Fresh off its first two losses of the season, the St. Joseph-Ogden High School boys’ basketball team was facing the prospect of ending that skid with a tough test.
Reigning Class 2A state champion Nashville visited St. Joseph on Saturday evening to play the Spartans in SJO’s own Christie Clinic Shootout.
The Spartans aced that test — and then some — by soundly defeating Nashville 59-35.
Illinois State signee Ty Pence has led the Spartans in scoring nearly every game this season, but it was junior guard Tanner Jacob who filled that role on Saturday night against the Hornets. Jacob scored a team-high 18 points and made 7 of 11 shots, including 4 of 6 from three-point range.
Pence wasn’t far behind, tallying 17 points to go along with four rebounds and three assists. Junior guard Logan Smith made it three Spartans in double figures with 11 points. Smith also contributed four assists.
Sophomore guard Tanner Siems (seven points, four rebounds), senior guard McGwire Atwood (four points) and senior guard Maddux Carter (two points) rounded out the scoring.
Spartans lose first two games of season
SJO opened the new year with a tough road nonconference game against Williamsville this past Tuesday night, with the Spartans falling 52-48 to the Bullets.
Two nights later, SJO sustained a 50-48 loss to Linton-Stockton (Ind.) in a neutral-site game at Park Heritage High School in Rockville, Ind.
Pence scored 35 points against Linton-Stockton, making 11 of 24 shots and 4 of 10 from three-point range, while adding six rebounds. Smith (seven points), sophomore guard Coy Taylor (four points) and Atwood (two points) also contributed.
SJO struggled offensively against Williamsville, only shooting 19 of 53 from the field (36 percent). Pence compiled a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds, with Taylor (13 points) and Jacob (11 points) also hitting double figures. Smith (four points, six rebounds) and Siems (four points) also chipped in.
Other results from Christie Clinic Shootout
SJO beating Nashville 59-35 on Saturday night was one of seven games played throughout the day at SJO as part of the Christie Clinic Shootout.
The annual event, which started in 2015, featured Beecher beating Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin 64-48 in the shootout’s first game before Centennial rallied to beat Addison Trail 39-34 in the second game on Saturday.
Mt. Zion beat Bloomington 70-49 in the third game before Monticello used efficient three-point shooting to knock off Newton 80-58 in the fourth game.
Sandwiched in between SJO’s win, the nightcap of the event also featured Normal U-High beating Unity 56-48 in the fifth game and Peoria Notre Dame defeating Kankakee 51-46 in the seventh and final game of the shootout.
What’s next
The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Spartans this week. SJO will host Teutopolis at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in a nonconference game before playing its first Illini Prairie Conference game of the season at 7 p.m. Friday at Pontiac. SJO will then have a quick turnaround the next day, playing at 7 p.m. Saturday at Maroa-Forsyth in a nonconference game.
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