Hearts Open Season w/Win Over St. Thomas More

(MICHAEL CARIE GOES UP FOR TWO OF HIS TEAM-HIGH 19 POINTS AS EFFINGHAM POSTED A SEASON-OPENING WIN TUESDAY)

The Effingham Hearts opened their 2014-15 boys basketball season with a 50-46 win over Champaign St. Thomas More Tuesday. The action from the St. Anthony Thanksgiving Tournament was heard on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com.  

Effingham struggled early, making just four of 16 shots in the first quarter to trail 13-10 at the end of the period. The Hearts exploded, though, in the second quarter scoring 26 points on 12 of 16 shooting to lead the contest 36-24 at halftime.

The shooting cooled just as quickly as it heated up once the third quarter began, with Effingham making just three of 10 shots in the period. St. Thomas More, though, only made four of 15 shots and the Hearts still led 42-33 heading into the fourth quarter.

Effingham made four of 10 shots in the final stanza while the Sabers hit five of eight from the field including a three-pointer to make it close, but the Hearts held on for the victory.

The Hearts made 23 of 52 shots, or 44% from the field and made just two of six foul shots. Effingham turned the ball over 15 times, but grabbed 38 rebounds while making two of seven three-point tries. St. Thomas More made 19 of 46 shots for 41%, made just six of 16 foul shots, turned the ball over 16 times, pulled down 22 rebounds and made two of eight three-point attempts.

Michael Carie led Effingham with 19 points, all in the first half, and grabbed 10 rebounds for a double-double. Sean Zerrusen scored nine points and pulled down four boards. Sophomore point guard Grant Wolfe only scored one point on a tough shooting night, but ran the club well and also grabbed nine rebounds. Braydon Bone, who battled foul troubles throughout the first half, scored six points in the second half. Sophomore Jacob Donaldson scored eight points with three rebounds, Jared Minor had four points and six rebounds, Brady Jackson hit a three-pointer and gave some good minutes before a cut on his hand sidelined him, and Drew Vasquez and Frankie Kasdorf didn't score but Vasquez grabbed three rebounds and Kasdorf pulled down one.

Sophomore Doug Wallen led St. Thomas More with 24 points and eight rebounds.

   --

The Hearts are back in action Wednesday night at 6:30pm against the Mattoon Green Wave, a game we'll have on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com as part of a double-header, to be followed at 8pm by St. Anthony vs. St. Thomas More.

There's a 5pm game on tap as Breese Central takes on Clifton Central.

St. Anthony Thanksgiving Tournament

Game Three

BREESE CENTRAL (62)

Schulte 2-2 -- 7, Harmon 2-2 -- 6, Kohrmann 6-5 -- 17, Strieker 1-5 -- 7, Rule 1-0 -- 2, Schneider 4-0 -- 11, Joest 5-2 -- 12. TOTALS 21 FG, 16 FT.

MOUNT ZION (58)

Kuhle 2-0 -- 6, Thacker 2-5 -- 11, Grinestaff 2-14 -- 18, Smith 1-2 -- 5, K. Cox 0-1 -- 1, Davis 0-0 -- 0, Horath 7-1 -- 16, McCord 0-1 -- 1. TOTALS 14 FG, 24 FT.

Breese Central          12    15    19    16    --    62

Mount Zion                   5    10    17    26    --    58

3-point FG -- Breese Cnetral 4 (Schulte 1, Schneider 3), Mount Zion 6 (Kuhle 2, Thacker 2, Smith 1, Horath 1).

Game Four

ST. THOMAS MORE (46)

Davis 3-1 -- 8, Lee 1-0 -- 2, Ausley 2-1 -- 6, Yumba 1--0 -- 2, Nengo 0-0 -- 0, Wallen 11-2 -- 24, Horn 1-1 -- 3, Blomberg 0-1 -- 1. TOTALS 19 FG, 6 FT.

EFFINGHAM (50)

Vasquez 0-0 -- 0, Bone 3-0 -- 6, Zerrusen 4-0 -- 9, Jackson 1-0 -- 3, Wolfe 0-1 -- 1, Carie 9-1 -- 19, Minor 2-0 -- 4, Donaldson 4-0 -- 8, Kasdorf 0-0 -- 0. TOTALS 23 FG, 2 FT.

St. Thomas More          13    11    9    13    --    46

Effingham                      10    26    6      8    --    50

3-point FG -- St. Thomas More 2 (Davis 1, Ausley 1), Effingham 2 (Zerrusen 1, Jackson 1).

Game Five

ROBINSON (88)

Dirks 7-7 -- 23, Griffin 3-0 -- 6, Wright 2-2 -- 7, Albright 0-0 -- 0, Harrison 5-2 -- 12, Bopp 4-3 -- 11, Richart 6-8 -- 24, Scott 2-1 -- 5. TOTALS 29 FG, 23 FT.

CLIFTON CENTRAL (76)

Garcia 9-3 -- 26, Lemenager 8-7 -- 27, Willis 0-0 -- 0, Wellborn 4-1 -- 9, Schoon 2-1 -- 6, Schoon 0-2 -- 2, Long 3-0 -- 6. TOTALS 26 FG, 14 FT.

Robinson                      19    21    22    26    --    88

Clifton Central            17    12    28    19    --    76

3-point FG -- Robinson 7 (Dirks 2, Wright 1, Richart 4), Clifton Central 10 (Garcia 5, Lemenager 4, Schoon 1).