Defense leads way as Streator dominates 5-1 vs. 5-1 matchup with Coal City

STREATOR – Streator senior shooting guard Matt Williamson pointed out after the Bulldogs’ 46-26 home-opening win on Friday at Pops Dale Gymnasium that the team’s focus going into its Illinois Central Eight Conference matchup with Coal City – and really every game – was defense.

It showed.

Scheming more to deny the post and force uncomfortable perimeter shots than create turnovers, the Bulldogs (6-1 overall, 3-0 ICE) limited the Coalers to 27.8% shooting from the field and single-digit scoring in every quarter.

“The first thing we talk about in film [sessions] is the defense that we need to have the next game,” said Williamson, who had team-high totals of 16 points, four assists and three steals. “All we ever talk about is how we can improve defensively. Every practice all we do is rep the stuff we want to do defensively. Before the pregame, we talk about defense, and then we go to offense.

“That’s where its starts at – on defense. We’ve got to set the tone there, and then the offense comes.”

Coal City won the opening tip out of the air, but it went right to Bulldogs forward Tristan Finley in the frontcourt. The senior transfer from Ottawa headed straight to the hoop for a lay-in, and Streator led the final 31:53 of the 32-minute game, including 11-3 after one quarter and 26-11 at the half.

The Streator lead first surpassed 10 points (22-11) 1 minute, 15 seconds before halftime on a Williamson 3 off a nice-look Blaize Bressner assist. The two switched roles on the third-quarter bucket that waxed the Bulldogs’ advantage over 20 points (34-12), Bressner draining a 3-pointer off one of Williamson’s game-best four assists.

Coal City’s deficit remained in double figures the entirety of the second half.

“Unfortunately, it seems like we always have [rough offensive] games against Streator,” Coal City coach Joe Micetich said. “They’re always tough to score on, but today was particularly bad only being able to put up 26.

“I’m not upset with our effort. I thought holding them to 46 was what we had to do to win the game, but unfortunately we didn’t score enough. Their on-ball pressure’s really tough. We couldn’t really get it in the lane, and that’s where we thrive, when we get in the lane.”

Dylan Young proved to be the only Coalers player to score in every quarter, finishing with team-highs of eight points and seven rebounds.

Along with Williamson’s strong all-around effort, Streator was led by nine points and two blocked shots from a struggling-with-foul-trouble Nolan Lukach, eight points and three assists from Isaiah Weibel, five points from Bressner and five rebounds courtesy of Joe Hoekstra. The Bulldogs shot a healthy 47.5% from the floor and won both the rebounding (26-22) and takeaways (14-12) battles.

“That first home game, we always talk about it’s going to be great energy, great vibes ...” Bulldogs coach Beau Doty said. “But you’ve got to channel the energy from the crowd and the Dawg Pound [student section] to execute. You can’t get outside yourself and the game plan, and early on I thought we were really good. ...

“Then our execution that late second quarter. I thought we just really picked the right spots to attack, the right spots to have a little patience, and that gave us a lot of pop going into halftime.”

The Bulldogs will conclude this four-game homestand next week, scheduled to host Peotone on Tuesday, Manteno on Friday and East Peoria come Saturday afternoon.

Coal City welcomes Wilmington on Tuesday ahead of a Friday night visit to Herscher.