Seton's sting too much for Massac County

Seton celebrates after winning the Class 2A state championship against Massac County.
(Scott Powers/For the Sun-Times News Group)

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PEORIA — There is a new five-letter word for champion in Illinois high school basketball — S*T*I*N*G.

Seton Academy, until six years ago an all-girls school in South Holland, used its power game inside to take control and some timely three-point shooting to break the game open as the Sting knocked off Massac County 83-63 in the Class 2A state championship game Saturday night at Carver Arena.

Double-doubles from forwards Jordan Walker (26 points, 10 rebounds) and Corbin Thomas (25 points, 11 rebounds), who were masters of the paint, and an eye-popping overall performance by point guard DJ Cooper (six points, 12 assists, nine rebounds), who was pure magic with the ball, helped the Sting (31-2) roll to its 20th win in a row.

“We made history,” Cooper said. “The assists, that’s my big guys running the floor. This just feels unbelievable. It’s once in a lifetime.”

Khameron Harper added eight points and four assists for Seton, including back-to-back third-quarter three-pointers.

Seton had a 47-25 advantage on the boards, shot 53 percent (32-for-60) and had 54 points in the paint to 26 for the Patriots.

“This is the greatest feeling ever,” said Tony Nixon, who had eight points and five rebounds. “We’re seniors and we went out as champions.”

“This is beautiful, the first state championship for our school,” Seton coach Ken Stevenson said. “I have some great kids and I believed in them and they believed in me.”

The first half was showtime for 6-7 Walker, who had 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting and seven rebounds.

“This is a tribute to every single person involved with this team,” Thomas said. “We’re a family on and off the court.”

Before the game, Walker said, “This is the one game I’ve been waiting for. I am going to go out and play like this is the last game of my life. It’s my only chance to do this in high school.”

The Sting were down 10-8 when Walker and Cooper (seven first-half assists) ignited a 13-3 burst that put them up 21-13. Walker had eight points and Cooper three assists in the run.

The Patriots fought back and ties the game at 29 on a three-pointer by Dustin Korte with 1:44 to play in the first half. But Seton finished the half with an 8-2 run that started with a Cooper basket in the lane followed by two inside baskets from Walker and a slam at the buzzer by Thomas, giving Seton a 37-31 lead.

Byron Bailey led the Patriots (33-2) with 20 points and Korte had 17.

The Sting’s only losses were to Hyde Park in a shootout at Chicago State and to Leo at the Big Dipper tournament at Rich South in December. Both teams won sectionals and will play Tuesday night at Chicago State, Leo facing Brooks in Class 3A and Hyde Park meeting Whitney Young in Class 4A.

“Our school will definitely not be the same on Monday,” Seton principal Norma Guzman said. “These boys taught everyone a lesson. They created balance and with no jealousy issues. They understand what this is all about and it is reflected by their acceptance from the school community.”

Guzman is the third principal at the South Holland school in the six years since coach Ken Stevenson arrived and it first accepted boys.

“This isn’t just about basketball,” Stevenson said. “My biggest goal for every one of these kids to go to college. When I first came to Seton and told people what I wanted to do, and how soon I wanted to do it, they all looked at me and said it would take much longer. This is a tribute to the young men. They believed in me and they believed in themselves.”

Massac County is located in Metropolis on the southern tip of the state across the Ohio River from Paducah, Ky. It’s the home of Superman and in 1987, the Patriots lost to Immaculate Heart of Mary in the Class AA girls state title game.

In the third-place game, Downstate Marshall (32-1) rallied from a nine-point deficit to knock off Winnebago 66-55 in a battle of teams that came to the state finals with 31-0 records. Taylor Duncan and Lucas Eifel scored 20 while Eifel’s twin Logan scored 20. The Eifels are headed to Indiana State.