HS boys’ basketball: Staunton wins Carlinville Holiday Tournament for the first time since 2017
For the first time since 2017, the Staunton High School boys’ basketball team is the Carlinville Holiday Tournament champion. The Bulldogs defeated Gillespie, 70-27, and Carlinville, 56-42, to reach the title game, where they dethroned defending champion Calhoun, 52-47. Enquirer Democrat photo by Jackson Wilson.
By JACKSON WILSON
Enquirer Democrat Reporter
On Dec. 28, in front of a packed house at the Big House on West Main, the Staunton High School boys’ basketball team won the Carlinville Holiday Tournament championship.
The Bulldogs defeated defending champion Calhoun, 52-47, and secured their program’s first Holiday Tournament title since 2017.
The opposing Warriors scored the first seven points of the game but Staunton rallied for its 12th win in 14 games overall.
The Bulldogs, which have strung together six consecutive victories, used 11 threes to dethrone the Warriors, with Isiah Laux burying five shots from long-range for a team-high 19 points. Bryce Coalson, who joined Laux on the All-Tournament team, added four triples for 17 points.
The Bulldogs stumbled down the stretch and nearly gave away a 45-37 lead in the final minute, missing four free throws and surrendering back-to-back three-point trips that brought the score to 48-45. Needing to beat a newly-incorporated shot clock, Aaron Bodner drove to the basket and converted a clutch layup from the left block to give Staunton some much-needed insurance with just 15 seconds left in the game.
After Calhoun drew a shooting foul and buried two free throws to stay alive, Laux caught the ensuing inbound pass cleanly and sealed the championship with two successful tosses of his own with four seconds remaining.
Staunton, which came into the tournament as the favorite to win, dismantled rival Gillespie, 70-27, in the opening round Dec. 26.
The Bulldogs, which opened up a 31-7 lead through the first quarter and a 49-14 advantage at halftime, set a tournament record with 13 threes before easing off the gas pedal as a running clock went into effect for the final eight minutes. Coalson and Bodner finished with 19 points apiece with Luke Moore adding 10 tallies. Laux and Zander Machota each contributed six points.
On Dec. 27, Jeremiah Graham, a known defensive threat, erupted for 19 points and elevated the Bulldogs over host Carlinville, 56-42, into the championship game. Laux backed Graham with 16 points and Ethan Sharp added eight tallies. Graham sunk three triples and Laux found the bottom of the net four times from beyond the arc.
