IHSA boys basketball: Scales Mound advances to state title game after impressive win

CHAMPAIGN — Amazing defense and just enough offense has lifted Scales Mound to the state title game after Thursday's 40-27 victory over Tuscola at the State Farm Center in Champaign.

Tuscola reached the state Class 1A semifinals by averaging 73 points in the playoffs. Scales Mound, on the other hand, had allowed 60 points only five times in 37 games. Those included four of its five losses.

So the challenge was obvious. Scales Mound had to step up on defense once again. And they did, delivering perhaps their defensive performance of all. The Hornets scored only 13 points the entire first half, but hounded Tuscola on defense, forcing miss after miss — and grabbing the rebounds afterward.

Scales Mound (33-5) trailed most of the first half, but took a quick lead in the third quarter. Jacob Duerr scored on a spinning baseline drive and Thomas Hereau had a steal and a fastbreak layup on the Hornets’ first two possesions of the second half to put Scales Mound ahead 19-17.

After Tuscola tied it, Hereau hit a 3 for a 20-17 lead. Scales Mound led the rest of the game.

Scales Mound held Tuscola (30-7) to 20 percent shooting through the first three quarters to lead 27-19; despite shooting only 25 percent itself at that time. The Hornets also had slight edges in rebounds (30-27) and turnovers (6 to 11) midway through the fourth quarter, when they led 30-23.

Scales Mound will play Waterlooo Gibault (31-7) for the state title 11 a.m. Saturday. Gibault destroyed Bloomington Cornerstone Christian 70-46 in the first semifinal.

Second-team All-Stater Hereau had 10 points and 11 rebounds for Scales Mound. Duerr had eight points, Dylan Slavenburg seven points and seven rebounds off the bench and Charlie Wiegel had six points and four assists.

Contact: mtrowbridge@rrstar.com, @matttrowbridge or 815-987-1383. Matt Trowbridge has covered sports for the Rockford Register Star for over 30 years, after previous stints in North Dakota, Delaware, Vermont and Iowa City.