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The Rebels participated in one of the top holiday tournaments in the state at WIU in Macomb. This tournament included the preseason number 1 & 2 ranked teams in the stateÑ Farmington and Macomb along with AA teams from Canton and Metamora.
The Rebs started out the tournament with AA Metamora at 10:30 AM on Wednesday. Neither team could get on track on the larger college floor.
Metamora held a 19-16 lead at the half. The deficit would have been larger, but Dan Morrison hit a 3 pointer from beyond midcourt to bring the Rebels within 3. The Rebs held a 24-23 advantage heading into the fourth quarter, but could not sustain the lead, and the final score ended up 34-32 in fovor of Metamora. the Rebels were topped in scoring by Dan Morrison with 9 points.
This dropped Southern into the consolation bracket, and a 9:00AM game on Thursday with Monmouth. The team came out and played somewhat better, but still had problems scoring points. The halftime score was 15-12 in favor of the Rebels.
The second half saw the team come out and shoot a respectable 48 percent and score 28 points which led to a 43-35 final score.
Southern was led in scoring and rebounding by Chris Wisslead with 17 and 7 respectively.
The victory put the Rebs in a 9:00 a.m. Friday game against AA Canton.
This game could easily be one of Southern's best efforts of the year. The team shot 49 percent for the game and scored a 64-55 victory over Canton.
Quinn Leath, Josh Ragar, Dan Morrison, and Chris Wisslead all scored in double figures. Nick Morris, Billy Ford, and Ryan Keever also added important contributions to both ends of the floor.
The morning victory placed Southern in the championship game of the consolation bracket at 5:00 PM, against Warsaw, a team that had defeated the Rebs just a week earlier by four points.
The Rebels looked more comfortable on the larger floor in running out to a 30-24 halftime lead.
The second half was no different with the Rebels outscoring Warsaw 31-16, for a 61-40 victory.
Southern shot 55% from the floor, and 90% from the freethrow line.
The team was topped in scoring by Quinn Leath with 20 points and 6 rebounds. Nick Morris, Cullen Goodman, Chris Wisslead, Josh Ragar, Dan Morrison, Ryan Keever, and Tom Torrance all hit the scoring column.
This was a fine showing for the Rebels in their first Macomb Holiday Tourney. The fan support was very good considering that 3 of the 4 games were played in the morning.
The Rebels came within 5 points of setting a record for fewest points allowed in four games.
The record for the 56 years of tournament play was 159.
The Rebels allowed a mere 164.
Lewistown beat Macomb in the championship game and Farmington topped Illini Central for 3rd place.
Chris Wisslead was voted to the 10 player all tournament team.
Southern supporters were expressing their "Congratulations" to the Rebels and their fans.
Southern lost their first round game Wednesday, December 26 to Metamora 32-34 putting them in the consolation bracket. Here they went undefeated as Thursday they defeated Monmouth 43-35, Friday defeated Canton 64-55, and that evening defeated the Warsaw Wildcats 61-40 to win the Consolation Championship. This was Southern's first time in the holiday tournament.
Southern Rebels - Dan Morrison shooting, and Nick Morris ready to rebound at the Macomb Holiday Tournament -photo by Vicky Keever.
Rebel varsity players Josh Ragar-40 and Nick Morris-0 in defensive action for the Rebels.
Quinn Leath, Nick Morris, Dan Morrison, Ryan Keever and Christopher Wisslead in action for the Southern Rebel Varsity team.
Ryan Keever 22 - Defense