Allen’s display of ‘bully ball’ sparks Mustangs’ comeback, carries them to victory over Saukees

MENDON, Ill. — Sawyer Allen will never be labeled as a finesse type of basketball player.

Never, ever.

The 6-foot junior, who served as the quarterback of the Unity football team, more resembles a bull in a china shop when on a basketball court.

A bull with moves, that is.

Allen feels he owns the paint and much of the baseline. Any would-be defender might want to think twice about trying to stop Allen when he begins his assault on the basket.

Allen’s overall moxie and inside talents were on full display Tuesday night when Unity rallied to defeat Pittsfield 58-54 before a crowd of about 450.

Allen scored a game-high 32 points — he also led all rebounders with nine — while anchoring a Mustangs’ comeback in the fourth quarter. Unity outscored Pittsfield 7-0 over the closing three minutes, with Allen scoring the final five points of the game.

“Man, he was tough,” Unity coach Keith Carothers said in praise of Allen. “Sawyer had a huge game. He was our safety blanket … he does so much at both ends of the floor. Sawyer’s a leader, and we just jumped on his back.”

Allen ended with 19 points in the second half and controlled much of the inside play at both ends of the floor over the final three quarters.

Allen’s physical style punctuates Unity’s approach, according to Carothers.

“We don’t do a whole lot of things pretty,” said Carothers, beginning his 18th year as Mustangs coach.

Maybe not, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, even on the basketball floor. And a victory always looks mighty nice.

“It wasn’t all me,” Allen said. “Our defense really stepped it up — and no one quit, even when we were behind.”

Pittsfield led the majority of the game, owning leads of 15-12, 33-28 and 49-44 at the quarter breaks. The Saukees still maintained a 54-51 advantage more than halfway through the fourth quarter, but never scored again.

Allen, who has been in double figures in four of Unity’s five games and is averaging 17.8 points per game, said his club’s late comeback was another step in the Mustangs’ evolution.

“I can see us growing, but we still have a lot of work to do,” he said. “That loss to West Central showed us what we needed to work on.”

Unity (4-1) was coming off a 66-40 setback to Winchester West Central in last week’s finale of a three-game schedule in the Beardstown tournament, which concluded a stretch of four road games to open the season.

Tuesday night was Unity’s first game on its new playing surface, which was installed during the offseason.

“There was no way we wanted to lose this game, the first one on the new floor,” Carothers said. 

Pittsfield coach Brad Tomhave took the setback in stride. The loss was the Saukees’ first after three straight wins to open the season.

“We’re a long way from where we need to be,” Tomhave said.

Tomhave have felt Unity “dictated” how the game was played down the stretch, taking the Saukees out of their game at both ends of the floor.

“Give them credit,” said Tomhave, in his 20th season at Pittsfield with more than 300 career wins. 

Tomhave said Allen was an unstoppable force with his physical style, categorizing it as “bully ball,” but emphasizing he meant the term as the highest form of basketball compliment.

“(Allen) just took over the game,” Tomhave said.

Lost in some of the spotlight focusing on Allen was Unity’s defense, which limited Pittsfield to five points in the final period. The Saukees had more turnovers (8) than points in the fourth quarter.

“I think our defense was probably the key for us in the fourth quarter,” Carothers said. “We came up with some big stops.”

Unity freshman Adler Gray, a 6-foot-1 swingman, pocketed 14 points. Gray has reached double figures in three of five games. Junior Taylor Graham’s 21 points — 18 coming in the first three quarters — paced Pittsfield. Fellow junior Hayden Gratton added 14 points. Riggston Bonds, a 5-foot-10 junior, led Pittsfield with seven rebounds.

Unity played without 6-foot-4 sophomore Michael McMillen and his 15-point scoring average. McMillen has seen action in just two games, due to illness and a wrist injury. Carothers said McMillen is likely out until at least mid-December.