Christopher defeated by Goreville in the SVHT semi finals

Bearcats will play in the third place game at 3 p.m. today

SESSER –  The Christopher Bearcats fall to their BDC rivals the Goreville Blackcats 59-52 in a semi-final game of the Sesser-Valier Holiday Tournament.

The Bearcats jump out to a 14-9 lead until the closing seconds of the first quarter.  Bradley Young had five points and a couple of assists to Gage Hawkins, they had five points each for the quarter.  At the end of the quarter, Tanner Dunn hits a buzzer beating three to cut the deficit 14-12.

That was a momentum change going into the second quarter.  Starting with Dunn’s three, Goreville goes on a 16-2 run to take a 25-16 lead.  Bradley Young picked up his second foul through that stretch.  When they went down nine, Coach Stallman went back to Young when they found themselves down nine.

Christopher was in deep foul trouble, because Bryce Pratt and Gabriel Motsinger picked up their third fouls on the next two possessions.  The Blackcats kept chipping away and They were up by 33-20 at the half.

Braden Webb comes out in the first possession of the second half, and Goreville was on the verge of blowing it wide open.  The Bearcats then go on a 15-4 run to 39-35 as Braden Webb fouls Bradley Young.,

The Bearcats could not capitalize with Webb on the bench, as Landon Albright had back to back stick backs to put Goreville up by eight.  On a day for buzzer beaters, young hit a three to cut it to five.

Dalton Saeger, who has been Mr. Fourth Quarter throughout the tournament picks up a bucket and hits two free throws, sandwiched in between a Tanner Dunn stick back.  Then Bryce Pratt hits young on a fast break to cut the lead to 45-44.

Dunn then goes to the line to hit two free throws.  Bradley young hits a bucket. Goreville sinks two more free throws on the next possession.  Bryce Pratt hits a three to make it 49-49.

Morgan Bishop on the next possession knocks down a three to make it 52-49.  The air went out of the Bearcats sails then.  Goreville goes down and scores on the next three trips down the floor.

Pratt hits another three with eight seconds on the clock.  A Goreville free throw ices the victory to make it a three possession game.

Goreville improves to (9-2) 0n the season.  They will play in the championship game against the Sesser-Valier Red Devils tonight at 7:00 p.m.

Christopher falls to (8-3) on the season.  They will face the Woodlawn Cardinals in the third place game at 3:00 p.m. this  afternoon.

Box Score

GOREVILLE (59)  Webb 5 2 0-1 16, Dunn 3 1 2-2 11, Bishop 2 1 2-2 9, Massey 1 1 3-4 8, Albright 3 0 0-1 8, Tosh 1 0 2-2 8, Geyman 0 0 3-4 3, Glidewell, 0 0 2-2 2,  Fassaro 0 0 0-0 0

CHRISTOPHER (52)  Young 6 0 5-6 17, Hawkins 5 0 3-7 13, Saeger 3 0 4-4 10, Pratt 1 2 0-0 8, Motsinger 2 0 0-0 4,  Garver 0 0 0-0 0, Flowers 0 0 0-0 0

Line Score

GOREVILLE (9-2)    12 – 21 – 10 – 16  –  59

CHRISTOPHER (8-3)  14 – 6 – 18 – 14  –  52