Hearts Win St. Anthony Tournament

(THE ST. ANTHONY TURKEY TOURNAMENT ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM, LEFT TO RIGHT: GRANT WOLFE OF EFFINGHAM, DREW GIBSON OF ST. ANTHONY, JACOB DONALDSON OF EFFINGHAM, LANDON WOLFE OF EFFINGHAM, BRENT BEALS OF EFFINGHAM, DRAKE JEFFERIES OF MATTOON, WALKER SANDSCHAFER OF ROBINSON, KOLBY SCHULTE OF BREESE CENTRAL, AND DYLAN DIRKS OF ROBINSON; NOT PICTURED ALBION FRANCIS OF ST. THOMAS MORE)

The Effingham Hearts built a 20-point lead, saw the lead dwindle to one point, then regrouped and won the championship game of the St. Anthony Turkey Tournament Saturday night, defeating the Robinson Maroons 73-67. Meanwhile, the St. Anthony Bulldogs bounced back from a tough loss to Effingham Friday night and defeated the Breese Central Cougars for third place honors 54-52.

Both games were heard on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com. 

Effingham and Robinson both came out of the gate in good shape with the Hearts leading 22-18 after one quarter and 37-30 at halftime. Effingham was successful in the meantime getting key Maroons players in foul trouble. With Robinson starters on the bench, the Hearts took full advantage, outscoring Robinson 27-14 in the third period to lead 64-44 heading into the final quarter.

Robinson just wouldn't quit, working around the fouls and raining down shots to eventually cut the Hearts' lead to one. Effingham pushed the lead back to three with two big free throws. Robinson had a corner three that was a good look, but the shot wouldn't drop. The Hearts got the rebound and drew the foul and then started converting at the foul line. Effingham went nine-of-10 from the charity stripe to hold on for the win. The Hearts went 0-for-8 from the field in the fourth quarter.

Even with the oh-fer from the field in the final stanza, Effingham hit 52% from the field, 24 of 46 including six of 12 on threes. The Hearts were 19 of 26 from the line, committed 14 turnovers and grabbed 31 rebounds.

Robinson made 24 of 55 shots for 44% including eight of 21 threes. They made 11 of 16 foul shots, turned the ball over just nine times, and pulled down 25 rebounds.

The Hearts five starters scored all of their points. Grant Wolfe led with 21 points, Landon Wolfe scored 18 with 10 rebounds, and Brent Beals and Jacob Donaldson each scored 14 points. Mason Hull scored six points. While Landon Wolfe grabbed 10 boards, Donaldson had eight, Beals six, Hull four and Grant Wolfe two. Trevor Kreke also had a rebound.

Walker Sandschafer scored 20 points to lead Robinson, while Joey Wright and Dylan Dirks added 15 each.

The Hearts ran the table at the tournament, going 4-0 to start their season. Robinson is 3-1.

St. Anthony Tournament

EFFINGHAM (73)

Sandifer 0-0 -- 0, L. Wolfe 6-5 -- 18, Huelsbusch 0-0 -- 0, Kreke 0-0 -- 0, Hull 1-3 -- 6, G. Wolfe 6-7 -- 21, Lohman 0-0 -- 0, Beals 5-3 -- 14, Donaldson 6-1 -- 14. TOTALS 24 FG, 19 FT.

ROBINSON (67)

White 3-2 -- 9, Wright 6-1 -- 15, Smith 0-0 -- 0, Dirks 5-2 -- 15, Sandschafer 6-6 -- 20, Weber 2-0 -- 4, Black 0-0 -- 0, Scott 0-0 -- 0, James 2-0 -- 4. TOTALS 24 FG, 11 FT.

Effingham              22    15    27       9    --    73

Robinson               18    12    14    23    --    67

3-point FG -- Effingham 6 (G. Wolfe 2, L. Wolfe 1, Hull 1, Beals 1, Donaldson 1), Robinson 8 (Dirks 3, Sandschafer 2, Wright 2, White 1).

   --

The St. Anthony/Breese Central game was close throughout.

Breese Central led 9-7 after one quarter, but a 16-14 St. Anthony edge in the second quarter left the game tied 23-23 at halftime. St. Anthony outpointed the Cougars 15-12 in the third period to lead 38-35, and a 17-16 Cougars edge in the fourth quarter wasn't enough to keep the Bulldogs from claiming the two-point win.

St. Anthony made 50% of its shots, 20 of 40 including five of nine threes. The Bulldogs made nine of 14 foul shots, turned the ball over just five times and pulled down 24 rebounds.

Breese Central hit on 22 of 55 shots for 40% including just three of 16 threes. The Cougars made five of nine foul shots, but none in the second half, turned the ball over only four times, and grabbed 28 rebounds.

Drew Gibson led all scorers with 26 points for St. Anthony on nine of 14 shooting, nine of 11 after missing his first three shots. Also for the Bulldogs: Adam Levitt 7, Alex Beesley 6, Alex Deters 5, Jack Nuxoll 5, Cade Walsh 3, and Brandon Runge 2. Levitt, Beesley and Gibson led with six rebounds apiece.

St. Anthony went 3-1 in the tournament, while Breese Central went 2-2.

Also Saturday, in the seventh place game in double overtime, Okaw Valley beat Chicago Corliss 41-37 and Mattoon won the fifth place game, downing St. Thomas More 74-52.

St. Anthony Tournament

BREESE CENTRAL (52)

Schulte 3-1 -- 7, Truong 0-0 -- 0, Menkhaus 1-0 -- 3, Fehrmann 0-0 -- 0, Loepler 1-0 -- 2, Haselhorst 0-0 -- 0, Strieker 4-2 -- 10, Thomas 2-1 -- 6, Weems 0-0 -- 0, Ratermann 6-0 -- 12, Joest 5-1 -- 12. TOTALS 22 FG, 5 FT.

ST. ANTHONY (54)

Walsh 1-0 -- 3, Milleville 0-0 -- 0, Deters 2-0 -- 5, Ludwig 0-0 -- 0, Levitt 2-3 -- 7, Nxuoll 2-0 -- 5, Strullmyer 0-0 -- 0, Wall 0-0 -- 0, Gibson 9-6 -- 26, Beesley 3-0 -- 6, Runge 1-0 -- 2, Lawrence 0-0 -- 0. TOTALS 20 FG, 9 FT.

Breese Central           9    14    12    17    --    52

St. Anthony               7    16    15    16    --    54

3-point FG -- Breese Central 3 (Menkhaus 1, Thomas 1, Joest 1), St. Anthony 5 (Gibson 2, Walsh 1, Deters 1, Nxuoll 1).

St. Anthony Boys Thanksgiving Tournament

Okaw Valley 41, Chicago Corliss 37 FINAL (2OT)

Mattoon 74, Champaign St. Thomas More 52 FINAL

St. Anthony 54, Breese Central 52 FINAL

Effingham 73, Robinson 67 FINAL