The Monticello Sages held the St. Joseph-Ogden Spartans scoreless for the first 4:53 seconds of the second half and allowed them to rally to a 47-39 win in sectional semifinal action Wednesday night from Maroa-Forsyth High School.

 

The Sages trailed 26-24 at the break and opened up the third with a 15-0 run as the Spartans didn't get their first field goal until the 3:07 mark on a Joel Orcutt basket, on which he was fouled and made the and-one free throw to cut the deficit to 39-29.

 

The Spartans closed the quarter on a 9-2 run to cut it to 41-35 going to the fourth. 

 

Neither offense found any rhythm as the Sages tried to run out the clock for much of the quarter.

 

St. Joe cut the deficit to 41-39 with 2:07 to play but Ben Singleton scored four straight points, closing out a career night, and Calvin Fisher made two crucial free throws with 27 seconds remaining.

 

Singleton scored a career-high 19 points, a game after his game-winner at Hoopeston sent Monticello to a Regional championship against GCMS.

 

Fisher finished with 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

 

Jack Cook led the Spartans with 11 points and Bryce Haake grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds. 

 

The Sages will take on Bloomington Central Catholic Friday night at 7 pm from Maroa-Forsyth High School.

 

Hear the action on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com. 

 

Class 2A Sectional semifinal action:

 

At Farmington

 

Williamsville 43

Dee-Mack 54

 

Class 1A Sectional seminfinal action:

 

At Danville Schlarman

 

Ridgeview 76

Decatur LSA 59

 

At Central A & M

 

Dieterich 64

Central A & M 89

 

Class 3A Region semifinal action Wednesday:

 

At Decatur MacArthur

 

Decatur MacArthur 70

Taylorville 58

 

At Mahomet-Seymour

 

Mt. Zion 50

Urbana 61

 

At Morris

 

Normal U-High 40

Plano 56

 

At Paris

 

Tolono Unity 49

Effingham 66

 

At Peoria Manual

 

Peoria Notre Dame 43

Peoria Manual 53

 

At Rochester

 

Lincoln 40

Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin 26

 

At Washington

 

Metamora 64

Peoria Richwoods 48

 

At Danville @ Peoria Richwoods

 

Moline 53

Normal Community 47

 

At Quincy

 

Alton 62

Chatham Glenwood 45

 

At Rock Island

 

Bloomington 76

Rock Island 79