Eastland falls 75-56 in third-place game
Tony Dunlap's injury keeps him out until late in game
PEORIA – The Eastland boys basketball team finished fourth at the IHSA Class 1A state tournament Saturday afternoon, when the Cougars fell 75-56 to Madison in the third-place game.
Eastland scoring leader Tony Dunlap Jr. did not play until late in the fourth quarter. The team’s only senior suffered a separated left (non-shooting) shoulder in the third quarter of Friday’s 48-38 loss to Salt Fork in the semifinal round. The Cougars led that game 34-29 at the time of Dunlap’s injury.
Brad Dunlap, Tony’s junior brother, led Eastland (28-6) with 19 points. Fellow juniors Mack Byers and Collin Macomber added 12 and 10 points.
The Cougars pulled within 44-42 of Madison on one of Brad Dunlap’s four 3-pointers, with 2 minutes, 54 seconds left in the third quarter.
Madison’s Kendall Echols immediately responded with a 3 of his own, starting an 11-0, 1-minute run that put the Trojans (24-8) – who never trailed – control for good.
