The Effingham Lady Hearts trailed most of the game and were behind by nine points late in the third period.
But when they scored the final point of that quarter and then rattled off seven more to open the final period, they were within a single point and had the momentum.
That’s when Mt. Vernon showed why it was the top seed and considered the team to beat in the sectional.
The Lady Rams responded with eight straight points to regain control and went on to post a 47-38 victory Tuesday night in a semifinal game of the Class 3A Bethalto (Civic Memorial) Sectional.
Mt. Vernon will now face Marion for the sectional championship Thursday night.
As the third quarter was winding down, a three-pointer by Laniyah Shelby had the Lady Rams on top, 26-17. A free throw by Alyssa Martin got EHS to within 26-18 heading into the final eight minutes.
Bella Austin then hit a short jumper, followed by a three-pointer, and Martin converted a Mt. Vernon turnover into a bucket. Just 90 seconds into the fourth period, the Lady Hearts were within one, 26-25.
But Autumn Rudd made a basket and Josie Shirley and Arwyn Wilkey both connected on three-pointers, helping the Lady Rams regain their nine-point advantage, 34-25. Twice the Lady hearts got within six points, but were unable to get any closer.
Another three by Shelby, a bucket by Kamaree Pollard and a free throw from Melaina Zedalis, expanded Mt. Vernon’s lead to double digits, 42-30. The Lady Rams then made 5-of-8 free throws in the final minute and a half to secure the win.
The first half was a low-scoring affair as neither team shot well. Effingham made just 4-of-19 attempts and trailed 13-8 at intermission.
Pollard scored a game-high 16 points to pace Mt. Vernon, who improved to 28-3 for the season. Zedalis was also in double figures with 10.
Austin led Effingham with 10 points, while Averie Wolfe added nine.
The Lady Hearts finished their season at 25-8.
They will say goodbye to eight seniors – Bria Beals, Hannah Thompson, Saige Althoff, Korina Hecht, Jerzie Bierman, Sidney Donaldson, Mya Harvey and Bella Austin.
By Steve Raymond
ET Sports Report
It’s hard to win basketball games scoring less than 40 points.
Monday night’s postseason opener was another example of that for the Effingham Hearts.
They played pretty well defensively, held their own on the boards and did a fairly decent job limiting turnovers.
But for the 15th time this season, they were unable to reach the 40-point plateau.
The Charleston Trojans took advantage of that and used a decisive run late to post a 49-36 win at home in an opening-round, play-in game of the Class 3A Effingham Regional.
“I was pleased with how we played defensively,” said EHS coach Mack Thompson. “Anytime you hold a team in the low 40s, that’s a game you should win. But we couldn’t put the ball in the basket. We had some good looks. We just missed shots.”
Despite the low point total, the Hearts were in the game and even had some momentum late in the third period. Jenner Pals hit two shots and Ethan Jones connected on a three-pointer to cap a 7-0 run and tie the score, 26-26, at the 2:19 mark.
A shot from long range by Luke Bonstetter about a minute later put the Trojans ahead and sparked a game-deciding 14-2 scoring surge that carried over into the fourth quarter.
The Effingham Hearts will enter postseason play, hosting a Class 3A regional.
The Hearts are seeded No. 9 and will play their first game on Monday, Feb. 24. But since it’s an opening-round contest, they play on the road, traveling to Charleston to face the Trojans, who are seeded No. 8. Game time is set for 6:30 p.m.
The regional championship is set for 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28, at Effingham High School.
The winner will advance to the Marion Sectional, which will begin Tuesday, March 4. Regional winners from Carbondale, Highland and Waterloo will advance to the Marion Sectional.
Here is the complete schedule for the Effingham Regional.
Monday, Feb. 24
Game 1 – 6:30 p.m. – No. 9 Effingham at No. 8 Charleston
Wednesday, Feb. 26
Game 2 – 6 p.m. -- No. 1 Centralia vs. Winner Game 1
Game 3 – 7:30 p.m. – No. 4 Herrin vs. No. 7 Mattoon
Friday, Feb. 28
Game 4 – Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3 (championship)
By Steve Raymond
ET Sports Report
Survive and advance.
In the postseason, that’s the ultimate objective.
Yes, coaches want their team to play well.
But even more importantly, they want to play . . . again.
Did the Effingham Lady Hearts play well Thursday night?
In some phases – defense and rebounding – a resounding ‘yes.’
In other phases – shooting and turnovers – not so much.
But they will play . . . again.
The Lady Hearts led for the final 25 minutes of the game and by 14 points at one time.
But they had to withstand a furious comeback by Troy Triad, aided by Effingham’s inability to take care of the basketball.
The EHS girls then tallied the final 10 points of the game – mostly at the free throw line – to post a 50-38 victory in the championship game of the Troy Triad Class 3A Regional.
“This one has an extra special feeling,” said EHS coach Jeff Schafer, who has guided the team to two straight regional titles and 10 overall in his career. “First of all, it was a tough matchup against a good team. Plus, with the injuries we’re going through.”
The Highland Bulldogs built an early lead and went on to post a 62-36 decision at home Tuesday night over Effingham.
The Bulldogs led 17-8 after the opening eight minutes. The hosts then increased their lead to 38-17 at halftime and 48-24 after three quarters.
Cannon Bockhorn led Effingham with eight points, while Jake Niebrugge scored six.
The Hearts, who dipped to 7-23, will wrap up their regular season Thursday night at Mt. Zion.
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