VANDALIA — For the most part, 10th-seeded South Central did what it needed to do Wednesday to upset the top seed in the opening game of the 41st Annual Vandalia Holiday Tournament.
The Cougars (3-5) established a methodical pace in the first half and trailed the Wolves (9-1) by just two points early in the third quarter.
But Flora responded the South Central’s challenge with a 14-0 run to close out the frame, and that proved to be the difference in the Wolves’ 50-36 victory.
Bryce Pearce and Ethan Leib combined for 30 of Flora’s 50 points, hitting 11 of 19 shots from the field between them. The Wolves shot 50 percent from the floor (19-for-38), while the Cougars struggled, hitting just 37 percent of their shots.
Fischer Tharp had 19 points and six rebounds, but no other South Central player scored more than five points.
The four-time VHT champion Cougars will return to action today at 12:30 p.m. against fourth-seeded Pana.
Flora 50, South Central 36
Flora 11 9 19 11 — 50
S. Central 8 7 8 13 — 36
Flora — Pearce 6-11 3-5 17, Thomas 1-4 0-0 3, Walden 0-1 0-0 0, Moore 2-3 2-2 6, Taylor 1-2 0-0 2, Shehorn 4-8 1-3 9, Leib 5-8 3-3 13, Hozay 0-0 0-2 0, Smith 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 19-38 9-15 50.
South Central — Harmeier 2-3 0-0 5, Hablewitz 1-10 1-3 3, Tharp 7-12 5-8 19, Raterman 1-4 0-0 2, Rose 2-4 0-0 4, Schwarm 0-0 0-0 0, Riley 0-0 0-0 0, Powless 0-1 2-2 2, Langley 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 13-35 8-13 36.
3-point goals — Flora 3-10 (Pearce 2-5, Thomas 1-3, Walden 0-1, Taylor 0-1), South Central 1-6 (Harmeier 1-2, Hablewitz 0-3, Rose 0-1). Rebounds — Flora 18 (Shehorn 6, Taylor 4), South Central 19 (Tharp 6, Harmeier 3). Turnovers — Flora 5, South Central 9. Personal Fouls — Flora 16, South Central 15.
Pana bests St. Elmo
Wednesday’s matchup between Pana and St. Elmo at the 41st Annual Vandalia Holiday Tournament was going exactly how one would expect a game between the No. 4 and 5 seeds to go, as the Panthers enjoyed a narrow 24-23 lead at halftime.
But then, Pana’s Dylan Hudlin started hitting 3-pointers and the wheels fell off for the Eagles.
Hudlin nailed three of his four 3-pointers in the third quarter, helping Pana outscore St. Elmo 23-4 in the frame on its way to a 66-48 win.
Hudlin finished with 18 points off the bench, hitting 6 of 8 from the floor, including 4 of 6 from long range.
St. Elmo (6-3) scored 21 points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t near enough to help the Eagles overcome their nightmarish third.
Four Pana players reached double figures in scoring, and the Panthers owned the boards, finishing with a 33-18 advantage.
Connor Beasley and Levi Maxey scored 17 points apiece for the Eagles, but St. Elmo hit just 37 percent from the floor (19 of 52).
Fifth-seeded St. Elmo will take on No. 8 Greenville today at 9:30 a.m. before meeting top-seeded Flora in the afternoon session at 6:30.
Pana 66, St. Elmo 48
St. Elmo 16 7 4 21 — 48
Pana 15 9 23 19 — 66
St. Elmo — Bartels 4-11 0-0 9, Brady 0-1 0-0 0, Beasley 6-16 0-0 17, M.Maxey 0-2 0-0 0, L.Maxey 7-17 2-4 17, Smithson 0-1 0-0 0, Davis 1-2 1-2 5. Totals 19-52 2-4 48.
Pana — Rybolt 2-5 0-0 5, Metzger 4-7 0-0 9, Gibson 5-12 0-0 10, Trexler 1-3 0-0 2, Kircher 5-6 0-0 10, Zahradka 4-8 2-3 10, Hester 0-4 0-0 0, Hudlin 6-8 2-2 18, Clark 0-1 0-0 0, Miller 0-1 2-2 2, McLeod 0-0 0-1 0, Beeson 0-0 0-0 0, Gatons 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 27-57 6-8 66.
3-point goals — St. Elmo 8-24 (Bartels 1-4, Beasley 5-11, M.Maxey 0-2, L.Maxey 1-5, Davis 1-2), Pana 6-14 (Rybolt 1-2, Metzger 1-2, Gibson 0-2, Zahradka 0-2, Hudlin 4-6). Rebounds — St. Elmo 18 (Beasley 7), Pana 33 (Hester 10, Metzger 6). Turnovers — St. Elmo 8, Pana 10. Personal Fouls — St. Elmo 10, Pana 8.
