It's On To Championship Game For St. Anthony

PEORIA -- Look out . . . it's Effingham St. Anthony playing for the Class 1A State Boys Basketball championship.

The Bulldogs pulled out a 43-34 victory over Chicago Hope Academy and the final nine point win came after a game that was back and forth the entire time. The biggest lead for both teams was three points through the first three quarters and the score was knotted seven times.

The opening quarter was a harbinger of things to come as the score was tied three of those seven timesd. With a smothering defense, Chicago Hope kept Drew Gibson from cutting loose as he missed the first four shots he put up. But Adam Levitt was there to step in, nailing a basket and three free throws. Cade Walsh, Alex Beesley and Jack Nuxoll also put in a basket each and the Bulldogs held an 11-9 opening quarter lead.

Hope came right back to knot the score at the start of the second quarter on a basket by Jordan Doss. The score was tied four times, the final on free throws by Hope's Javari McClendon with 53 seconds remaining.

Levitt again lifted the Bulldogs with a basket and two free throws. Alex Deters came up with an old-fashioned three-point play that kept the Bulldogs in the running. The score was tied at 20-20 at halftime.

Neither team was shooting well but that was due to the defense of both squads. Hope connected on only four of 26 shots while St. Anthony was seven of 20.

The third quarter was again back and forth. Javion May connected to start the quarter for Hope but St. Anthony came back within one on a free throw by Levitt. Then it was back-to-back fouls by Nuxoll and Beesley and things looked a little bleak for the Bulldogs.

But Chicago Hope didn't take advantage and the Bulldogs moved ahead on a basket by Deters with 4:10 showing. Doss pushed home a dunk and Hope went ahead 24-23. Then Brandon Runge picked up his third foul and the Bulldogs looked as if they were moving into a world of hurt.

But, once again, that Bulldog spirit came to the front and Levitt hit a basket with 1:30 to push ahead 25-24. Then it was Hope's turn to face uncertain odds as Ajan Parker and Patrick Ross picked up their fourth fouls each. Gibson, who hadn't connected on a basket in nine attempts, nailed a bucket and the Bulldogs were ahead by their biggest margin, three with 1:01 showing in the third quarter.

Hope's Robinson stole the ball and put in a basket to pull the Eagles within 27-26 going into the final quarter.

May then nailed the opening basket and Hope was ahead 28-27. But the Bulldogs' Beesley connected on two free throws and the Bulldogs went into a 29-28 lead. Parker came back for Hope and the lead went back to that side of the court with 4:43 showing.

St. Anthony called a time out with 3:36 showing and right after the time out, Deters hit a basket on an assist by Cade Walsh and the Bulldogs took the lead for what would prove to be the final time of the contest. From that point on it was all St. Anthony.

Gibson connected on a basket at the 2:01 mark and the Bulldogs led 33-30. Although Hope moved within one point, Walsh came up with a big steal and then it was free throw time. Deters connected on two at the 1:09 mark and the lead went to 37-34. On that foul, Hope's May fouled out.

Hope missed two attempts at the basket and Levitt was fouled with :41 left. He connected on both and the lead went to 39-34 and light was beginning to shine on a Bulldog victory. Hope missed a shot and Levitt rebounded with 26 seconds and was fouled. He connected on both and the lead went to 41-34.

Walsh came up with another steal and Gibson was fouled with 19 ticks on the clock. He connected on both free throws and that's where the scoring ended.

Levitt, a 6-foot-2 junior who averages 8.1 points a contest, came up big for the Bulldogs with 16 points and five rebounds. Deters also finished in double figures with 11. Hope held leading scorer Gibson to only six points but he led in rebounds with nine and contributed in big ways in other areas of the contest.

Neither team connected on a three-pointer as Hope was 0 of 11 and St. Anthony 0 of seven.

"We got blocked on several shots but the kids just didn't quit," said St. Anthony Coach Cody Rincker. "We faced that several times with bigger teams during the regular season and had a tough time but we learned from it."

Levitt came into the contest with a bum ankle, suffering a sprain in the super-sectional contest.

"Adam has got to be one of the toughest guys around," said Rincker. "He played on a hurt ankle and then chipped a tooth right before he hit some big free throws in the fourth quarter. I'm very proud of him.

"Alex Deters and Jack Nuxoll played some big defense on Hope's leading scorer Jordan Doss. Doss averages 18.5 points a game and they held him to 10. Alex is just another tough kid and what he and Jack did to Jordan Doss was awesome. Alex hit free throws in the final quarter and made that coast to coast play.

"Although Drew didn't get his points due to their tough defense, he passed well and stayed on an even keel. He just kept doing what he could do rebounding and going after the ball. He gave the rest of the kids confidence.

"Cade Walsh helped and put us in the right place. He's just a tough-nosed kid. Beesley and Runge did a good job staying with it. They were both just huge for us."

St. Anthony moved into the title contest with a 29-5 record and will face Okawville Saturday at 12:45 p.m. for the championship. The third place contest between Chicago Hope Academy and Newark is scheduled for 11 a.m.

Class 1A State Tournament

ST. ANTHONY (43)

Walsh 1-4 0-0 2, Deters 4-7 3-4 11, Beesley 2-3 2-2 6, Levitt 3-8 12-16 16, Gibson 1-12 4-6 6, Nuxoll 1-1 0-2 2, Runge 0-1 0-0 0, Ludwig 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS 12-36 FG (33.3) 19-30 FT (63.3)

CHICAGO HOPE ACADEMY (34)

May 3-10 1-6 7, Rodriguez 0-4 0-1 0, Doss 5-14 0-0 10, McClendon 2-6 2-4 6, Parker 2-3 1-2 5, Robinson 1-5 0-0 2, Ross 1-2 2-2 4, Essex 0-3 0-0 0, Davis 0-0 0-0 0, Hilton 0-0 0-0 0, Wilson 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS 14-47 FG (29.7) 6-15 FT (40.0)

St. Anthony            11      9    7    16    --    43

Chicago Hope          9    11    6      8    --    34

3-point FG -- St. Anthony 0-7, Chicago Hope 0-11. Rebounds -- St. Anthony 30 (Gibson 9, Levitt 5), Chicago Hope 20 (McClendon 7, May 4). Turnovers -- St. Anthony 18, Chicago Hope 16.