Even though Effingham fell behind quickly in the opening quarter, their aggressive play caused St. Anthony to be called for numerous fouls. The Hearts shot nine free throws in the first period, but still trailed 15-11 at the end of the first eight minutes.

Garrett Wolfe converted a three-point play and hit another jumper and Andrew Splechter made a free throw, helping EHS tie the game, 16-16, at the 6:37 mark of the second quarter.

Link had a basket early in the quarter and then Will Fearday drained two three-pointers to spark a 7-0 run that put the Bulldogs ahead to stay. It was still a seven-point margin, 28-21, at intermission.

“These young kids really stepped up tonight,” Rincker admitted. “Some of them have never played at the varsity level, much less against good, larger 2A and 3A schools. They competed hard all night.

“We were forced to mix and match due to our foul trouble,” Rincker added. “Thankfully, we’ve got a versatile group. These young kids have a competitive edge about them. They don’t play with fear. They certainly helped us get the win tonight.”

Griffin Sehy knocked down a three to open the second half, giving St. Anthony it’s first double-digit lead of the game. Wolfe and Splechter both made three-pointers for the Hearts, but it was still a 10-point margin, 41-31, entering the final period.

Turnovers also played a role in the game. Effingham was guilty of 21 of them.

“We played hard and were aggressive the entire game, but we didn’t take care of the ball,” EHS coach Obie Farmer noted. “We forced a lot of things tonight. You can’t give away 40 percent of your possessions and expect to win a game. It just won’t happen. When you turn the ball over and just trade baskets when you’re behind, you’re going to stay behind.”

But the Hearts never quit.

A pair of free throws by Wolfe, plus baskets by Spencer Fox and Logan Heil, got them to within 43-37 with 4:51 remaining. But Brock Fearday connected from long range 19 seconds later to ignite a 7-2 run that opened an 11-point spread with 1:20 left.

Wolfe scored nine points in the final 85 seconds, including a three-point play that got Effingham to within six points again, but time ran out before the Hearts could get any closer.

“Even when we were down 10, I thought we still had a chance,” Farmer said. “With the changes we’ve made and the tempo we’re playing now, we can catch-up pretty quick. But they hit some shots and we couldn’t capitalize on some of our opportunities. Too many turnovers.”

The Bulldogs free throw shooting gave Effingham a chance, especially in that fourth quarter. They shot 21 free throws in the final eight minutes, but made only 7.

Rincker was not pleased with his team’s free throw shooting, but he was very happy about his squad’s defensive effort.

“Take away the helter-skelter type of fourth quarter and we probably hold them under 40 points,” he noted. “Anytime you hold a team under 50 points, that’s pretty good.”

Wolfe finished with a game-high 23 points and Splechter added 15 for the Hearts. They shot 49 percent overall, connecting on 17-of-35 attempts. They were 2-for-8 from behind the arc and 12-for-15 from the line.

“We did some good things tonight,” Farmer said. “I liked our pace and I liked how we attacked the basket. And playing these cross-town rivalry games are always fun.”

Brock Fearday was the only Bulldog to reach double figures, finishing with 13. But four other plays had seven or more points. Max Koenig finished with nine, while Jonanthan Willenborg, Sehy and Westendorf each added seven. SAHS was 20-for-45 overall, a 44 percent clip. They were 7-for-19 from long range and just 8-for-24 from the foul line.

“My take away from this week so far is the experience we’re gaining,” Rincker noted. “Now we have to be able to repeat the efforts it takes to win. But I really like the competitive edge I’m seeing in this team.

“And it’s nice, especially for our seniors, to get the win over Effingham. They can hold this over their buddies’ heads,” Rincker added. “It’s a nice feather in your cap. Anytime you beat the cross-town rival it’s a good thing.”