Having a Division I talent and several other returning members of a regional championship team
from last season heightened expectations around the St. Joseph-Ogden High School boys’
basketball team entering the 2022-23 season.
So far, the Spartans have delivered.
SJO carries a perfect 5-0 record into Tuesday night’s home nonconference game against
Danville and have outscored its foes by an average of 46.4 points.
Here’s a roundup of what has transpired during the first two weeks of the season for SJO:
Taylor perfect from field as Spartans cruise past Cornjerkers
Five players finished in double figures as SJO rolled past Hoopeston Area 88-41 in a home
nonconferene win last Tuesday night.
Senior guard Ty Pence, an Illinois State men’s basketball signee, scored a game-high 20 points
for SJO on 8 of 17 shooting and added six rebounds, four steals and three assists.
Sophomore guard Coy Taylor did not miss a shot attempt from the field, going 7 of 7 and making
all four of his three-point attempts en route to 18 points.
Junior guard Tanner Jacob provided 14 points, four steals and three assists, while junior guard
Logan Smith (12 points, seven assists, three steals) and junior forward Brock Trimble (10
points) also registered double-digit scoring outputs.
Sophomore guard Tanner Siems (eight points), senior guard McGwire Atwood (two points),
sophomore forward Kendrick Johnson (two points) and sophomore forward Logan Lackey (two
points) also entered the scoring column for the Spartans.
Pence dominates, SJO wins Toyota of Danville Classic title
Pence outscored the entire Oakwood team as SJO easily defeated the Comets 66-31 on Dec. 3
in the championship game of the Toyota of Danville Classic in St. Joseph.
Pence scored a game-high 35 points and made six three-pointers as the Spartans drained 11
three-pointers as a team.
Smith added 10 points, Jacob chipped in eight points and senior guard Maddux Carter finished
with six points.
Taylor (five points), Trimble (two points) and Atwood (two points) rounded out the scoring for the
Spartans.
Pence, Smith hit 20 points in Watseka win
SJO rolled past Watseka 68-28 on Dec. 2 in its final pool-play game at the Toyota of Danville
Classic, clinching a spot in the title game.
Pence made 12 of 17 from the field, including 4 of 6 from three-point range, en route to 28
points. He also grabbed eight rebounds, handed out three assists and made two steals.
Smith was a complementary piece to SJO’s offense, tallying 20 points to go along with four
assists and three steals.
Trimble (five points), Carter (five points), Lackey (four points), Jacob (three points), Taylor (two
points, six rebounds) and Johnson (one point) also contributed.
Defense shines in La Salute win
Pence registered a double-double, while Trimble and Taylor joined him in double figures to help
SJO defeat La Salute 65-21 on Nov. 30 in the Toyota of Danville Classic in St. Joseph.
Pence compiled a game-high 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to pace SJO. He also dished
out four assists.
Trimble made all four of his three-pointers to record 12 points, with Taylor also providing 12
points to go along with three rebounds, three steals and two assists.
Jacob (five points, four assists), Smith (four points, four rebounds), Atwood (three points),
Siems (three points) and junior forward Caleb Ochs (two points) also chipped in.
Four Spartans in double figures in season-opening win
SJO made a statement in its first game of the season, cruising past Cissna Park 85-19 on Nov.
29 in the Toyota of Danville Classic in St. Joseph.
Pence finished with a game-high 23 points and five rebounds, with Siems producing 17 points,
Jacob making all six of his shots to toss in 13 points and Trimble contributing 11 points on the
strength of three three-pointers.
Taylor (eight points, three steals), Johnson (five points, three assists, three steals), Smith (three
points), Lackey (three points) and Atwood (two points, four steals, three assists) all pitched in.
What’s next
After a week off following its win against Hoopeston Area, the Spartans host Danville at 7:30
p.m. Tuesday in their sixth straight home game.
SJO will then have a week off in between games again before making its first road trip of the
season to play at Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 20.
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