Published on March 14, 2025 10:34 am
Last Updated on March 14, 2025 12:52 pm
CHAMPAIGN — Injuries cropped up and that hurt as Effingham St. Anthony fell to Peoria Christian in the third place game at the Class 1A State Boys Basketball Tournament Friday by a 61-51 count..
Coming into State Tournament competition, Will Fearday was playing on a tender ankle from an injury suffered earlier in the season. Then during the third quarter of the opening game against Chicago Hope Academy, Ryan Schmidt rolled an ankle and that was apparent during Friday’s contest as he struggled and was taken out of the game to have his ankle retaped.
But Coach Cody Rincker and crew wouldn’t want that used as an excuse. The Bulldogs came up against a team that fired up three-pointers from all over the court, finishing with 10 for the game.
The Bulldogs did take a 13-10 opening quarter lead as Schmidt hit three two-pointers and two of three from the free throw line for eight points while W. Fearday connected on a three-pointer and Brock Fearday added a basket..
The second period started with Myles Waldhoff hitting a basket and St. Anthony held a five-point lead. But, the three-point barrage started. Gavin Walder connected on one and Drew Gama nailed one and suddenly the Chargers were ahead by a point. Free throws from Trae Brickner pushed the lead to 18-15.
But the Bulldogs battled back again. Samuel Link put in a free throw and B. Fearday hit a three and the score was tied at 18-18. But there was Brickner again, nailing a three-pointer for a 21-18 lead. B. Fearday answered back and the Bulldogs went up 22-21. A bucket by Keenan Griffith put the lead at 24-21.
Then guess who stepped beyond the arc to connect again, Brickner with 1:20 showing and the score was tied at 24-24.
Schmidt hit a free throw to push the lead back into St. Anthony’s side of the court by a point.
Peoria Christian Coach Jason Persinger called a time out with 34 ticks left before halftime. Walder then came out and put in another three-pointer in the quarter and the Chargers went up 27-25 at halftime.
Peoria Christan hit 40 percent from the three-point line on six of 15. St. Anthony, meanwhile, could only hit three of 13.
The two teams were battling neck and neck from the free throw line with 66.7 percent and the Chargers were just slightly better from two point range with 37.5 percent to 33.3 for St. Anthony.
Coach Rincker’s squad wasn’t out of the game just yet. B. Fearday hit a basket to start the third quarter to tie the score and then put in a second bucket while Griffth hit a basket and suddenly the Bulldogs led 31-27.
Unfortunately, here came the baskets from the outside as Brickner and Walder hit back-to-back three-pointers and the lead went back to Peoria Christian, 33-31.
St. Anthony’s Samuel Link tied the score with two free throws at the 4:13 mark and B. Fearday moved the Bulldogs ahead again with a field goal and free throw for a 36-33 lead.
A layup by Bricknet pulled the Chargers back within a point at the 1:37 mark and a three-pointer by Walder regained the lead for the Chargers. 38-36 St. Anthony would never take the lead again from that point. Brickner hit a layup to end the quarter at 40-36.
The Bulldogs pulled within three at the 4:34 mark and again at 4:13 but that was the last gasp as Peoria Christian continued to build on its lead to finish winning by 10.
B. Fearday led the way for the Bulldogs with 11 of 26 from the field, four of 13 from three-point range, and one of one at the line for 27 points. Schmidt chipped in with 12.
B. Fearday also led in rebounds with 12 while Schmidt added six. Link had three assists and Waldhoff two. B. Fearday had one blocked shot.
The Bulldogs hit 32.1 percent from the field for the game and were 75 percent at the free throw line.
Peoria Christian finished with 44.4 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three point range. They were 68.8 percent at the line.
Brickner led the way with 26 points on nine of 13 from the field, four of eight from three-point range, and four of five at the line. Walder finished with 15 points and Persinger was on the verge of double figures with nine. Josh Walton led in rebounds with nine. Walder had one blocked shot and two steals.
The Chargers finished the season with a 29-10 record.
St. Anthony ended with a 32-6 record. The Bulldogs won more games this season than any other St. Anthony team in school history.
Class 1A State Tournament
PEORIA CHRISTIAN (61)
Bricknet 9-4 — 26, Persinger 3-2 — 9, Walder 4-3 — 15, Jo. Walton 1-2 — 4, Zimmerman 2-0 — 4, Ja. Walton 0-0 — 0, Gama 1-0 — 3. TOTALS 20 FG, 11 FT.
ST. ANTHONY (51)
Waldhoff 0-2 — 2, Griffith 1-2 — 4, Link 0-3 — 3, Schmidt 4-4 — 12, B. Fearday 11-1 — 27, Gannaway 0-0 — 0, W. Fearday 1-0 — 3. TOTALS 17 FG, 12 FT.
Peoria Christian 10 17 13 21 — 61
St. Anthony 13 12 11 15 — 51
3-point FG — Peoria Christian 10 (Bricknet 4, Walder 4, Persinger 1, Gama 1), St. Anthony 5 (B. Fearday 4, W. Fearday 1).