Hearts, Down 18 at One Time, Lose by One in Girls Basketball

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Published on December 10 2015 11:03 pm
Last Updated on December 11 2015 6:52 am
Written by Greg Sapp

The Effingham Hearts, trailing by 18 points in the first half, almost climbed all the way back, but fell 47-46 Thursday to the Green Wave in Mattoon in girls basketball play. The game was heard on KJ Country 102.3 and www.kjcountry.com 

Mattoon pounded the ball inside early and often and took the big lead. The Wave led 17-9 after one quarter and led 33-21 at halftime. By then, though, the Hearts had already begun their comeback.

While allowing 33 points in the first half, Effingham held Mattoon to 14 points in the second half. In the meantime, the Hearts finally got some shots to drop. Effingham was back within 39-32 after three quarters and trimmed the margin to five numerous times, but could get no closer.

Finally, Effingham got the deficit down to four, but costly turnovers slowed the comeback. The Hearts got a three-pointer from Carsyn Fearday to pull within one, and then stole the ball after Mattoon inbounded, but a last-second shot by Shelby Nunamaker bounced off the rim as time elapsed.

Effingham's comeback is even more remarkable when you consider they shot just under 30% from the field, making just 14 of 47 shots. Foul shooting wasn't the best, either, 15 of 26, but the Hearts outrebounded a taller Mattoon team 31-23. Each team committed 14 turnovers and each team had three of 11 three-point tries.

Mattoon made 19 of 42 shots for 45% and made six of 11 foul shots.

Freshman Carsyn Fearday led Effingham with 15 points, nine in the fourth quarter. Aly Armstrong also finished in double figures with 10 points. Also for Effingham, Miranda Fox 9, Shelby Myers 4, Bria Barr 4, Shelby Nunamaker 2 and Taylor Crowell 2.

Effingham is now 4-3 on the season, 0-2 in Apollo Conference play. Mattoon improved to 6-2, 2-0 in the Apollo.

Effingham won the JV game, 31-28, with Natalie Carie scoring 11 points for the JV Hearts.

At Mattoon

EFFINGHAM (46)

Depoister 0-0 -- 0, Fearday 5-4 -- 15, Schafer 0-0 -- 0, Phillips 0-0 -- 0, Armstrong 4-0 -- 10, Steffen 0-0 -- 0, Fox 2-5 -- 9, Webster 0-0 -- 0, Nunamaker 1-0 -- 2, Crowell 0-2 -- 2, Barr 1-2 -- 4, Myers 1-2 --4 . TOTALS 14 FG, 15 FT.

MATTOON (47)

Nichols 0-2 -- 2, Jackson 6-4 -- 18, Thompson 5-0 -- 11, McDonald 1-0 -- 2, Lee 7-0 -- 14, Coffey 0-0 -- 0. TOTALS 19 FG, 6 FT.

Effingham              9    12    11    14    --    46

Mattoon              17     16      6      8    --    47

3-point FG -- Effingham 3 (Fearday 1, Armstrong 2), Mattoon 3 (Jackson 2, Thompson 1).