JOHN CURTIS - Daily Union Sports Editor
On Thursday, the Rams traveled to Mattoon and came home with a split, losing the A game, 33-16, but winning the B game, 26-19.
Darin Breeden was the leading scorer for the Rams in both games. Breeden was 1-point off the game-high with nine points in the A game on three deuces and a 3-pointer. In the B game, Breeden had a game-high nine points, making four twos and 1-of-3 from the line. In the B game, point guard Neil Yockey followed with eight points, connecting twice from downtown and adding a solo two.
In the A game, Trent Shuff was the onlty Ram to score in the first period, as mattoon sprinted out to a 19-2 lead. That was the difference in the game. The rest of the contest was played even. Breeden had a trey and a deuce in the second quarter and Yockey split two free throws at the line for six points, triming the 17-point deficit by a point at the break, trailing 24-8.
Ethan Turner scored the only two points in the third to trim the lead to 14 points heading into the fourth, 24-10. Mattoon got the lead back to 17 with a 9-6 run in the fourth on three field goals and 3-of-4 free throws in crunch time. Shelby got two more buckets from Breeden and Tucker Schwengel got on the board late.
A Game
Mattoon 33, Shelbyville 16
Mattoon 19-5-0-9—33
Shelby 2-6-2-6—16
Ram stats: Breeden 9 (3-2s, 1-3 pt FGs, 0/1 FTs), Trent Shuff 2 (FG), Tucker Schwengel 2 (FG), Ethan Turner 2 (FG), Yockey 1 (1/2 FTs). Team FGs 7 (1-3 pt: Breeden). Team FTs 1-of-3.
Mattoon stats: Warfel 10 (2-2s, 2-3 pt FGs), Hartbooth 6 (3 FGs), Hull 6 (3 FTs), Sparks 3 (FG, 1/2 FTs), Harvey 2 (2/2 FTs), Staton 2 (FG), Roley 2 (FG), White 2 (FG). Team FGs 14 (2-3 pt: Warfel 2). Team FTs 3-of-4.
In the B game, Mattoon led by two after one. Mattoon got a trey and two deuces, while Shelby had a trey and a deuce. Yockey had the trey and Trent Shuff the deuce. In the second frame, the Rams took the lead on an 8-3 run. Breeden scored twice and split two free throws and Yockey rang the 3-bell again for a 13-10 lead the the half.
In the third, Shelby continued to hold the momentum. Breeden scored twice, Ethan Turner once and Connor Biehler made 1-of-2 foul shots to up their lead to five points, 20-15. The Rams added to their lead down the stretch, mostly on foul shooting. Yockey had the only two, Turner made two free throws and Zach England had two free throws.
The Rams were to play at Cowden-Herrick on Monday, but the game has been moved to Shelbyville and will be played about 7:15 p.m., after the Shelbyville girls Senior Night basketball. Their final home game is Thursday against Maroa.
B Game
Shelbyville 26, Mattoon 19
Shelby 5-8-7-6—26
Mattoon 7-3-5-4—19
Ram stats: Breeden 9 (4 FGs, 1/3 FTs), Yockey 8 (1-2, 2-3 pt FGs, 0/2 FTs), Turner 4 (FG, 2/4 FTs), Zach England 2 (2/2 FTs), Shuff 2 (FG), Connor Biehler 1 (1/2 FTs). Team FGs 9 (2-3 pt: Yockey 2). Team FTs 6-of-13.
