Pinckneyville — The Duster Thomas Hoops Classic Championship delivered the drama.

The Woodlawn Cardinals opened their season with a 66–46 win over Metro-East Lutheran, and honestly they looked in control pretty much the whole night. The biggest difference was the defense. Woodlawn’s length and activity threw Metro-East off from the start, forcing over 20 turnovers.

This year’s preseason field has a strong balance of returning talent across all classes, and we’re excited for what should be an electric basketball season in Southern Illinois.