Althoff Edges Hearts at St. A. Tourney

Belleville Althoff edged the Effingham Hearts 41-39 Tuesday night at the St. Anthony Thanksgiving Tournament.  The contest, the opener for both teams, was heard on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com. 

Neither team could get the lid off the basket in the first quarter and the Crusaders led the Hearts 5-2 at the end of the period.  The teams loosened up in the second quarter, each scoring 14, leaving Althoff with a 19-16 halftime advantage.  Althoff outscored Effingham 11-10 in the third period to lead 30-26 at the end of the stanza.  Then came the highly-entertaining but ultimately frustrating fourth period. 

Althoff took its biggest lead of the game 37-30 early in the final period, but Alex Carie unloaded on three three-point buckets, eventually tying the game 39-39.  Althoff jetted down the floor and the Hearts fouled.  Althoff's leading scorer, Kevin Renner hit two foul shots to give the Crusaders the lead and the Hearts weren't able to get the ball upcourt to get a decent shot away before the final buzzer sounded.

Renner was the key offensive player for Althoff, making only two of seven shots from the field but canning 12 of 14 foul shots to total 17 points.   He went six of six from the line in the fourth quarter.

Carie led the Hearts with 12 points on four three-pointers.  Clark Williamson came off the bench to score nine points and grab seven rebounds.  Leighton Lark and Marcus Robinson each scored four points, Tim Gardewine had three, Hunter Keith, Trenton Frey and Kennan Mahaffey each scored two points, and Isaac Foreman made a foul shot to account for Effingham's scoring.

The Hearts made 15 of 39 shots for 38% from the field and made just five of 10 foul shots.  Effingham was called for just nine turnovers and pulled down 23 rebounds while making four of 15 three-point tries.

Althoff hit just 29% of its shots, making 11 of 38, but made 14 of 17 foul shots.  The Crusaders also committed just nine turnovers and grabbed 27 rebounds while making five of 13 three-point tries.

The Hearts are back in action Wednesday night at 6:30pm vs. Charleston.  We'll have the game as part of a doubleheader at the tournament with St. Anthony playing Althoff at 8pm.  Hear both games on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com.