rodney Lane at Hardin County.  Crab Orchard will not be as strong as they have been but they are still Crab Orchard.  Norris City and Pope County will be young.  I have heard through the grapevine the youngest of the Floyd brothers is not playing this year. There will not be any give me games across the conference.
The conversation drifted to the Christopher Turkey Tournament.  Pete said he would like to see a top four seed at the Tourney.  I started talking bracketology with Tom Wheeler last year around late September.
When I was talking with Pete about the tournament, I used my scientific approach to come up with the bracket in late July.
Here is the bracket.  I will learn to draw them on Excel before the start of basketball season.  (Franklin County Schools in Caps)
Monday, November 20th.
6:15 p.m.  THOMPSONVILLE vs. Wayne City
7:45 p.m.  CHRISTOPHER vs.  Norris City-Omaha-Enfield
Tuesday, November 21st.
6:15  p.m.  New Athens vs. Waltonville
7;45  p.m.  Webber Township vs. ZEIGLER-ROYALTON
I know I write with a Thompsonville bias.  I will call them we at times.  It just happens when you slid a jersey over your head at least 100 times.
I told Coach Gordon, I would like to see a top eight seed at Sesser-Valier also.
Speaking of tournaments, if you have not been to championship night of the GEC tournament, it would be well worth your trip to Southeastern Illinois College.  It is close to a sectional final atmosphere.
There has been high hopes on the east side of Franklin County for this bunch coming up since Junior High.
Coach Gordon said that for GEC standards they will be huge.  In my book they will be huge for River to River standards.
In the middle will be 6′ 7″ junior, Anthoney Darge, who Gordon said had a great summer.  He will be joined in the post by 6′ 5″ senior Jake Dixon.  Reed Raubach, a 6′ 4″ junior will play the three.  Corbin Fitch a 6′ 3″ sophomore will play the two, and Tyson Kessler a 5′ 11″ junior will play the point.
The Tigers will have a much deeper bench this year.  Sophomore guard Peyton Roberts, a transfer from Benton will provide some depth in the backcourt, and has more than a good shot to start.  Junior Trey Bybee can shoot the lights out.  Junior post player Tyler Jones played some big varsity minutes late in the year.
The Tigers have never won a regional title.  In fact, they have only appeared in one championship game, losing a heart breaker to West Frankfort in 2004 at the Johnston City Class 1A regional.
On this steamy July night,  HS basketball is a little over four months away.

 

 

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