Boys basketball: Uni notches 11th straight win, sets up title match with Decatur Christian

Gargoyle photo by Jason He (click to enlarge)Senior Frankie McFarland, shown here in action last week against Georgetown Notre Dame de LaSalette, scored 8 points and led Uni in rebounding with 7 boards Tuesday night at Decatur Lutheran as the Illineks won 59-52 to raise their record to 20-5, 9-1.

By Chris Yoder
Published: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 - 4:35pm

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Note: For a breakdown of the stats from this game, click here for the Gargoyle Scoreboard.

DECATUR — Senior Austin Rundus scored 14 points and added 4 steals as Uni defeated conference foe Decatur Lutheran School Association Tuesday night in a 59-52 road win — the team's 11th straight victory.

The Illineks are now 20-5 overall and 9-1 in the East Central Illinois Conference. LSA drops to 14-11, 7-4.

The two teams stayed evenly matched early on, ending the first quarter tied at 13. The second period was key for the Illineks as they outscored the host Lions 17-8 to take a 30-21 lead into halftime.

In the second half, LSA chipped away at Uni’s lead, narrowing the gap to 44-37 after the third quarter. But Uni didn’t give up any ground in the fourth quarter, holding on until the final buzzer sounded for the 7-point win.

GAME AT A GLANCE

Result: Uni 59,
Decatur Lutheran 52
Score by quarters:
Uni: 13 17 14 15 —59
LSA: 13 08 16 15 —52
Varsity record:
20-5, 9-1
Recap: Senior Austin Rundus led the team with 14 points as Uni heads into Thursday's title match with Decatur Christian (21-3, 10-1).
Next game: at Decatur Christian (see article for directions), Thursday, Feb. 14 (JV at 6 p.m., varsity at 7:30)

Senior Mike Renner joined Rundus in double figures with 10 points. Three other Illineks scored 8 points each: seniors Frankie McFarland, Isaac Radnitzer, and Chumar Williams.

LSA's James Meers led all scorers with 21.

McFarland paced the Illineks on the boards with 7 rebounds, while Radnitzer added 6. Williams had 7 of the team’s 15 assists. In JV action, Uni defeated LSA.

Uni's next game will determine whether the team will earn its fourth straight ECIC title. The Illineks play Thursday night at Decatur Christian in a contest that was originally scheduled for Jan. 29 but was postponed due to bad weather.

Both Uni and Decatur Christian have a single defeat in the conference.

The Warriors lost 49-47 to LSA on Feb. 2. Decatur Christian is 21-3 overall, 10-1 in the ECIC. Uni fell to the Warriors on Jan. 4 in a 63-60 home loss in overtime.

Decatur Christian is led by Demeatrio Wade, a 6-foot-5 senior from Jamaica who came to America this year to attract the attention of college scouts, according to a profile of him published by the Decatur Herald & Review. Wade scored 10 points in his initial meeting with Uni.

The game will be played at the Skywalker International Sports Complex, 400 E. Eldorado, Decatur. For directions, click here. The JV will begin at 6 p.m., with the varsity to follow at 7:30.

The Illineks play their final game of the regular season on Friday at Judah Christian.

If Uni wins both contests, the team will claim the ECIC title outright.

But the Illineks won't get much time to rest, as playoff action begins next week. This is the first year the IHSA has divided boys basketball into four classes (4A is for the biggest schools). In Class 2A, Uni has been assigned to the Casey-Westfield sectional, where the Illineks are seeded fifth in the nine-team Sub-Sectional B.

Uni will open the playoffs Tuesday in the St. Joseph-Ogden regional, facing No. 3 seed Monticello.

If they win that game, the Illineks will play for the regional title Feb. 22 against one of three teams: No. 2 St. Joseph-Ogden, No. 6 Westville, or No. 8 St. Thomas More.

2007-08 BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL: 20-5 overall, 9-1 ECIC
(home matches listed in bold)

Nov. 19: Shiloh (Central Illinois Turkey Tourney), W 80-32