CARTERVILLE (WSIL) -- Carterville wasted no time in taking a commanding lead over Freeburg. The Lions kept the pace and held on for a 62-46 victory.
Jeniah Thompson needed just 4 points to become the school's all-time leading scorer at 1,683 points. Thompson wouldn't stop at 4, she finished 22 points. Abbey Crain chipped in with 20 points and hit 3 big first half three pointers.
"When I thought about it, I was like this is possibly my last game and I don't want it to end so I'm going to put all I have out on the court," Thompson said.
"They have been climbing the mountain and working hard and taking some lumps," Carterville Head Coach Matt Crain said. "I'm very proud that they got this win and this is a school record for us getting 29, so it was a big night all the way around."
"I don't keep track of my points during the game so I was kinda lost," Thompson said. "It hasn't sinked in yet, like I'm still in shock."
In the second game, Nashville pulled away in the 4th quarter to punch their ticket to the sectional finals 44-36 over Harrisburg.
"Coach always has us do end of the game drills at practice," Nashville senior Sabrina Kollbaum said. "That's what we have been doing a lot because we are like a younger team and we just get nervous sometimes, but we practice it at practice and we like to go into every game just playing hard because we want to win it cause we want to be here."
Thursday for the Carterville sectional title, home team Carterville faces Nashville. That's a 7 pm tip off.
Girls 1A Sectional from Wayne City, Goreville upends Marissa 37-33.
Gorville with face Okawville Thursday at 7 PM from Wayne City.
Girls 3A Regional, Centralia ends Herrins season 42-38.
Boys Basketball Scores:
Marion gets by Gateway Legacy 57-47. Jackson Connor led the Wildcats with 24 points. Marion improves to 19-9.
Goreville outlasts Chester 65-57, and with the win they are outright Black Diamond Conference West Champions. Blackcats are now 28-2.
Cobden topples Crab Orchard 73-58 and the Appleknockers improve to 21-8.
Massac County gets the win over Eldorado 62-49. Patriots move to 23-6 on the season.
Carterville tops Harrisburg 65-57.
Sesser-Valier knocks off Christopher 61-42.
