Win over Cairo and DuQuoin; lose to Murphysboro and Carmi-White County
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – The Chester High School YellowJackets varsity basketball team competed in the 2023 DuQuoin Tournament in Week 2 of the 2023-24 basketball season.
This year’s field included eight teams. Pool 1 consisted of Cairo, Chester, DuQuoin, and Murphysboro. Pool 2 included Carmi-White County, Herrin, Sesser-Valier, and Sparta.
Chester’s Devante Palacio (5) a 6’3″ junior YellowJacket Basketball player was Chester’s leading scorer in the 4-game 2023 DuQuoin Tournament. He scored 5-points against Murphysboro, 19-points in the win over Cairo, 18-points in the win over DuQuoin, and 9-points against Carmi-White County for a total of 51 points to help Chester place 4th in the field of 8 teams. Jim Beers Photo
In pool play, the Jackets were 2-1 with a first game loss to Murphysboro, 60-47 and back-to-back wins over Cairo, 68-42 and DuQuoin, 54-48. That record earned Chester the right to compete on Championship Day in the 3rd Place game against Carmi-White County who also had a Pool 2 record of 2-1.
In the 3rd Place game, Carmi-White County edged Chester, 44-38 to win 3rd Place. The YellowJackets finished 4th out of the 8-team field.
Murphysboro 60-Chester 47
The Red Devils opened with an 18-9 lead after one quarter of play. The second period was a tie with each team scoring 10 points apiece. The Devils led, 28-19 at the halftime break.
The 3rd quarter was a lock with both teams scoring 16 points apiece. Murphy led, 44-35 after three quarters of competition. The game ended with the Red Devils outscoring the YellowJackets 16-12 to win the game, 60-47.
In the loss, the YellowJackets were led in scoring by Cayden Brunkhorst who had 11 points. CHS had six other players contribute to the 47-point total including Lucas Thompson (9), Devante Palacio (9), Korbin Jany (7), Kolton Jany (7), Evan Dunning (2), and Brenden Malley (2).
Murphysboro was led by Abernathy who had 27 points. He was followed by Cade Brooks (13), Shields (10), Boese (6), Guthman (2), and Fager (2).
With the loss, Chester fell to 1-2 for the season and stated the tournament at 0-1. Next up for Chester would be Cairo on Wednesday November 29.
Chester 68-Cairo 53
The Jackets made a quick recovery from the night before and the loss to Murphysboro when they faced Cairo in their second game of the tournament.
The first half was all Chester as the YellowJackets roared out to a 17-11 first quarter score. Brenden Malley led the charge with seven points, followed by Kolton Jany (4), Cayden Brunkhorst (3), and Lucas Thompson (3).
The Jackets stung the Pilots, 15-6 in the second period to lead by 15 points, 32-17, at halftime. In that second quarter, Devante Palacio paced the YellowJackets with six points. Evan Dunning was close behind with a basket and back-to-back free throws. Korbin Jany drained a three-pointer and Kolton Jany added two points.
The Jackets and the Pilots both came out fighting after the halftime break with Chester once again winning the race, 22-17. After three quarters of play, the Jackets led the Pilots, 54-34.
In that scoring frenzy Devante Palacio once again led the charge with eight points. Lucas Thompson added six points on a pair of three-pointers. Brenden Malley chipped in five points on a pair of two-pointers and a free throw, and Kolton Jany added three points.
Down the stretch the Pilots outscored the Jackets, 19-14, but it was too-little-too-late as the YellowJackets enjoyed a nice, 15-point lead, 68-53, to end the game with a win.
In the fourth quarter Devante Palacio and Kolton Jany each scored four points apiece, and Korbin Jany, Evan Dunning, and Lucas Thompson each hit baskets for six points.
In the win, the YellowJackets had four players score in double figures. Chester was led by Devante Palacio who scored 18 points. Kolton Jany had 13 points. Brenden Malley added 12 points, and Lucas Thompson recorded 11 points. Rounding out the scoring were Evan Dunning (6), Korbin Jany (5), and Cayden Brunkhorst (3).
The Cairo Pilots had four players who did all of their offensive damage including J. Pilgrim (25), Me Pirtle (16), M. Childs (9), and D. Nuniz (3).
With the win, Chester won its first game of the tournament, and improved its overall record to 2-2. Its tournament record improved to 1-1. Next on the tournament schedule would be the host DuQuoin Indians.
Chester 58-DuQuoin 48
The Jackets continued their success against DuQuoin in a close, exciting game defeating the Indians by 10-points, 58-48.
In the first quarter it was a one-point difference with the Indians coming out on top, 10-9. Lucas Thompson was high scorer for Chester with three points, followed by Cayden Brunkhorst, Devante Palacio, and Brenden Malley with two points apiece.
The second quarter was won by the YellowJackets who scored 17 points to DuQuoin’s 14 points. Kolton Jany led that frame with seven points, followed by Devante Palacio who contributed four points. Branden Malley and Lucas Thompson added three points apiece. When the halftime buzzer sounded, the Jackets were on top by just two points, 26-24.
Following the halftime break, Chester came back determined to increase its lead and outscored DuQuoin, 18-12 to lead, 44-36 after three quarters of competition.
In the period the Jackets had offensive contributions from four players led by Brenden Malley who scored nine points on four field goals and a free throw. Kolton Jany added four, Devante Palacio added three and Cayden Brunkhorst added two points giving CHS an eight-point lead.
To end the contest, Chester maintained its firm control of the game, outscoring DuQuoin, 14-12, to the win the game by ten points, 58-48.
Devante Palacio took control of that final frame scoring five baskets for ten of Chester’s 14 points. Cayden Brunkhorst and Korbin Jany rounded out the final four points.
In the win, the Jackets had three players score in double figures led by Devante Palacio with 19 points. Brenden Malley scored 14 points and Kolton Jany added 11. Rounding out the Chester offensive effort were Cayden Brunkhorst (6), Lucas Thompson (6), and Korbin Jany (2).
DuQuoin had eight players contribute to its 48-point effort led by one player in double figures, Maynor, who scored 22. Other contributors included Wilmington (6), Jones (5), T. Smith (5), Davis (3), Johnson (3), Brown (2), and Pyron (2).
With the win, Chester improved to an overall record of 3-2 and a tournament record of 2-1. The win also advanced Chester into the final day of competition Saturday December 2 to vie for the 3rd Place Trophy.
Carmi-White County 44-Chester 38
The 3rd Place game was close every frame and the outcome was not decided until the final quarter. Carmi-White County led by just three points, 15-12 after the first quarter, and by six points at halftime.
The third quarter was a one-point battle with Carmi-White County winning that frame, 10-9, to lead by eight points, 36-28, after three quarters of competition. Down the stretch, the Jackets outscored the Bulldogs, 10-8, but it was too-little-too-late to win the game. Carmi-White County took 3rd Place, 44-38.
In the loss, Chester was paced by Kolton Jany who scored 15 points. He was the only YellowJacket in double figures. Other contributors included Cayden Brunkhorst (6), Lucas Thompson (6), Devante Palacio (5), Brenden Malley (4), and Korbin Jany (2).
The Carmi-White County Bulldogs were fueled by just five players led by one player in double figures, Edwards, with 20. Other contributors included Holloway (9), Driscoll (5), Stockton (5), and Millhorn (5).
Chester ended the 2023 DuQuoin Tournament in 4th Place out of 8 teams with a tournament record of 2-2. The Jacket’s overall season record after the tourney was even with 3 wins and 3 losses.