The Taylorville Tornadoes saw a huge start from Maddex Havera and finished it with domination from Brock Brown as the Taylorville Tornadoes won a huge Apollo Conference matchup over the Mt. Zion Braves 62-39.  The Tornadoes got off to a huge start thanks to a couple Maddex Havera 3’s and a field goal from Patrick Curtin giving Taylorville an early 8-0 lead and forcing an early Mt. Zion timeout.  The Tornadoes wouldn’t look back.  Taylorville would extend their lead as Havera would add 11 points, Malique Pearse would add four and of course Curtin’s 2, the Tornadoes would take a 17-11 lead into the second quarter.

In the second quarter, Mt. Zion made some adjustments and came firing out with threes from Holden Wirey and Jordan Sams, but the Tornadoes saw points from several players including Curtin, Pearse, Brock Brown with a three, and Wyatt Younker.  However, the big moment came in the closing seconds of the second quarter. With 6.4 seconds left and a four point lead, Mt. Zion stepped on the end line turning the ball over to Taylorville. That’s when Landon Bowsher took over.  On a pass in from Malique Pearse from the top of the key, Bowsher split two defenders racing up the endline putting in a basket and solidifying the quarter for Taylorville as both teams put in 11 and Taylorville lead at halftime 28-22. 

The third quarter was much more defensive although the pressure was still extremely high. Taylorville continued to gradually build their lead with a big three from Wyatt Younker, and points from Maddyx Owens and Brock Brown.  Only Holden Wirey and Brody Lipa would score for the Braves in the third.  Taylorville took a 35-27 lead into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter, it was all Taylorville, well it was all Brock Brown and Malique Pearse.  Brown would pour in 13 points, Pearse would add 9 as Taylorville would outscore the Braves 24-12 in the fourth quarter securing a huge Apollo Conference win.  Lipa would get 5 in the fourth and a couple field goals from Wirey and Drake Gensler, but it would be Taylorville who was smiling on Friday night with a big 62-39 victory.  Maddex Havera would be named the WTIM Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the game for getting Taylorville going in the first and giving the Tornadoes an early lead that they would never relinquish. 

Taylorville leading scorers: Brock Brown 18, Malique Pearse 15, Maddex Havera 11, Patrick Curtin 6. 
Mt Zion leading scorers: Holden Wirey 11, Brody Lipa 10, Jordan Sams 8. 

                             1             2         3             4          F

Taylorville         17          11         7            24        62
Mt Zion             11           11         5           12        39

Taylorville (8-9, 3-2) next faces Hillsboro in the Litchfield (Rick McGraw) tournament.