Bulldogs Open Season in Impressive Fashion

The St. Anthony Bulldogs played a great game Monday night, opening their season with a 75-24 win over the Okaw Valley Timberwolves to open the boys high school basketball season.

The game at the St. Anthony Turkey Tournament was heard on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com. 

The Bulldogs outscored the Timberwolves 13-0 in the first quarter and led 31-4 at halftime. It was 55-16 after three quarters before they outscored Okaw Valley 20-8 in the final stanza.

St. Anthony's defense was stifling, forcing many turnovers that were often more takeaways. Okaw Valley turned the ball over 29 times.

The one thing that didn't click early for St. Anthony was their shooting touch, going just five for 15 in the first quarter, but went 24 for 40 from that point, or 60%. St. Anthony made 10 of 13 foul shots, turned the ball over just nine times and grabbed 26 rebounds. The Bulldogs were 50% from three point land, seven of 14.

Okaw Valley made just two baskets in the first half and finished 10 of 39 for the game, 26%. They made just two of nine foul shots, pulled down 24 rebounds, and made two of 13 three point tries.

Drew Gibson, the lone senior on the St. Anthony roster this season, led the Bulldogs with 23 points, making 10 of 15 shots. Cade Walsh scored 17 points, hitting six of 10 shots. Also for St. Anthony: Alex Deters 9, Wyatt Lawrence 7, Alex Beesley 6, Adam Levitt 5, Jack Nuxoll 4, and Ben Strullmyer and Quinton Milleville two each.

In the other Monday contest at the tournament, Robinson held off Chicago Corliss 79-71.

Tonight at St. Anthony: 5pm--Chicago Corliss vs. Breese Central...6:30pm--Effingham vs. Champaign St. Thomas More...8pm--Mattoon vs. Robinson.

We'll have the Hearts' season opener on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com.

At St. Anthony

OKAW VALLEY (24)

Sharp 0-0 -- 0, Harshman 0-0 -- 0, G. Nichols 1-0 -- 2, Coleman 2-0 -- 6, Hagerman 0-0 -- 0, Drake 1-0 -- 2, Yarnell 0-0 -- 0, Bunfill 1-0 -- 2, Hill 0-0 -- 0, Cloyd 1-2 -- 4, Dickens 0-0 -- 0, Fritz 4-0 -- 8, Roley 0-0 -- 0. TOTALS 10 FG, 2 FT.

ST. ANTHONY (75)

Walsh 6-1 -- 17, Milleville 1-0 -- 2, Deters 4-0 -- 9, Ludwig 0-0 -- 0, Levitt 2-1 -- 5, Nuxoll 1-2 -- 4, Strullmyer 0-2 -- 2, Wall 0-0 -- 0, Gibson 10-1 -- 23, Beesley 2-2 -- 6, Runge 0-0 -- 0, Lawrence 3-1 -- 7. TOTALS 29 FG, 10 FT.

Okaw Valley            0      4    12      8    --    24

St. Anthony          13    18    24    20    --    75

3-point FG -- Okaw Valley 2 (Coleman 2), St. Anthony 7 (Walsh 4, Deters 1, Gibson 2).