Wildcats fall to Du Quoin

The Anna-Jonesboro High School boys’ basketball team remained in striking distance until the final half in a 61-35 loss to host Du Quoin Friday, Feb. 19.

“They turned up the pressure and we didn’t handle it well,” A-J head coach Robby Wright said. “It kind of got away from us. That’s the first time we’ve been overly matched this year.”

Around a pair of 3-pointers, the Indians jumped to a 12-4 lead to open the game before Jordan Adams scored back-to-back baskets  to pull the Wildcats to 12-8.

Du Quoin led 14-8 after one quarter.

Sandwiched around a 3-pointer by J.R. Woodward, the Wildcats fought back to pull to 21-20 at the end of the first half.

“We didn’t play well the first half and we were still in the game,” Wright said.

However, the wheels fell off the third quarter as A-J was outscored 19-4 to trail 40-24 at the end of three periods.

The one positive for the Wildcats was Adams scoring a basket to give him his 1,000th prep point.

Du Quoin scored eight unanswered points to open the final quarter and outscored the Wildcats 21-11 down the stretch.

Jamor Reed scored 20 points to lead the Indians, who were 19 of 32 in shot attempts from the floor, 4 of 10 from 3-point range and 11 of 15 from the free throw line.

Woodward had 11 points and 5 rebounds to lead the Wildcats. Brady Wright added 9 points and 11 rebounds. Adams added 6 points, Jesse Webb 3 and Gabe Pecord and Alex LeFevre 2 apiece.

The Wildcats were 11 of 24 in shot attempts from the floor, 2 of 15 from 3-point range and 7 of 10 from the charity stripe.

A-J had 17 turnovers to the Indians’ 6.

A-J, 16-13 overall, was scheduled to play Massac County Wednesday in the Carterville Class 2A regional.

The Wildcats had beaten the Patriots twice this season.

Du Quoin, which won the conference outright with the victory, improved to 22-6 and 8-2 in the league.

Du Quoin is coached by former A-J head coach Mike Crews, who also coached Wright when he played for the Wildcats.