Published on November 26, 2025 7:20 am
Last Updated on November 26, 2025 2:09 pm
BY MILLIE LANGE
Effingham went up against Chicago Leo and fell by a 53-29 count Tuesday evening at the St. Anthony Turkey Tournament in boys basketball action.
The two teams played to an 11-11 opening quarter tie. Jenner Pals knocked in a three-pointer for the Hearts while Nolan Fearday and Jude Traub hit two free throws each.
But Chicago Leo’s Brian Kizer found the range in the second quarter, hitting three from beyond the arc and a regular basket for 11 of his team’s 14 points. The other basket was a three by Jeremiah Echous and Leo moved into a 25-17 halftime lead.
Chicago Leo continued on in the third quarter as Andre Tucker took over the three-point scoring with two while Kizer added on four more points and Karon Shavers hit four points.
The Hearts had only two baskets, by Pals and Max Buzzard in the third period and hit four free throws. EHS trailed 42-25.
Kizer led Chicago Leo with 20 points on seven field goals, four of those three-pointers and two of two at the line. He also pulled down eight rebounds. Asa Harris had five assists.
Leo hit 40.9 percent from the field and 50 percent at the line. They were 43.4 percent from three-point range, hitting 10 from beyond the arc.
The Hearts could muster only 26.5 percent from the field but were 71.4 percent at the line with 10 of 14. EHS also outrebounded Leo by a 28-26 count with Cole Phillips and Jude Traub pulling down four each. But the Hearts finished with 19 turnovers while Leo had only nine.
In the second contest, Rantoul downed Normandy by a 64-35 tally while Breese Central edged Mattoon 48-43 in the final game of the evening.
The tournament continues tonight as Effingham returns to action in the 5 p.m. contest against Edwardsville. Rantoul meets Mattoon at 6:30 and Effingham St. Anthony takes on Chicago Leo at 8.
The tourney will finish out Friday with four games featuring Edwardsville against Chicago Leo at 3 p.m., Breese Central against Rantoul at 4:30, Mattoon facing Normandy at 6 and St. Anthony and Effingham meeting at 7:30.
St. Anthony Turkey Tournament
Game Three
EFFINGHAM (29)
Bockhorn 0-1 — 1, Pals 2-0 — 5, Buzzard 3-0 — 6, Bridges 0-0 — 0, Phillips 4-0 — 8, Fearday 0-4 — 4, Love 0-0 — 0, Traub 0-2 — 2, McDaniel 0-1 — 1, Warner 0-1 — 1, Kinkelaar 0-1 — 1, Moser 0-0 — 0. TOTALS 9 FG, 10 FT.
CHICAGO LEO (53)
Shavers 1-2 — 4, Harris 1-0 — 3, Henderson 2-3 — 8, Kazer 7-2 — 20, Stephens 0-0 — 0, Echous 2-0 — 6, Orr 1-0 — 2, Brooks 0-0 –0, Tucker 2-0 — 6, Griffin 1-0 — 2, Pale 1-0 — 2, Smith 0-0 — 0. TOTALS 18 FG, 7 FT.
Effingham 11 6 8 4 — 29
Chicago Leo 11 14 17 11 — 53
3-point FG — Effingham 1 (Pals 1), Chicago Leo 10 (Kazer 4, Tucker 2, Echous 2, Harris 1, Henderson 1)