Weber hits for 30, Bazzell scores 29 as Tribe, Hawks win

CHILLICOTHE — Riley Weber and Henry Brummel combined for 51 points as Pontiac ran away from host Illinois Valley Central in an Illini Prairie Conference boys' basketball contest Tuesday.

The Indians punched out a 75-59 victory in their rebound from a tough overtime loss on Friday to improve to 4-1 in IPC play and 15-6 on the season.

Weber and Brummel did most of their damage in the first three periods, and mainly in the middle two frames. Weber scored 11 points in the first quarter as the Tribe took a 21-16 lead. PTHS outscored the Grey Ghosts 18-10 in the second as Weber and Brummel each scored seven points.

The duo combined for 15 points in the third frame as the margin grew to 62-43. Michael Kuska also scored six points in the third.

When it was all said and done, Weber poured in 30 points and Brummel checked in with 21 for the Indians. Kuska and Logan Barnett contributed 8 points apiece while Kerr Bauman threw in 6 markers. Drew Wayman netted 2 points.

IVC had three players reach double figures.

Pontiac will step out of league play Friday with road contest at Coal City. PTHS will then face Champaign (Centennial) at the Herscher Shootout Saturday.

Prairie Central 65, Monticello 56

MONTICELLO — Dylan Bazzell tied a gymnasium scoring record as he paced Prairie Central to a 65-56 Illini Prairie Conference win over host Monticello.

The Sievers Center is just two years old but Bazzell became the third player in its brief history to register 29 points in a game. He tied the mark of Cole Certa of Central Catholic and Clinton's Dawson Graves, who each scored 29 earlier this season.

Despite all the scoring by Bazzell, the Hawks were having trouble with the host Sages. Monticello outscored PC 20-15 in the second period to overcome an 18-14 deficit for a 34-33 edge at the break.

After scoring just three points in the opening lap, Bazzell found a groove and added nine points in the second and eight in the third. His key contribution down the stretch was from the free throw line where he hit all seven tries in the final frame to help the Hawks put the game away.

Besides the 29 points and 7 rebounds from Bazzell, PC's inside game was in good hands with Drew Fehr, who collected 13 points and 6 boards. Camden Palmore added 12 points to the Prairie Central (19-2, 5-0) cause and Tyler Curl checked in with 6 points and 8 boards. Caleb Decker had 3 points and Gage Steidinger threw in 2.

Drew Sheppard led Monticello (13-8, 2-2) with 17 points and Trey Welter scored 15.

Prairie Central's slate continues Friday with a home league game against Tolono and Saturday at No. 7 Beecher.

Heyworth 41, EPG 40

EL PASO — The middle two periods doomed El Paso-Gridley Tuesday as the Titans suffered a 41-40 loss to Heyworth in a Heart of Illinois Conference tilt at EPG.

The Titans got off to a good start by taking a 15-7 lead after one period. But EPG had trouble hitting shots in the second quarter as the Hornets outscored the hosts 13-3 to take a 20-18 lead into the break.

Heyworth doubled up the Titans in the third, outscoring them 16-8, to take a 36-26 lead into the final lap.

Although Heyworth managed just five points down the stretch, it was enough to stave off an EPG rally. It was a 38-37 game with the Hornets on top with two minutes remaining. Heyworth got a basket and a free throw in the last 35 seconds for a four-point lead. This was key as Micah Meiss buried a 3-pointer at the buzzer for EPG.

Meiss finished with 22 points for El Paso-Gridley (11-11, 4-4). Jonah Funk contributed 6 points and 5 rebounds and Chancesay Maxon added 6 points. Kamren Schumacher tallied 4 points and Mac Raymer had 2.

Nick Feather led Heyworth (15-8, 6-2) with 16 points and 8 rebounds. Alex Maas added 11 points.

Tri-County Conference Tourney

GRANVILLE — Led by Wyatt Thompson, four players reached double figures to lead Dwight to a 67-57 victory over Midland in a Tri-County Conference tournament game at Putnam County Tuesday.

The Trojans jumped out to a 17-12 lead after one quarter as Thompson scored eight points and Dawson Carr threw in five. The Timberwolves outscored DTHS in the second to close the margin by one to 33-29.

Dwight found some success at both ends of the floor coming out of the break and upped its lead to 46-39 through three periods. DTHS went 13 of 17 from the free throw line in the last stanza to seal the victory.

Thompson finished with 23 points for the Trojans. Connor Telford added 17 points with Carr tossing in 14 and Luke Gallet chalking up 11 markers. Joey Starks threw in 2 points.

Brett Smith had 19 points for Midland.

Pontiac 54, Tolono 52

Briana Hilleary hit from close range as time ran out to lift Pontiac to a 54-52 Illini Prairie Conference girls' basketball victory over Tolono (Unity) Monday.

The game was tied at 52-52 with time running out when Hilleary found herself with the ball at point-blank range. She did the rest to lift the Tribe to a 6-15 mark on the season.

Hilleary's game-winner capped a fourth-quarter comeback for the Indians. Tolono led 42-36 at the start of the fourth quarter. The Rockets broke a 10-10 tie at the end of the first quarter to take a 26-21 lead into the half.

Four different players scored in the final frame for the Tribe. Hilleary led the group with seven points to lead the rally. PTHS was 7 of 9 from the charity stripe.

Bailey Masching led the Indians with 22 points and Mackenzie Coates added 8 points and Hilleary scored 7. Makyah Hartfield chipped in 6 points, Jayonnah Einhaus and Olivia Lindsay tossed in 4 points apiece and Morgan Dewald had 3 points.

This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Riley Weber hits for 30, Dylan Bazzell scores 29 as Tribe, Hawks win