EDGERTON — The race for the Rock Valley Conference’s Rock Division championship continues.
With a chance to clinch the outright league championship Monday night, the home Crimson Tide faltered in the opening minutes, spotting Beloit Turner the game’s first 14 points — just like they did in the first matchup between the teams — as the Trojans went on to win 64-58.
“Our guys get up for Edgerton,” Turner coach Ken Watkins said. “It’s a great rivalry. There’s a lot of respect on both sides.”
The result means neither team was able to clinch a share of the conference title and that the champion — or champions — will be determined by the last round of conference games Thursday.
Turner (17-6 overall, 12-2 Rock Valley Rock) will host Big Foot, while Edgerton (17-6, 12-2) will play Clinton at home.
Trojans forward Tyshawn Teague-Johnson scored 18 points and grabbed at least 10 rebounds for a double-double and threw down a two-handed transition dunk for Turner’s last field goal of the night that made it 56-44 before the Trojans began marching to the free-throw line at the end.
Zay Howard scored 15, while Elijah Terrell and A.J. Dotson both chipped in nine points.
Dotson and Howard played key parts in Turner’s game-opening run. The former made a pair of 3-pointers, including one off a slick behind-the-back pass from Howard that made it 12-0. Before that, Howard stole the ball from Edgerton players on consecutive possessions and converted fast-break layups to make it 8-0 and 10-0.
Turner’s defense also made things difficult for Edgerton over the course of the game, using its lengthy frontcourt players to disrupt the Tide on the perimeter.
The Crimson Tide closed to within 27-22 at halftime with the help of successful three-point plays from Olin Zellmer and Fred Geiger-Kittel, then drew within four at 32-28 early in the second half.
Turner ran off 10 straight points to take a 48-30 lead, but the Tide refused to go away and reeled in the Trojans once again. Zellmer started to heat up, scoring 16 of his game-high 23 points in the second half.
Edgerton got their deficit back down to single digits on a Preston Schaffner jumper in the paint, and started intentionally fouling the Trojans after pulling to within 57-50.
Terrell made a pair of free throws to put Turner back up nine before Zellmer hit three free throws and a trey to make it 59-56, but the Tide got no closer.
The rivals could play one more game against each other this season.
Turner got a No. 5 seed and will host No. 12 Mayville at 7 p.m. next Tuesday in WIAA regional play. The winner of that game will play at No. 4 seed Edgerton on March 1.
TURNER 64, EDGERTON 58
Turner 27 37 — 64
Edgerton 22 36 — 58
TURNER (fg ft-fta pts) — Howard 4 7-9 15, Terrell 2 5-7 9, Teague-Johnson 6 5-8 18, Amosa 3 0-0 6, Dotson 3 0-2 9, Erickson 0 2-2 2, Njoo 2 0-0 5. Totals 18 19-28 64.
EDGERTON (fg ft-fta pts) — V. Fox 1 0-0 3, Zellmer 9 4-5 23, Schaffner 3 0-1 7, Langer 2 0-0 4, McKillips 5 0-0 12, J. Fox 2 2-2 6, Geiger Kittel 1 1-1 3. Totals 23 7-9 58.
3-point goals — BT 4 (Dotson 3, Teague-Johnson), E 5 (McKillips 2, V. Fox, Zellmer, Schaffner). Total fouls — BT 11, E 15. Fouled out — None.
Most Popular
Comments / 0