PIRATES SHOT DOWN BY EAGLES

FARMINGTON -- The Perryville Pirates ran into a mathematics problem Saturday night in their 48-39 quarterfinal loss to the Sullivan Eagles at the Civic Center.

Sullivan, ranked second in Class 3A, scored its points in three's, nailing 10 3-pointers. The Pirates, ranked eighth, managed just four treys and had trouble at the free-throw-line, ending their season a game short of the Final Four with a 28-3 mark.

"We knew exactly who their shooters were," said Pirates coach Rick Francis. "We really played a pretty good defensive game except we couldn't find their 3-point shooters."

Joe Zucco led the Eagles' long-range shooters, sinking four treys and scoring a game-high 16 points. Sean Adams knocked down three 3-pointers, including two crucial treys in the final quarter to thwart a Pirates comeback. Adams scored 11 points.

"Our guards have been subject to a lot of ridicule all year long," Sullivan coach Kevin Garner said. "Our guards really struggled at the beginning of the year but they kept their confidence and worked all year long. Right here is the payoff for all of their hard work."

Trailing 36-27 entering the fourth quarter, Perryville went on a 7-0 run to get to within two points of the Eagles. Senior Bruce Weinkein knocked down two short turnaround-jumpers and then senior point guard Steve Tsikhlakis sank a 3-pointer from the corner to make the score 36-34 with 5:01 remaining. Tsikhlakis led the Pirates with 13 points.

But Adams stopped the run with a 3-pointer at the 4:06 mark to put the Eagles ahead 39-34. Perryville came right back with two baskets from Scott Kassel, a 3-pointer from the corner and a putback for two points, to tie the score 39-39 with 3:06 left. Kassel, mired in foul trouble for the entire second half, finished his final high school game with 11 points.

With the Pirates making a comeback bid, the large gathering of Perryville fans rose to their feet. The Pirates' faithful covered over half of the Civic Center seats in green.

But Adams struck again with his final 3-pointer to silence the Pirates fans to give Sullivan the lead for good at the 2:02 mark.

Perryville missed a few shots down the stretch and Sullivan sank 4 of 5 free throws to pull away.

The Pirates led briefly in the second half after taking a 19-18 lead just before halftime. With 6-foot-5 seniors Doug Cuneio and Scott Gawer controlling the Pirates' inside game of Kassel and Bruce Weinkein, Tsikhlakis stepped up his play after a rough opening quarter.

Tsikhlakis heard the "airball" cheer everytime he touched the ball in the first quarter after missing his first shot badly to start the game.

But the 5-11 senior responded in the second quarter scoring eight of the Pirates' 14 second-quarter points, including a 3-pointer with three seconds left to give the Pirates their first lead of the game heading into the second half.

After a basket by Adams put Sullivan back on top 20-19, the Eagles unloaded four 3-pointers for their next four baskets to jump out to a 32-23 lead midway through the quarter.

The Pirates missed their first six shots to start the game but Sullivan didn't fare much better. Nearing the three minute mark, Sullivan held a 3-0 lead thanks to a Sean Adams 3-pointer to open the game. Sullivan held an 11-5 lead after one quarter.