By Steve Raymond
News Report Staff
Overall, Christmas basketball tournaments are struggling.
They are experiencing difficulties attracting schools and spectators.
Some have had to resort to adding junior varsity teams to complete their tournament field.
Some draw so few fans, you wonder how they can afford to turn on the lights or hire officials.
An exception to that is the Effingham/Teutopolis Christmas Classic.
What started as an eight-team event has grown into a 16-team field and other schools have already contacted the tournament committee about getting involved. Where other tournaments can’t fill their brackets, there is a waiting list here.
How is that possible?
That’s easy to answer.
It’s a combination of cooperation, determination, local support and the overwhelming love of basketball that exists here.
As a result, the 8th annual Effingham/Teutopolis Christmas Classic will return after a year’s hiatus due to COVID. This year’s event will be played Tuesday thru Thursday, Dec. 28-30. Games will be played at both Effingham High School and Teutopolis High School.
“I can’t wait for that first game on the 28th,” said Mike Wilson, a member of the tournament committee. “It will be great to have so many of the teams back. I think we could see some of our best crowds ever this year.”
In addition to the two host schools, this year’s field will include Belvidere, Charleston, Champaign Centennial, Chicago Brooks, Dixon, Effingham St. Anthony, Horizon Science Academy, Knoxville, Lincoln-Way East, Lutheran North, Mattoon, Newton, Oak Lawn and Pleasant Plains (head coach is former Teutopolis standout Kyle Weber).
Champaign St. Thomas More was originally in the tournament field, but COVID issues forced the Sabres to drop out this week. The Knoxville Blue Bullets were receptive to competing and took St. Thomas More’s spot.
The 8th annual Effingham-Teutopolis Christmas Classic will be another good one.
The 2021 field will feature 16 quality basketball teams and some outstanding individual players that should provide plenty of offensive fireworks, vital defensive stops and three days of non-stop competitive action.
Following is a brief look at the teams that will be competing in this year’s tournament.
Belvidere Bucs
The Bucs are one of five schools that will be making their first appearance in the holiday tournament.
Head coach Brian Koehne will bring in a young team with two sophomores in the starting lineup. One of those sophomores – 5’10” point guard Jason Dean – was recently named to the Strombom Thanksgiving All-Tournament team.
Other players to watch for Belvidere are 6’2” senior forward Byron West and 6’6” junior forward Ryan Beaudet. West returns after missing all of last year due to injury. He averaged 11 points a game as a sophomore. In the Thanksgiving tournament, he averaged 7 points and 12 rebounds.
Koehne said this will be an important year for his young players to gain valuable experience and move the program forward.
The Bucs are part of the NIC-10 Conference.
Champaign Centennial Chargers
Head Coach Tim Lavin says solid team defense and the ability to share the ball to create good open shots will be a key for his squad this season.
He welcomed back Trae Warren, a 6’2” guard that averaged 12.5 points and 3 rebounds per game a year ago, plus Jack Young, a 6’5” forward that averaged 11.8 points and 6.5 rebounds.
The Chargers, who play in the Big 12 Conference, will be making their second appearance in the tournament. They went 2-2 and finished fourth in 2019, dropping a 69-64 double overtime decision in the third place contest.
Charleston Trojans
The Trojans have been part of the tournament since its inception and will be making their eighth appearance.
Head coach Cody Drone returns three players that averaged in double figures a year ago. Jaksen Braun, a 6’5” senior forward, nearly averaged a double-double, scoring 14 points and grabbing 8 rebounds a game. Grady Smitley, a 6’1” senior guard, averaged 12 points and 3 assists; while 6’2” junior guard William Applegate scored at a 15-point clip.
Coach Drone said he has plenty of shooters and scoring options, plus his team has athleticism and likes playing in transition. The key to the season, however, will be defending consistently for four quarters and not letting up on the defensive end.
“We need to learn to play together on both sides of the floor,” the coach said.
Charleston plays in the Apollo Conference.
Chicago Brooks Eagles
The Eagles will be making their sixth trip to the tournament.
Once again, they will bring a quick and athletic team that likes to pressure the basketball and play at an up-tempo. The top returning player is Tim Taiwo.
Chicago Brooks is coached by George Montgomery, the former Illinois standout and fan favorite. He said the Eagles “play a team game, meaning we play together well, both offensively and defensively.”
The Eagles play in the Red South Conference.
The Effingham Lady Hearts and Teutopolis Lady Shoes will both be participating in the Charleston Holiday Tournament.
The tournament is scheduled for Monday through Wednesday, Dec. 27-29.
There are five teams entered in this year’s round robin event – Effingham, Teutopolis, Tri-County, Danville and Charleston.
Each team will play four games and all games will be played at Charleston High School.
The full schedule is listed below:
Monday, Dec. 27:
2 p.m. – Tri-County vs. Danville
4 p.m. – Charleston vs. Teutopolis
6 p.m. – Effingham vs. Danville
Tuesday, Dec. 28:
2 p.m. – Charleston vs. Tri-County
4 p.m. – Teutopolis vs. Danville
6 p.m. – Tri-County vs. Effingham
Wednesday, Dec. 29:
Noon – Teutopolis vs. Effingham
2 p.m. – Charleston vs. Danville
4 p.m. – Teutopolis vs. Tri-County
6 p.m. – Charleston vs. Effingham
The 8th annual Effingham-Teutopolis Christmas Classic should be a great one.
The field includes 16 quality teams that should provide plenty of competitive games over three days.
This year’s tournament will be played Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 28-30. Games will be played in Effingham and Teutopolis.
The full schedule is listed below:
Tuesday, Dec. 28
At Teutopolis
Game 1 – 3 p.m. – Pleasant Plains vs. Lincoln-Way East
Game 5 – 4:30 p.m. – Champaign Centennial vs. St. Anthony
Game 3 – 6 p.m. – Newton vs. Charleston
Game 7 – 7:30 p.m. – Lutheran North vs. Teutopolis
At Effingham
Game 2 – 3 p.m. – Mattoon vs. Knoxville
Game 4 – 4:30 p.m. – Oak Lawn vs. Horizon SW
Game 6 – 6 p.m. – Chicago Brooks vs. Belvidere
Game 8 – 7:30 p.m. – Effingham vs. Dixon
Wednesday, Dec. 29
At Teutopolis
Game 9 – 9 a.m. – Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 3
Game 11 – 10:30 a.m. – Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 7
Game 13 – Noon – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 3
Game 15 – 1:30 p.m. – Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 7
Game 17 – 4:30 p.m. – Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 11
Game 20 – 6 p.m. – Loser Game 13 vs. Loser Game 15
Game 23 – 7:30 p.m. – Winner Game 13 vs. Winner Game 15
At Effingham (Main Gym)
Game 10 – 9 a.m. – Loser Game 2 vs. Loser Game 4
Game 12 – 10:30 a.m. – Loser Game 6 vs. Loser Game 8
Game 14 – Noon p.m. – Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 4
Game 16 – 1:30 p.m. – Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 8
Game 18 – 4:30 p.m. – Winner Game 10 vs. Winner Game 12
Game 22 – 6 p.m. – Loser Game 14 vs. Loser Game 16
Game 24 – 7:30 p.m. – Winner Game 14 vs. Winner Game 16
At Effingham (Auxiliary Gym)
Game 19 – 4:30 p.m. – Loser Game 9 vs. Loser Game 11
Game 21 – 6 p.m. – Loser Game 10 vs. Loser Game 12
Thursday, Dec. 30
At Effingham (Auxiliary Gym)
Game 25 – 10 a.m. – Loser Game 19 vs. Loser Game 21 (15th place game)
At Effingham (Main Gym)
Game 27 – 10 a.m. – Winner Game 19 vs. Winner Game 21 (13th place game)
Game 26 – 11:30 a.m. – Loser Game 17 vs. Loser Game 18 (11th place game)
Game 28 – 1 p.m. – Loser Game 20 vs. Loser Game 22 (7th place game)
Game 29 – 3 p.m. – Winner Game 20 vs. Winner Game 22 (5th place game)
Game 30 – 4:30 p.m. – Winner Game 17 vs. Winner Game 18 (consolation championship game)
Game 31 – 6 p.m. – Loser Game 23 vs. Loser Game 24 (3rd place)
Game 32 – 7:30 p.m. – Winner Game 23 vs. Winner Game 24 (championship game)
By Steve Raymond
ET Sports Report
This is one that got away.
Effingham held a four-point lead late in the fourth quarter and a three-point edge in the final seconds of the first overtime.
But the combination of struggles against a zone press, untimely turnovers and some crucial missed free throws prevented the Hearts from snapping their losing streak.
Instead, Taylorville got a couple three-pointers to open the second overtime and made those stand up, finishing with a 53-46 win in Effingham.
“This is one I thought we’d get,” said EHS coach Obie Farmer. “But we had too many missed opportunities. We eliminate one turnover, one missed layup or one missed free throw and we win. You just can’t have those things, especially in a tight game – and this was as tight as it gets.”
With 2:44 to play in regulation, the Hearts had just completed an 11-0 run. Ethan Ritz had a three-pointer and a three-point play, Dalton Fox knocked down a three and Armando Estrada made two free throws to put EHS up 37-33 – their first lead of the game.
But that momentum quickly changed. Bryce Friedrich responded with a three-point play. Effingham then turned the ball over on consecutive possessions and the Tornadoes converted both into baskets by Will Turvey and Friedrich to take a 40-37 lead with only 11 seconds remaining.
Estrada was fouled three seconds later. He made the first free throw, missed the second, but Effingham regained control. Jett Volpi was then fouled with just six ticks remaining and calmly made both free throws to tie the game, 40-40, and send it into overtime.
In the first overtime period, Volpi made a free throw just 37 seconds in, but neither team scored again until the final seconds. The Hearts missed three free throws after that, but Fox made a pair of foul shots with eight seconds to go, which appeared to seal the win for the Hearts. But Taylorville’s Will Bitschenauer literally heaved in a three-pointer from the corner to force a second OT.
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