Hearts, Bulldogs Each Improve to 2-0 w/Wins Wednesday

The Effingham Hearts and the St. Anthony Bulldogs will take on each other Friday night at the St. Anthony Thanksgiving Tournament for a chance to advance to the title game.

That's because both teams won Wednesday night to improve to 2-0 in the tournament and on the season. Effingham won over the Mattoon Green Wave 56-42 while St. Anthony came back after losing a lead to beat the St. Thomas More Sabers 55-54. Both games were heard on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com.  

Game time Friday will be 7:30pm at the Enlow Center. The winner will play in the title game Saturday night at 7:30pm while the loser will likely play for third place at 6pm. We'll have the Friday game on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com and Wayne will also videotape the contest.

EFFINGHAM 56, MATTOON 42

The Hearts shot 60% from the field, but it was a defense that forced numerous Green Wave turnovers that keyed the win.

Effingham hit five of eight shots in the first quarter to take a 13-7 lead and pushed the advantage to 28-19 at halftime. The Hearts then outscored Mattoon 12-2 in the third period with Mattoon's points coming on two foul shots to extend the lead to 40-21. Mattoon got shots to drop in the fourth period and scored as many points in the quarter as in the first three quarters combined, but the Hearts posted 16 points of their own to secure the win.

Effingham made 18 of 30 shots from the field, nine of 16 in the first half and nine of 14 in the second half. Effingham also made 13 of 16 free throws, and overcame 15 turnovers by outrebounding Mattoon 18-12. The Hearts made seven of 13 three-point shots.

Mattoon made 13 of 29 shots for 45%, hit on 14 of 21 foul shots, turned the ball over 16 times, and made two of eight three-point tries.

Sophomore Jacob Donaldson led Effingham with 19 points on six of nine shooting including five three-pointers. Braydon Bone added 12 points on three of four shooting from the field and six of six from the line. Also for Effingham: Michael Carie eight, Grant Wolfe five, Jared Minor four, Drew Vasquez and Brady Jackson three each on three point baskets, and Sean Zerrusen two. Carie had five rebounds to lead Effingham, Wolfe four, Zerrusen three, Donaldson two and one apiece for Bone, Minor, Jackson and Vasquez.

   --

ST. ANTHONY 55, ST. THOMAS MORE 54

The Bulldogs posted the win, but saw a 14-point lead disappear as the Sabres took a 54-53 lead in the waning seconds. St. Anthony got the ball down the floor and Connor Greene scored from underneath the bucket to put the Bulldogs back in front. St. Thomas More got a high percentage shot along the baseline, but couldn't get it to fall and the Bulldogs had the victory.

St. Anthony trailed 5-0 out of the gate and were still down 12-11 after one quarter. The Bulldogs kicked it into gear in the second period, though, outscoring the Sabres 18-10 in the second period to lead 29-22 at halftime. St. Anthony pushed the advantage to 14 points in the third quarter, but the Sabres came back to forge a 14-14 tie in the period and the Bulldogs were up 43-36 heading to the final period. The Bulldogs looked to be in pretty good shape until numerous turnovers led St. Thomas More back in the game. The Sabres outscored the Bulldogs 18-12 in the fourth quarter, but St. Anthony prevailed.

The Bulldogs shot 45% from the field, making 20 of 44, added 10 of 15 from the foul line, and grabbed 27 rebounds, but 22 turnovers were hard to ignore. The Bulldogs made five of 13 three-point shots.

St. Thomas More made 22 of 53 shots for 42% shooting, made just six of 13 foul shots, turned the ball over 14 times and grabbed 22 rebounds while making four of 14 three-point tries.

St. Anthony had four players in double figures; Andrew Gardewine with 13 points, Nick Grunloh with 12 on four three-pointers, James Kabbes with 11 and Kyle Hartke with 10 points. Also for the Bulldogs: Derek Rios five, and Connor Greene and Zach Gardewine two points apiece. Kabbes led with six rebounds, while Jeff Niebrugge had five, Rios and Andrew Gardewine four each, and Greene, Zach Gardewine, Hartke and Grunloh two apiece.

In the other contest at St. Anthony Wednesday, Breese Central defeated Clifton Central 56-48.

After the first three days of the tournament, St. Anthony, Effingham and Breese Central are each 2-0, Robinson and Mt. Zion are each 1-1, and St. Thomas More, Mattoon and Clifton Central are each 0-2.  

Here's the Friday schedule:

3pm--Mt. Zion vs. Clifton Central

4:30pm--Mattoon vs. St. Thomas More

6pm--Breese Central vs. Robinson

7:30pm--St. Anthony vs. Effingham