The Effingham Hearts kept the game close throughout, but just couldn’t hit shots down the stretch.
Lutheran North only scored six points in the fourth quarter, but held Effingham to just two and came away with the 40-33 victory in their third game of the Effingham-Teutopolis Christmas Classic.
The Hearts will now play in the 11th place game. They will face Charleston at 10 a.m. Saturday in the main gym at Effingham High School.
The Crusaders will be in the consolation championship. They will face Dixon at 4:30 p.m. All games Saturday are at EHS.
Lutheran North took an 11-6 lead into the second quarter and maintained that five-point cushion, 26-21, at halftime. The Hearts trimmed it to 34-31 after three periods, but then managed just two points in the final eight minutes.
Cole Phillips paced Effingham with eight points, while Nolan Fearday added six. Kyren Evans led the Crusaders with 12 points.
The Hearts dropped to 4-11.
Here are other results from Friday night.
After their opening-game loss to St. Anthony, the Effingham Lady Hearts bounced back in a big way, rolling to a 73-14 victory over Charleston in their second game of the Coles County Girls Holiday Basketball Tournament.
This one was over quick.
Effingham jumped out to a 17-3 lead, increased it to 44-6 at halftime and then coasted the rest of the way.
There were three Lady Hearts in double figures. Alyssa Martin led the way with 20 points, while Averie Wolfe and Sidney Donaldson both scored 11.
After shooting a dismal 19 percent in the game against St. Anthony, Effingham torched the nets against Charleston, making 29-of-53 attempts, a 55 percent clip.
The Lady Hearts, who improved to 12-3 on the season, will play two games Saturday. They will first face Marion at 11:30 a.m. at Charleston High School. Both teams finished second in their respective pools.
The winner of that game will play for fifth place at 4:30 p.m. at Charleston High School. The loser will be in the seventh place game. That will also be at 4:30 p.m., but at Mattoon High School.
By Steve Raymond
ET Sports Report
The Effingham Hearts were right there – both in the third and fourth quarters.
They got within one point late in the third period and were still within five early in the final quarter.
But each time, Chicago Brooks responded.
The last time -- the final 5:52 in the game -- they outscored Effingham 11-0 to pull away and post the 49-33 win in the final game of the day at the Effingham-Teutopolis Christmas Classic on Thursday.
“They made plays when they had to and we didn’t,” said EHS coach Mack Thompson after the game. “They were patient on offense and made the extra pass. They also took care of the basketball. That’s why they extended it out to 16 points at the end.
“You can have moral victories for just so long,” Thompson added. “I’m not a moral victories kind of guy. This isn’t acceptable and I really challenged the kids in the locker room. I’m anxious to see how they respond.”
At the 5:52 mark of the fourth quarter, Brady McDaniel nailed a three-pointer to get the Hearts within 38-33. But after that, Effingham missed its final five shots and turned the ball over four times.
That’s all the Eagles needed to go on the late run and secure the win.
“We beat ourselves more than anything,” Thompson noted. “You have to be strong and take care of the basketball. I’m tired of getting kicked around, but I’m not sure how many of the boys in our locker room are. I don’t need them to feel sorry for themselves. I need five guys that are tired of losing.”
The game was close until the end.
A three-pointer by Jude Traub, a bucket by McDanial and a free throw by Nolan Fearday gave the Hearts a 12-8 lead late in the first period. But a three by Mason Harris just ahead of the buzzer, plus the first two baskets of the second period put Brooks back ahead, 15-12.
Effingham turned in a dominant fourth quarter Friday afternoon, rallying for a 57-45 victory over Oregon in a second-round game of the Effingham-Teutopolis Christmas Classic.
The Hearts were scheduled to face Lutheran North later Friday afternoon.
The Hawks led 41-38 entering the final eight minutes. But EHS went on a 19-4 scoring surge to take control down the stretch and snap its five-game losing skid.
Jude Traub led the Hearts with 13 points, while Jake Niebrugge scored 11 and Ethan Jones added 10. Three players – Cooper Johnson, Nole Campos and Tucker O’Brien – each had 11 points for Oregon.
The Hearts improved to 4-10.
Here are other results from Friday morning and afternoon.
Tyler Oakley scored 15 points in the first quarter Friday night, helping the Charleston Trojans build an early lead, en route to a 63-46 victory at home over Effingham.
Oakley knocked down three shots from behind the arc and added three more baskets, as the host Trojans jumped to an 18-11 lead after the opening eight minutes. By halftime, Charleston expanded its advantage to 36-22.
The Hearts got three-pointers from Hayden Wendling and Ethan Jones in the third quarter and trimmed the deficit to 48-37, but the Trojans outscored EHS 15-9 in the final period to secure the win.
Oakley finished with a game-high 21 points for Charleston, while teammate Luke Bonstetter added 12.
Cole Phillips was the only Hearts player to reach double figures, finishing with 12.
Effingham is now 3-9 overall and dropped to 2-2 in the Apollo Conference.
The Hearts will return to action in the Effingham/Teutopolis Christmas Classic. They will open tourney play against Chicago Brooks. That game is set for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.
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