Longtime Central High School boys basketball coach Stan Eagleson collected his 600th career victory Friday as the defending Class 2A state champs knocked off Freeburg 56-49 in a Cahokia Conference game.
Eagleson's teams have compiled 540 wins at Central from 1986 through this season, while his teams were 60-34 at Ramsey from 1981-85.
Greg Meyer and Austin Rickhoff scored 14 points each for Central and Luke Jackson added 12. Freeburg's Justin Diecker led all scorers with 22 points while Dalton Crunk tossed in 16.
Central improved to 6-1 in league play and 14-7 overall, while Freeburg (7-14) dropped to 2-5 in the conference.
Madison 66, Gibault 64
Marquis Borney erupted for 30 points and hit a rebound bucket with eight seconds remaining before the Madison Trojans (12-9) added another late free throw to edge Gibault (17-5) in a battle of two of the area's top Class 1A teams.
On the night Gibault coach Dennis Rueter was honored for his 600th career win, the Hawks got 19 points from Matt Schreder, 16 from Nick Row and 11 from Brendan McFarland.
Gibault was playing without scoring leader Wes Degener, who suffered a broken finger at practice Thursday that required surgery a day later.
"He's probably done," Rueter said.
New Athens 55, Steeleville 50
New Athens tightened its grip on first place in the Cahokia Conference-Kaskaskia Division standings with a victory over Steeleville.
Jeremy Hepp led New Athens with 14 points, with Luc Marlow and Tyler Meyer firing in 12 each. Steeleville's Darin Winkelman tossed in 28 points.
O'Fallon 73, Alton 67
A 30-point effort from Donovan Franklin enabled the O'Fallon Panthers to pick up their first Southwestern Conference win with a victory over the Alton Redbirds.
Todd Porter chipped in 18 points and Parker Roustio had 14 points for the Panthers (6-13, 1-7).
Derrick Thurmond had 20 points for the Redbirds (10-13, 3-5).
Cahokia 89, Carbondale 60
Keenan Minor poured in 31 points as the Cahokia Comanches beat the Carbondale Terriers in a South Seven Conference game.
The Comanches (21-2, 5-1), who jumped out to a 23-8 lead, also got 18 points from Darius Austin, 12 points from Vincent Jackson and 11 points from Carleton Rivers.
Sparta 60, Nashville 50
Phil Lockhart scored 28 points as the Sparta Bulldogs handed the Nashville Hornets their first Southern Illinois River-to-River Conference loss this season.
The Bulldogs (15-7 overall, 4-2 in league play) outscored the Hornets 15-4 in the second quarter to open up a 28-15 lead at halftime. Scott Brown was the top scorer for the Hornets (16-6, 5-1) with 16 points.
