Vincennes 97; Lake Land 69
Michael Osei-Bonsu scored 16 of his game-high 21 points in the first half and hauled down 16 total rebounds to muscle 9th-ranked Vincennes past Lake Land, 97-69, in Mattoon.
It was Bonsu’s sixth-double of the season. He has averaged 14.6 rebounds over the last five games.
Kris King and Trenton Johnson combined for 31 points off the bench – 18 by King. Both players meshed three treys each.
Caleb Johnson reached double figures for the 25th time this season – also scoring 13 points for the 23-3 Trailblazers.
VU checked the Lakers’ leading scorer Johnny Close (14.6 ppg) for most of the game, but he got hot late and scored 15 of his seventeen points including three 3’s in the final minutes. Dailliss Cox scored 16 points while Yassin Hussein had twelve.
Vincennes which led 49-30 at half-time, improved to 11-3 in District play and leads third-place Olney Central by one-game game for the number two seed in the Region 24 tournament.
Lake Land dropped to 5-11 in the District and 14-13 overall.
Kaskaskia 85; Wabash Valley 80
Visiting Kaskaskia (6-8, 17-9) got 43 second-half points from Jhei-R Jones and Zavian Jackson to overhaul Wabash Valley, 85-80, in Mount Carmel after trailing 47-31 at halftime.
Jones had 24 points in the final period and finished the 32 points, two shy of his 34-point effort against Southeastern Illinois earlier in the season. He recorded three three-pointers and went 15-17 from the free throw line.
Jackson’s 19 second half points gave him a season-high 24 for the game while Ezereke Dawson scored twelve.
Five WVC players scored in double figures led by Ksaun Casey’s 21 points. Jakobi Heady scored 20, Gary Clay, 13, Brandon Rayzer-Moore, 11, while Jaylen Boyd fouled out with ten points.
Wabash Valley is 5-9 in District play and 14-13 overall on the season.
Shawnee 55; Lincoln Trail 53
Shawnee took advantage of a 17-26 advantage from the free three line compared to just 6-9 by Lincoln Trail to slip by the Statesmen, 55-53, in a defensive struggle at Ullin.
Jay Moore topped the Saints (5-10, 11-13) with 14 points and Ashton Young tallied thirteen. Shawnee (5-10, 11-13) played without leading scorer A.K. Hazley (15.6 ppg) who has a hairline fracture in his wrist. He’s may return to the lineup as early as next Saturday.
Lincoln Trail (4-11, 12-15) got 16 points each by Greg Jenkins and Clint Wickcliff, Jr. and another eleven points from Spivey Word.
Shawnee led 25-22 at halftime.
Olney Central 71; Rend Lake 44
Visiting Olney Central put Rend Lake in a defensive vise and smothered the Warriors, 71-44, in a conference tilt at Ina, playing without District leading scorer Mershon Dickerson (20.2 ppg) who was injured.
Jakobe Thompson led OCC (16-7) with 18 points. DeShawn Simms hit four triples and scored 16 points while Javeckkio Thomas scored twelve.
Brennan Lovette was the only RLC player in double figures with 14 points including four treys.
The Blue Knights led 42-18 at halftime. Rend Lake slipped to a 7-16 season record.
Lewis & Clark (4-10, 8 -13) at SWIC (8-5, 17-8) – Postponed until Monday
#4 John A. Logan (14-0, 21-2) was idle
