Conversely, other than the opening five minutes of the game, the proverbial lid was on the basket for the Hearts, who made only 39 percent of their shoots and were a dismal  3-of-19 (16 percent) from long range.

“It was not a good shooting night for us, that’s for sure,” Farmer admitted. “You’re going to have a couple games like that each year. I hope the kids remember what this feels like, but not let it hold us back and keep us from getting ready for our next one.

“We can’t let it multiply,” Farmer added. “I believe this is a game we should have won. If we have a typical shooting game, we do win this game. But we lost to a good team. They are a tough, physical team that shot very well and beat us. Now we move on.”

And despite the shooting woes, the Hearts had their chances to win. The Bulldogs held a 60-55 lead with 3:14 to play, but Parker Wolfe went on a personal 6-0 scoring run. He drove to the basket for one score, intercepted a pass and converted it into a layup and then added another short jumper to put the Hearts on top, 61-60, with 1:06 still remaining.

After Mahomet-Seymour missed its next shot, Effingham got the rebound and had a chance to possibly extend the lead. But Warren knocked the ball away from Wolfe, steaked down the floor, got a pass and put up a shot. He drew the fifth foul from Nathan Thompson and then made both free throws to give the Bulldogs the 62-61 edge with 37 seconds to go.

“The kid reached around and punched Parker’s arm,” Farmer explained. “I thought there should have been a foul there. But they didn’t call it.”

Effingham still had the final chance to get the win and Wolfe, who had 33 points in the game, got a good look.

“We set a screen to get him the ball and then Brayden (Pals) set another screen for him,” Farmer noted. “We were hoping Parker could turn the corner and get to the basket. But Mahomet sent four guys at him, so Parker took the opportunity he had.

“It was a good shot. It just didn’t go in,” the coach added. “If I was a betting man, I’d never bet against Parker. And in that situation, I’m putting the ball in the hands of our best scorer 100 times out of 100.”

The Hearts beat the Bulldogs by nine points just a week-and-a-half ago and things looked real good after the opening five minutes. Parker Wolfe started things off with a three-pointer and added a three-point play. Thompson hit a jumper and Garrett Wolfe converted a MSHS turnover into a bucket. With 3:16 left in the opening period, EHS was ahead 12-3.

But from that point on, the Bulldogs didn’t miss many shots. Warren knocked down a three, as did Wolters and Finch. That sparked a 13-4 surge that knotted the score at 16-16 after the first eight minutes.

The rest of the game was close. Mahomet-Seymour led by five points on two occasions and the Hearts had a six-point advantage once. The game was tied six times and the lead changed hands nine times.

Parker Wolfe gave the small gathering quite a thrill when he heaved in a shot three-fourths the length of the court at the buzzer to get the Hearts within 28-26 at halftime.

The second half was a battle. It was two good teams, knowing what was at stake, leaving it all on the floor.

Dalton Fox hit a three-pointer and scored seven points in the third period and Parker Wolfe added another seven for the Hearts. But Finch knocked down two from behind the arc and Wolters added another. Heading into the final eight minutes, EHS owned a slim 47-46 advantage.

And the stage was set for the fourth period and the exciting finish.

“We knew when we played those guys at their place, it would be a tough game tonight,” Farmer said. “They have a very good ball club.”

Turnovers and free throws helped the Hearts stay close, despite their cold shooting. They made 14-of-17 fouls shots, compared to just 6-of-9 for the Bulldogs. And Effingham forced MSHS into 20 turnovers, which helped EHS have more possessions and take 16 more shots.

“Part of our game plan was to pressure their point guard (Warren),” Farmer explained. “We knew he can get to the basket, but he can also turn the ball over. For the most part, it worked. We got some turnovers. We just didn’t make enough shots.”

The Hearts were 22-of-56 from the floor overall, while Mahomet-Seymour was 24-for-40.

Warren scored 23 points for the Bulldogs, while Wolters added 15 and Finch chipped in with 11. Garrett Wolfe was Effingham’s other double-figure scorer, finishing with 10.

The Hearts, who entered the game ranked No. 9 in the Class 3A poll, are now 10-1 overall. They are right back in action today (Saturday) with a conference game at home against Mt. Zion. Game time will be approximately 4:30 p.m.

Effingham will then play three games next week, including two key league contests – Tuesday at Teutopolis; Friday at Lincoln; and then a non-conference game Saturday at Robinson.

“We’ve got a tough week ahead,” Farmer admitted. “The kids need to show up at practice and be dialed in. I think this loss tonight opened their eyes a little. I think losing will make us a tougher team. We don’t want to lose another one. Winning the Apollo is important to these guys.”