Effingham Girls Win Salem Regional In Double Overtime

Effingham High School won the Class 3A Salem Regional championship Thursday evening.

SALEM -- Effingham captured the Class 3A Salem Girls Basketball Regional championship Thursday evening and did it in quite exciting fashion.

Coach Jeff Schafer's crew eventually pulled out a double overtime victory over Centralia, 61-59.

Effingham trailed Centralia after the opening quarter but the Hearts came back to go up by three at halftime, 22-19. Sidney Donaldson scored five in that quarter as four other players connected for baskets.

EHS held a 33-29 lead going into the final quarter. But that's where everything got very interesting.

The Orphans came back to tie the score at 44-44, sending the game into the first overtime period.

The Hearts were down by two points near the end of the first overtime and tried to throw the ball inside but it went out of bounds with five seconds left to play.

Coach Schafer called a time out and put on a fullcourt press against Centralia. Bella Austin stole the inbounds pass at halfcourt and immediately attacked towards the basket. She spotted Alyssa Martin under the basket and Martin hit her layup to tie the scoring, sending the game into the second overtime period.

One of Centralia's leading scorers, Jasiayah Wallace fouled out early in the second overtime.

Effingham's scoring in that second overtime session came from Martin with two baskets, Donaldson with a basket and a free throw, Saige Althoff with two free throws and Averie Wolfe and Austin with one free throw each. The Hearts had a two point lead with four seconds on the clock. Centralia had to go the length of the court to tie. The Orphans inbounded to Jalea Shered who crossed halfcourt and launched a 40-footer that would have won it for Centralia. It hit off the backboard and bounced off the rim and out and the Hearts won.

Althoff and Martin both fouled out in the second overtime period.

Donaldson finished with 23 points to lead the Hearts, hitting nine of 15 field goals that included three from beyond the arc, and two of three at the line.

Also in double figures was Martin with 15 on seven field goals and one of three at the line. She finished with seven rebounds. Austin led in assists with five.

The Hearts improved to 28-4 on the season and now head to their own sectional Tuesday. In the opening game, either Highland or Mattoon and either Herrin or Marian, will be competing. Those four teams play tonight.

Effingham will face either Mount Vernon or East St. Louis Senior at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. ESL Senior will meet Mount Vernon tonight for the champoinship of the Waterloo Regional.

Coach Schafer, in his 26th year as head coach at EHS, now sports a 497-263 record and his teams have now won nine regionals. The last time, the Hearts won a regional was in 2019.

Class 3A Salem Regional

Championship

Double Overtime

CENTRALIA (59)

Bowdler 0-0 -- 0, Dumway 0-1 -- 1, Barrow 0-0 -- 0, Shered 9-9 -- 27, Wallace 9-7 -- 26, Witthans-Strait 1-0 -- 2, Epson 1-0 -- 3. TOTALS 20 FG, 17 FT.

EFFINGHAM (61)

Martin 7-1 -- 15, Wolfe 2-1 -- 5, Althoff 1-4 -- 6, Donaldson 9-2 -- 23, Austin 3-2 -- 8, Beals 1-2 -- 4, Moser 0-0 -- 0. TOTALS 23 FG, 12 FT.

Centralia                  10     9    10    15    6      9    --    59

Effingham                 9    13    11    11    6    11    --    61

3-point FG -- Centralia 2 (Edson 1, Wallace 1), Effingham 3 (Donaldson 3).