Boys basketball: Winning streak ends as Decatur Christian takes conference title

Gargoyle photo (click to enlarge)Senior point guard Chumar Williams gets pressured during tonight's 58-38 loss to Decatur Christian.

By Gargoyle sports staff
Published: Friday, February 15, 2008 - 12:30am

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

DECATUR — Decatur Christian won the East Central Illinois Conference title tonight by defeating Uni High 58-38.

The Illineks came into tonight's contest having won 11 consecutive games and three straight conference championships.

The loss drops Uni to 20-6 overall and 9-2 in the ECIC with one game left to play in the regular season. The Illineks are back in action Friday night as they visit conference opponent Judah Christian.

GAME AT A GLANCE

Result: Decatur Christian 58,
Uni High 38
Score by quarters:
Uni: 16 10 07 05 —38
DC: 19 12 16 11 —58
Varsity record:
20-6, 9-2
Recap: Seniors Demeatrio Wade and Malcolm Walker combined for 31 points as Decatur Christian clinched the ECIC title.
Next game: at Judah Christian, Friday, Feb. 15 (JV at 6 p.m., varsity at 7:30)

Decatur Christian wrapped up conference play with an 11-1 record; its only ECIC loss came on Feb. 2 when Decatur Lutheran pulled off a 49-47 upset. The Warriors improved to 22-3 overall.

Tonight's game figured to be a close one considering that the last time the teams played — on Jan. 4 at Kenney Gym — they went into overtime before Decatur Christian won 63-60.

And, in fact, the game was close until early in the third quarter. Uni trailed 19-16 at the end of the first period and went into halftime behind just 31-26.

Within a minute of play resuming, Uni closed the gap to 31-29. But then Decatur Christian's big man, 6-5 senior Demeatrio Wade, a transfer from Jamaica, took over. He scored 7 of the next 9 points as he and his teammates built a double-digit advantage they never relinquished.

At the same time, the Illinek offense went cold, and the Warriors outscored the visitors 16-4 to take a 47-33 lead into the final period.

The fourth quarter was even less kind to the Illineks as they managed just 5 points compared to 11 for the hosts. When the buzzer sounded, the Warriors had a 20-point win and sole possession of the ECIC title.

Wade tallied 15 points on the night, while teammate Malcolm Walker scored 16. Two other Warriors were in double figures: Joel Johnson and Melvin Tate each finished with 10 points.

For Uni, senior Mike Renner led the scoring with 14 points, followed by senior Austin Rundus with 13. Rundus connected on a game-high 4 treys.

Uni's 38 points was the varsity's lowest output of the season, rivaled only by the 42-point performance against Fisher on Dec. 29 when the team was without leading scorer Renner.

After Friday's game against Judah Christian, 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 at 8 p.m.

If they win that game, the Illineks will play for the regional title 7:30 p.m. 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: 20-6 overall, 9-2 ECIC
(home matches listed in bold)

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