By MIKE BROWN Sports Writer on Mar 5, 2012, at 12:14 PM Updated on 3/05 at 12:15 PM
ORU SPORTS
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Western Illinois finished ninth last year and didn’t qualify for the Summit League Tournament. Now, the Leathernecks are in the semifinals for the first time in 13 years, facing ORU at 6 p.m.
Head coach Jim Molinari said WIU couldn’t have done it without newcomers Obi Emegano and Terell Parks.
“Last year, if you would have told me we would be right here, I wouldn’t of thought that was going to happen,” Molinari said. “But I didn’t know what Terell Parks does or what Obi Emegano does. We’ve stayed injury free this year, and we added two players that can compete at the highest level. I think that’s what caused the turn.”
Emegano, who led Edmond Memorial to last year’s Class 6A state title, led the team in scoring for much of the year and currently averages 13.5 points, just behind senior guard Ceola Clark’s 13.7 points per game.
Emegano scored 19 points in his first tournament appearance as the Leathernecks downed North Dakota State 58-53 in Sunday’s first-round game.
“We tried to treat it like a normal game, same procedures, end everything. We just came out and executed,” the 6-foot-3 freshman said.
On playing ORU, a team from his home state, in the semifinals:
“Very excited for the opportunity. They are a great basketball team and they have a great coach and great players. They got us twice in hard-fought games, but we think we’ve got it (this time).”
ORU won 71-70 in double overtime in Moline, Ill., in January and 61-51 at the Mabee Center last month.
-- Mike Brown
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