Holiday Tournament Roundup: Suns’ stingy defense leads to championship of MVIT

MENDON, Ill. — The Southeastern boys basketball team has a lofty goal for its defense.

“We need to keep teams under 30 points or 35 points, somewhere right in there to have a chance to win,” senior guard Ramsey Fry said. “That’s the target.”

The Suns didn’t quite hit the bull’s eye Wednesday night, but the defensive effort was dynamic enough to push Southeastern to a 43-40 victory over Bushnell-Prairie City in the championship game of the Mississippi Valley Invitational Tournament at Unity High School.

It was the Suns’ first MVIT title since 2008.

“We played tremendously hard,” Fry said. “Our defense was great. Our offense wasn’t the best, but we pulled through.”

Fry helped the Suns emerge from a nip-and-tuck affair by scoring a game-high 26 points. He was named tournament MVP.

“It was close throughout the game,” Fry said. “We tried pulling away, and they tried pulling away a couple of times. Neither team could do it. I’d have to say our defense gave us the edge. Our rebounding was pretty on point, too.”

Still, Fry knows improvements need made.

“This is a tremendous confidence booster,” Fry said. “We still have to play harder, no doubt about it.”

In the third-place game, Unity beat Griggsville-Perry 74-68. Vincent Maglioacchetti led the Mustangs with 19 points, while Tate Kunzeman scored 24 points for the Tornadoes.

Rushville-Industry beat Western 40-25 in a consolation game as Mason Smith led the Wildcats with 14 points. In the other consolation game, West Prairie beat Pleasant Hill 74-27.