Mt. Vernon Squeaks Past Hearts, 53-51

The Mt. Vernon Rams made two foul shots with 0:01.1 left in the game to edge the Effingham Hearts 53-51 Tuesday night. The game, at Mt. Vernon, was heard on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com  

A foul called on a battle for a rebound led to Mt. Vernon's Malcolm Ruff making two foul shots to give the Rams the win. 

Effingham has lost three of its last four games...by a grand total of five points, and two of those games have been decided on last second foul calls.

It's another tough loss for a Hearts' team that went into Mt. Vernon and gave the Rams all they wanted on a night when Mt. Vernon Coach Doug Creel set a school record for coaching victories.

Mt. Vernon led 10-8 after one quarter, but the Hearts cut it to one, 24-23 at halftime, and were ahead 38-37 after three quarters before Mt. Vernon came back to outscore Effingham 16-13 in the final stanza to eke out the win.

Effingham shot 45% from the field, making 19 of 42 including seven of 12 threes. The Hearts made six of nine foul shots, turned the ball over just nine times, and pulled down 20 rebounds.

Mt. Vernon made just 39% of its shots including six threes in 17 tries. The Rams made five of six foul shots, committed 10 turnovers, and grabbed 29 rebounds.

Grant Wolfe scored 16 points to pace the Hearts and pulled down five rebounds, Jacob Donaldson scored 11 points on five of nine shooting, and Sean Zerrusen scored 10 points. Also for Effingham: Jared Minor 6 points and 5 rebounds, Brady Jackson 5, and Reed Schafer three points.

Mt. Vernon's Braden Fitzjerrels led all scorers with 18 points, but scored just four in the second half and finished seven of 17 on the night. Ruff had a big game, scoring 13 points and pulling down 14 rebounds, and Royell Nesbit scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds.

Both teams are now 9-5 on the season.

Effingham won the JV game, 54-39. Mason Hull led Effingham with 23 points, Landon Wolfe scored 14 and Brent Beals scored 13 points.