EFFINGHAM — It’s not how you start; it’s how you finish.
That’s how the old saying goes.
For the St. Anthony boys basketball team, though, it was both.
The Bulldogs (16-4) started extremely well against Breese (Mater Dei) and ended in the exact same fashion in their 78-45 drubbing of the Knights on Friday night at the Enlow Center.
Mater Dei scored the first two points of the game after a pair of free throws by Drake Wagner.
The Bulldogs then went on a 19-0 run to end the period.
Collin Westendorf started the surge with a contested shot in the paint. Ryan Schmidt hit a three-pointer and Brock Fearday made a layup after Westendorf dove on the floor, the ball hitting him square in the chest.
“He knocked the wind out of himself and he just needed a chance to recover, but to finish the play while feeling that way says a lot about his heart and toughness and character,” head coach Cody Rincker said.
Schmidt then made a layup after a missed shot from Fearday and added a four-point play after that to make it 13-2.
Westendorf then converted a layup. Fearday made one off a missed Nick Ruholl shot and Brady Hatton made a layup and drew the foul, but missed his three-point play opportunity, leaving the score at 19-2, which was the tally after the first quarter.
The run then extended into the second after Fearday made a three-point play.
The Knights then ended the run after an Elliott Rakers layup with 6:11 left.
St. Anthony went on to outscore Mater Dei 21-14 in the second frame and take a 40-16 lead into halftime.
“I just felt like our guys had a really good urgency about them in that first half,” Rincker said.
The Bulldogs and Knights tied each other at 22 apiece in the third. St. Anthony outscored Mater Dei 16-7 in the fourth.
“Our physicality was pretty good,” Rincker said. “We didn’t back down and didn’t shy away. We were locked into the scout, which is probably the most extensive scout I’ve given to these guys in a while.”
Schmidt led the team with 20 points.
“I’ve been watching this since he was a freshman and it used to drive me crazy because he wasn’t quite ready from a physical stature and he would hit shots on us in practice,” Rincker said. “When he got going, it was hard to beat him in practice as a freshman, so I’m really glad he’s on my side, but when Ryan gets it going, that basket can look like an ocean and he’s got a smooth stroke.”
Fearday added 18 points. Westendorf had 12. Ruholl had 11. Hatton and Max Koenig each had six. Keenan Griffith had three and Aiden Lauritzen had two.
Below are area boys basketball results from Friday.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Dieterich 54, Farina (South Central) 38
Dieterich defeated South Central in a National Trail Conference matchup, 54-38, at Dieterich High School.
Caleb Gephart led the Movin Maroons (13-5, 4-2 league) with 27 points. Lucas Westendorf had eight. Landen Keck had seven. Luke Wente had six. Tanner Will had four and Jaxon Funneman had two.
Max Magnus led the Cougars (10-9, 1-2 league) with 12 points. Westin Neilson had 11. Callaway Smith and Seth Bergmann each had six and Jacob Smith had three.
Dieterich led 12-8 at the end of the first quarter, 24-12 at halftime and 40-23 after the third quarter. South Central outscored the Movin Maroons 15-14 in the fourth.
Altamont 60, Louisville (North Clay) 39
Altamont defeated North Clay in a National Trail Conference matchup, 60-39, at North Clay High School.
Kaidyn Miller led the Indians (12-4, 3-0 league) with 21 points. Dillan Elam had 12. Alec Jahraus had nine. Aden McManaway had eight. Eli Miller and Kade Milleville had four and Zaine Miller had two.
Ethan Kuenstler led the Cardinals (5-10, 1-3 league) with 13 points. Carder Walden had eight. Cody Zimdars had seven. Gavin Hosselton had five. Lucas Griffy had four and Jesse Weidner had two.
Altamont led 23-7 after the first quarter, 45-10 at halftime and 58-27 at the end of the third quarter. North Clay outscored the Indians 12-2 in the fourth.
Stewardson-Strasburg/Windsor 72, Ramsey 44
Stewardson-Strasburg/Windsor (WSS) defeated Ramsey, 72-44, at Ramsey High School.
Jackson Gurgel led the Hatchets (9-11) with 16 points. Nathaniel Gracey had 14. Connor Manhart had 12. Aiden Sayers had eight. Blayzz Verdeyen and Brody Bible each had six. Rylan Rincker and Brody Hendrickson each had four and Colten Bridges had two.
WSS led 19-11 at the end of the first quarter. The Hatchets outscored Ramsey 21-12 in the second, 18-11 in the third and 14-10 in the fourth.
St. Elmo/Brownstown 63, Patoka/Odin 52
St. Elmo/Brownstown (SEB) defeated Patoka/Odin in an Egyptian Illini Conference matchup, 63-52, at Patoka High School.
Adam Atwood led the Eagles (15-3, 1-0 league) with 20 points (7 of 9 shooting), five rebounds and eight assists. Josiah Maxey had 14 points (5 of 9), four rebounds and four steals. Collin Maxey had 12 points (5 of 10), seven rebounds, two steals and one assist. Cade Schaub had 12 points (5 of 10), four rebounds, one steal, one block and one assist. Lowell Wilhour had three points (1 of 3), one rebound, one steal and two assists and Brody Mason had two points (1 of 4), two rebounds and one assist.
Farmer City (Blue Ridge) 57, Toledo (Cumberland) 45
Cumberland fell to Farmer City (Blue Ridge) in a Lincoln Prairie Conference matchup, 57-45, at Blue Ridge High School.
Blake McMechan led the Pirates (7-13, 1-4 league) with 12 points. Kaleb Bierman had seven. Reed Miller had six. Cameron Roedl, Brett Wolke and Kelby Bierman each had four. Kade McMechan and Grady Jones each had three and Zack Harmon had two.
Cumberland trailed 14-12 at the end of the first quarter, 28-25 at halftime and 44-31 after the third quarter. The Pirates outscored Farmer City 14-13 in the fourth.
Lawrenceville 63, Newton 49
Newton fell to Lawrenceville in a Little Illini Conference matchup, 63-49, at Newton High School.
Caden Nichols led the Eagles (13-7, 2-1 league) with 17 points. Parker Wolf had 15. Dylan Gier had 11 and Jacob Weber and Max Meinhart each had three.
Newton trailed 18-13 at the end of the first quarter. The Eagles were outscored 18-4 in the second. Newton outscored Lawrenceville 11-8 in the third and 21-19 in the fourth.