Effingham Runs Into Buzzsaw At Salem Boys Basketball Invitational

The Hearts stood within two points after the opening quarter, but Centralia went on a 54-14 run over the next two periods and finished with a 77-37 victory.

"We played the best team in the state tonight," said EHS Coach Obie Farmer. "We were down two going into the second quarter and they shot the lights out. They broke the record for most threes in a game."

Cannon Bockhorn kept the Hearts close in that opening quarter by connecting on two three-pointers while Adam Flack added four points and Cole Phillips a basket.

Cruz Harlan connected on three trifectas for the Orphans

Centralia then got on a second quarter roll as Michael Organ went on a tear, connecting on three trifectas and a regular basket for 11 of his team's 21 points. Harlan also added two more three-pointers for 15 points and the Orphans were up 35-22.

It continued raining three-pointers for Centralia in the third quarter as they hit seven. Organ had found the range once again and hit three of those while Jakson Hancock connected on two and Daryle Jones also found the range.

The scoring slowed way down in the final quarter as Centralia held a 68-26 lead.

Only two players hit double figures for Centralia after all that scoring. Organ finished with 22 points on two regular baskets and five three-pointers. Harlan tallied 15, all in the first half. Dustyn Collins and Hancock tallied nine each. Centralia finished with a whopping 16 three-pointers.

Effingham was led by Bockhorn with 12 points on four field goals and one free throw, Two were three-pointers. McDaniel tallied nine points, all on threes.

In the second game, Salem was a 57-39 winner over Champaign Central.

Tonight's games feature East St. Louis against Carbondale at 6 p.m. followed by Mount Vernon taking on Charleston at 7:30.

Friday's games will feature Centralia against Salem at 6 p.m. and the winners of tonight's games at 7:30.

Effingham dropped into the consolation bracket and will face Champaign Central at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Salem Invitational

Game One

EFFINGHAM (37)

Fearday 2-0 -- 5, McDaniel 3-0 -- 9, Bushur 0-0 -- 0, Bockhorn 4-1 -- 12, Wendling 1-0 -- 2, Jones 0-2 -- 2, Flack 2-1 -- 5, Moore 0-0 -- 0, Phillips 1-0 -- 2. TOTALS 13 FG, 4 FT.

CENTRALIA (77)

Myers 0-0 -- 0, Harlan 5-0 -- 15, Ashford 0-0 -- 0, L. Meier 2-0 -- 5, D. Meier 2-0 -- 4, Moore 0-0 -- 0, Hancock 3-0 -- 9, Pryor 0-0 -- 0, Organ 8-0 -- 22, Collins 3-3 -- 9, Halut 4-0 -- 8, Jones 2-0 -- 5. TOTALS 29 FG, 3 FT.

Effingham                12    10      4    11    --    37

Centralia                  14    21    33     9    --    77

3-point FG -- Effingham 7 (McDaniel 2, Jones 2, Flack 1), Centralia 16 (Organ 6, Harlan 5, Hancock 3, L. Meier 1, Jones 1).