TERRE HAUTE — All Robinson has to do tonight to win the Springfield Super-sectional and advance to the Illinois Class 2A state finals later in the week is snap a winning streak by Decatur St. Teresa.
A 29-game winning streak.
The 24-5 Maroons face the 29-1 Bulldogs — who lost their season opener to Champaign St. Thomas More — at 7:30 p.m. CST today at the University of Illinois-Springfield, the winner to face either Hales Franciscan or Timothy Christian in the second state semifinal game on Friday.
Robinson was ranked eighth in the state in one final Class 2A poll, with St. Teresa sixth. But the Maroons advanced to tonight’s game by shutting down fifth-ranked Teutopolis on Friday for the championship of the Effingham St. Anthony Sectional.
“I thought we had a great week [at Effingham],” coach Bob Coffman of Robinson told the Tribune-Star by telephone earlier this week.
“We faced a good challenge Tuesday [in Tolono Unity]; they tried to hold the ball a little bit, and it worked for about 20 minutes. But we got the tempo our way, forced two overtimes and won.
“Teutopolis beat us by 10 or 11 points early in the season, and they’d just overpowered us with their defense and their aggressiveness,” Coffman continued. “Friday we were able to contain that, and got the ball inside.”
Getting the ball inside means a lot of touches for 7-foot Illinois recruit Meyers Leonard, a double-double threat every night — or even a triple-double threat, since he’s an excellent passer out of the post. Leonard is a tough matchup for any 2A team, and the first focus of every opponent’s game plan.
He’s not Robinson’s only weapon, however. Those passes from the post have a couple of potentially high-scoring targets in forward Ben Jones and guard Derek Hannahs, and Robinson’s role players are also integral to the team’s success.
Leaders of the Bulldogs are point guard Preston Shelley, who had 12 points in their sectional championship win over Pittsfield, and 6-5 Nick Sanford, who led St. Teresa that night with 17 points and nine rebounds. The Bulldogs have no 7-footer, but are as big or bigger than the Maroons at the other spots.
“They’re a pretty good, athletic team,” Coffman said of the Bulldogs. “Shelley can really shoot the ball well and also can put it on the floor, and Sanford is a pretty good scorer and a solid defender inside. They look to pressure the ball and bring some double-teams [defensively].”
Robinson enjoys playing up-tempo basketball too, so tonight’s game should be an entertaining one with a lot of scoring.
“The key for us is making sure we do what we want to do, and what we’ve been doing,” Coffman concluded. “Get the ball inside, penetrate, and get to the free throw line. We also have to be able to defend and rebound well.”
The team’s common opponent this year is Tolono Unity; both beat Unity handily during the regular season.
Unity also had a one-sided win over St. Thomas More to win its own regional tournament.
High School
Robinson boys draw tough Super-sectional opponent
24-5 Maroons face 29-1 Decatur today
- High School
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South’s Lough to wrestle for state title
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PREP ROUNDUP: Rox clinch WRC
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BLOOMFIELD SECTIONAL: Sullivan jumps to early lead in sectional victory
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North Vermillion Sectional: Panthers, Falcons to meet for NV title
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South swimmers don’t advance at Finals
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South runs into talented North Central team
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BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Duncan’s OT free throws help Marshall down H-P
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O'Leary pours in career-high 34 for Terre Haute North
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Davis hits layup in double overtime to lift Terre Haute North at Bloomington North
Playing without their two leading scorers against a team that — most of the time — seemed more determined to win than they did, Terre Haute North's Patriots got a driving layup from Steven Davis with 2.8 seconds left in the second overtime to escape Bloomington North with a 54-52 win in high school basketball Thursday night.
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Sullivan stays on top of WIC for third straight year
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South girls looking for solid performances at swimming state finals
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PREP ROUNDUP: Cesinger, Jones each score 24 in Clay City win
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Teutopolis knocks off record-setting Marshall girls in regional championship
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Sullivan wins battle in low post
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State wrestling berths won't come easily
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South pulls upset
Plainfield’s 16-5 record made the Quakers the team to beat in the Class 4A Terre Haute North Sectional.
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Vikings break long sectional drought
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PREP ROUNDUP: RP rolls past Attica
Riverton Parke jumped to a 20-point halftime lead and easily defeated Attica 59-34 in the Class A North Vermillion girls basketball sectional on Tuesday.
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They’re the pride of Marshall
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Union season more fun with Talpas around
The Union boys basketball team has had its share of fun moments in the past, arguably the most fun being its Class A state runner-up in 2000.
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Injury bug follows girls into postseason
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Rockville needs late run to stop West Vigo
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Northview holds off Plainfield
Northview got its sixth victory in boys high school basketball action Saturday night, defeating Plainfield 59-56.
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PREP ROUNDUP: Cloverdale helps Rady to career win No. 714
Brandon Dorman and Joe Fidler combined for 37 points and six 3-pointers Saturday night as visiting Cloverdale defeated Turkey Run 63-45 in boys high school basketball.
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