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Right place at the right time

Posted by: Fred Kroner

Sunday, February 1, 2009 1:25 AM

ARCOLA -- Third-place games in tournaments often don't produce memorable performances as athletes frustrated from semifinal losses simply play out the game.

There is, folks say, an exception to every rule.

Cerro Gordo's Drew Minton turned in a record-setting performance on Saturday during the Broncos' 76-72 loss to Arthur in the third-place game of the Little Okaw Valley Conference Tournament. at Arcola High School's Nancy Stiff Gymnasium. The 6-foot senior tallied 52 points, including a 23-point fourth quarter.

Among athletes in the News-Gazette circulation area, the school-record total ties Minton for ninth on the all-time area one-game scoring list. The senior is the first area athlete to join the club in 20 years.

Based on a check of records compiled by the IHSA, the News-Gazette single-game boys' scoring leaders are:

1) Dennis Graff, Gibson City, 67 points in 1972

2) Ron Rebholz, Chatsworth, 58 points in 1984

3) Terry Clark, Arcola, 57 poiints in 1955

3) Ryan Cox, Rossville-Alvin, 57 points in 1989

5) Bryan Williams, Schlarman, 56 points in 1960

6) Chad Graves, Arcola, 54 points in 1989

6) Terry Smothers, Shiloh, 54 points in 1989

8) Mark Henrichs, Onarga, 53 points in 1973

9) Drew Minton, Cerro Gordo, 52 points in 2009

9) Mark Henrichs, Onarga, 52 points in 1974

9) Mark Henrichs, Onarga, 52 points in 1973

9) Todd Wilson, Oakland, 52 points in 1989

En route to his total on Saturday, Minton put in a steady stream of points throughout the game, scoring at least nine every quarter. He also made at least one three-pointer in every quarter and hit 7 of 16 shots from beyond the arc. He also got to the free throw line every quarter and was 13 for 18 on his charity tosses.

From the field overall, Minton was 16 for 36.

Despite his heroics, Arthur held on for the win even though Minton scored eight points in the last 33.6 seconds.

The championship game had a fantastic finish as well. An Arcola team which trailed by 14 points with less than 2 minutes left in the third quarter and trailed consecutively for 17:27, rallied for a 60-58 victory over Tri-County.

Sophomore Garrison Stenger was fouled on a penetration move to the basket with 1.4 seconds remaining and hit 2 of 2 free throws, snapping a 58-58 tie. Stenger scored 19 points in all, including all eight of Arcola's final points in the last 2:16.

At the start of the LOVC Tournament, Arcola had an 8-9 season. Following four successive wins, the team is now 12-9. Arciola didn't regain the lead in the finals until the final 1:04.

Interestingly, Arcola is coached by Chad Graves, the person who had a 54-point game for the Purple Riders in 1989.

Another athlete who joined in on the heroics Saturday was Lovington's Dan Bolsen. He had a double-double by halftime of the consolation championship game and finished with game-high totals of 23 points and 16 rebounds as the Panthers topped Sangamon Valley 64-57.

After watching Minton play, however, he knew he had to take a back seat to the day's headliner.

"That kid is phenomenal," Bolsen said.