Edinburg edges Mount Pulaski 72-70 for third place

 

[December 02, 2024]  The Mount Pulaski Hilltoppers could have used a few more seconds on the clock and a few more made free throws in the game on Saturday night versus the Edinburg Wildcats in the 14th Annual Bill Rucks Varsity Boys Basketball Tournament.

As it stands, the 1.3 seconds on the clock was not enough time to get a game-winning shot in the air and the Hilltoppers were 6-for-14 from the free throw line as they fell to Edinburg 72-70.

Missed free throws come back to haunt a team every single time.

As a result, the Hilltoppers had to settle for fourth place in their own Thanksgiving tournament, ending the week with a 2-2 record.

On a positive note, the two losses suffered by the Hilltoppers were each by two points. That does not lessen the blow but it does offer hope for the future.

Once the lineup gets settled and begins to gel with the substitutions, this team will be a force to be reckoned with on the court.

Coach Ryan Deibert’s team has a deep bench, one that also features his son, Landon, a 6’2 freshman who loves to shoot the three. Landon scored his first Varsity points of his high school career in Wednesday night’s win over Tri-City. He entered the game and immediately hit a three and finished with five points.

Coach Deibert’s young squad features just two seniors, six juniors and a slew of underclassmen ready to play. They have the quickness and the talent to compete with anybody. They certainly bring the energy from the bench to the court and in given time it will all fall into place.

Saturday night was just one of those close games that saw the ball bounce in favor of the Wildcats at the end.

A trio of Hilltoppers reached double-figures against Edinburg.

Franklin Wade led Mount Pulaski with 21 points.

Aaron Kuznik tallied five 3s for 15 points.

Beau Tschantz tossed in 10 points.

Edinburg was led in scoring by Treyton Davis with 31 points.

The two teams traded baskets for most of the evening, with Edinburg creating a space between them in the middle of the fourth quarter. Mount Pulaski had to scramble to score in the final minutes and they nearly pulled off the comeback win.

The Hilltoppers and the Wildcats were tied 17-17 after the first quarter. Beau Tschantz and Franklin Wade combined to score 10 points here while Luke Martin added a three.

At the half, Edinburg jumped ahead of Mount Pulaski 33-32 despite Aaron Kuznik sinking his first two 3s in the game and Martin adding another. Eric Cooper scored four points in the second quarter, including a buzzer-beater in the lane that kept the game close.

Both teams poured in sixteen points in the third quarter.

Kuznik was precise, draining two more 3s, and Wade fought hard in the lane for six points. Tschantz and Lamarion Solomon each added a basket as the Hilltoppers trailed 49-48 heading into the final eight minutes of action.

Edinburg used a 5-0 run in the first minute of play in the fourth quarter to storm ahead 54-48. Kuznik hit a three around the 6:15 mark to close the margin to 54-51.

Midway through the quarter, Edinburg increased the lead to 59-53. Mount Pulaski was not helping themselves by committing a few costly turnovers. By the time the clock was nearing the 3:05 mark, the Wildcats hit a three to stretch the lead to 62-53.

Fifteen seconds later, Luke Martin fouled out. In his place Aaron Volle took the court, joining Wade, Cooper, Tschantz and Kuznik.

Is it too soon to put the spotlight on this Volle kid by telling everyone he’s the grandson of Jeff Clements?! The 5’11 sophomore drained two 3s in the final seconds of the game that really sparked the Hilltoppers offense, so the answer to the question is “No.” To those just tuning in, Clements was the super sophomore on that 1976 Mount Pulaski Hilltoppers State Championship basketball team.

Before Volle had a chance to sink his 3s though, the Wildcats ran the score up to 66-53 with 2:15 left in the game.

Mount Pulaski made a strong run at a comeback that included a layup by Tschantz and then a three by Wade. After Wade’s bucket, the Hilltoppers trailed just 66-60 with 1:08 remaining. With Edinburg scoring quickly again, the score showed 68-60 with 55.0 seconds left to play.

As the Hilltoppers inbounded the ball under the Wildcats basket, Wade dribbled up the court and passed the ball to Volle on the right and after one quick bounce towards the three-point line, the sophomore let it fly. Volle did not hesitate to take the wide-open shot and it hit nothing but the net from the right wing, making the score 68-63.

But dang, those Wildcats came back to score again and down to the final 45.0 seconds the lead was back to 70-63.

It took Volle just shy of ten seconds later to do it again. If you went to MPHS in the mid 70s, is the slogan “Let’s Do It Again!” ringing through your head yet?! Grandpa Jeff Clements was also on the 1977 Hilltoppers basketball team that got 4th in the state and yes, it was a two-class system back in those days.

This time the Volle kid was camped in the left corner by the Mount Pulaski fans and he clapped for the ball, getting Wade’s attention. Wade was surrounded by a couple Wildcats but he was able to get a fast bounce pass to Volle and the Hilltoppers bench erupted as the ball glided through the net. The net danced and the scoreboard flashed 70-66 as the final 35.0 seconds was ticking fast.

Mount Pulaski was forced to foul and with the Wildcats missing both free throws, Cooper grabbed the rebound and dished it off to Wade. Wade took it upon himself to drive the lane and spin around two defenders and double-pump his way to the basket, finishing the move by tossing the ball onto the glass backboard and in for a beautiful two points. The excitement was building!

The score was 70-68 when the Hilltoppers had to stop the clock by fouling with 13.9 seconds left, sending bodies flying into the scorer’s table. Treyton Davis made both of his free throws for the Wildcats here. In fact, Davis was 8-for-11 shooting from the line in the fourth quarter.

Wade missed his shot in the paint as the Hilltoppers had to rush down the court, but Tschantz had great position in the lane and he collected the rebound and put it back up and in for the 72-70 score.

Again Mount Pulaski had to foul quickly. This time with 1.3 seconds on the clock, Davis missed both free throws. Cooper got the rebound and fired a pass towards Kuznik at half court but it got intercepted by the Wildcats as the buzzer sounded. The Hilltoppers lose the battle by two points.

Davis was a one-man wrecking crew for Edinburg in the fourth quarter, draining two 3s in addition to his free throws.

It would have been an excellent comeback for the Hilltoppers, who had to take the 72-70 loss and settle for a fourth place finish. Bets are solid that the Hilltoppers will aim for a higher finish in this tournament next year.

Eric Cooper represented Mount Pulaski on the all-tournament team.

Alex Peacock, who had 14 points for the Wildcats in the win, represented Edinburg on the all-tournament team.

Mount Pulaski will host Warrensburg-Latham on Tuesday night. The JV game will tip-off at 6:00 p.m. and the Varsity will follow at approximately 7:30 p.m.
 

Final results from the tournament

Auburn won the 14th Annual Bill Rucks Varsity Tournament by defeating Clinton 69-37.

Cooper Carter led the Trojans with 26 points. Clayton Kessler added 21 points for Auburn.

7th place game
Illini Central 64
Delavan 45

5th place game
Litchfield 46
Tri-City 33

3rd place game
Edinburg 72
Mount Pulaski 70

Championship game
Auburn 69
Clinton 37

Bill Rucks All-Tournament Team

Eric Cooper (Mount Pulaski)
Carter Huntley (Auburn)
Alex Peacock (Edinburg)
Keaton Graves (Clinton)
Brayden Ronco (Litchfield)

Mount Pulaski 70
Wade 21
Kuznik 15
Tschantz 10
Cooper 8
Volle 6
Martin 6
Kretzinger 2
Solomon 2

Edinburg 72
Davis 31
Peacock 14
Dial 7
Bailey 6
G. Swinger 5
Pop 4
Norris 3
F. Swinger 2

[Teena Lowery]