Kahoks beat Rochester, fall to East
By Mark Jurgena
The Collinsville boys basketball team rocketed off to a great start hitting six threes in the opening half and taking a 30-16 lead into the halftime break on their way to a 68-46 win at home against Rochester on Dec. 3.
“We shot it well from the arc,” began Collinsville coach Darin Lee. “Offensively I thought we did well against their zone. It’s the first zone we’ve seen since the Holiday tournament last year. We shot it well but I thought we missed Sol (Solomon Talbott) inside a couple of times. If there was anything I’d like to do better it would be that.
“But when you make threes you count by three and we hit nine.”
While the Kahoks were busy shooting 36 percent (nine-for-25) from beyond the arc, the Kahok defense was causing fits for the Springfield area school.
Rochester was only five-for-21 shooting in the opening half for only 23.9 percent. For the contest, they went 13-for-51 for 25.4 percent.
“I thought we played pretty well, I thought we guarded pretty well,” said the Kahok mentor.
Offensively for the Kahoks both Donovan Coates and Evan Wilkinson buried three from long distance while Jace Wilkinson hit a pair. Chase Reynolds hit the other one.
Collinsville got out to a 16-9 lead after one quarter thanks to four threes and eight points by Donovan Coates then went on a 9-3 run to begin the second quarter.
Wilkinson hit a three with Coates, J. Wilkinson and Stanley Carnahan all contributing two points each.
The Kahoks got out to a fast start in the third with another 9-3 run thanks to four points from Talbott, a three from Reynolds and a bucket by Coates.
For the game, Coates had a double-double tossing in 25 points and grabbing 10 boards. He also had four assists.
Wilkinson had 11 points, J. Wilkinson scored 10 as did Talbott. Talbott grabbed nine rebounds as well.
While the win sent Collinsville into their SWC schedule, the game sent Rochester into their Central State Eight slate where they beat Collinsville’s former PFHC nemesis Springfield (Southeast) 52-31 in their opener.
“They’re much better this year and they’re going to surprise some people,” said Lee. “They’re going to do some things. They won the regional last year and are going to make some noise in their conference,”
Belleville East loss
The Kahoks were ahead, then they were way behind.
Belleville East trailed by five after one quarter of play then outscored visiting Collinsville 24-5 in the second quarter then held on at the end to win 55-46 in the SWC opener for both schools.
East moved to 6-0 overall and 1-0 in loop action while CHS fell to 4-2 and 0-1.
CHS went on an 8-0 run during the final 2:30 of the opening frame to go up 13-8 thanks to five points from Reynolds including a three and a three from Coates.
But the Lancers had the answer. Xavien Moody hit four from long distance in the second quarter as East piled on the points to finish the half up 32-18.
But CHS wasn’t done as Coates scored 26 of Collinsville’s 28 second-half points but the Kahoks couldn’t overcome the big lead by East.
“It was an incredible performance by Donovan,” Lee said. “I can’t remember anything like that in my 36 years of coaching.”
The senior dropped in 33 points for the game on 9-of-17 shooting including hitting five of his seven attempts from three. He also went 10-for-11 from the free throw line.
Collinsville got the East lead down to seven twice in the fourth quarter, with Coates going five-for-five from the line to cut into the East lead.
The Kahoks eventually cut the lead to six with under a minute remaining at 52-46 on a three by Coates but would get no closer.
In addition to his offensive explosion, Coates had five boards and two steals.
Talbott and Stanley Carnahan led CHS with six rebounds apiece while Evan and Jace Wilkinson had two assists apiece.
Upcoming Schedule
Collinsville hosted Belleville West last night however results were unavailable at press time. On Friday they host East St. Louis and on Tuesday they host Granite City.
