SHELBYVILLE, IL. — Shelbyville-The Shelbyville Rams had the Stew-Stras Comets number in the

1st half, Friday. But the Comets had a 21-7 run in the 3rd to make it a

2-point game heading into the 4th. Darin Breeden, in his first game back

from injury, sparked the Ram 4th and Shelby pulled away to win, 64-56.

What was expected to be a battle in the paint between Shelbyville’s 6-7

Brody Bence and Stew-Stras’ big body Justin Fulk never materialized. In

the first half they guarded different people.

Fulk has been steady all season scoring in the 20s and Bence has been off

and on. Bence scored a season-high 32 on Tuesday, after being scoreless

last Friday.

The game was all Shelby early as their defense denied Fulk the ball and

the Ram offense picked up where it left off on Tuesday.

Bence scored twice in the 1st and Nate Standerfer, who had 15 on Tuesday,

recorded a 3-point hat trick in the 1st. Fulk scored three times, but the

Comets had just one trey. Shelby led by six after one, 19-13.

In the 2nd, the Rams went on a 19-9 run to extend their lead to 16 at the

half, 38-22.

Bence scored five times from the floor in the 2nd and Standerfer had

another triple. The Comets had just two field goals.

In the 3rd quarter the Rams came out without much fire and Stew-Stras took

advantage.

Shelby traveled and Fulk scored inside. Jason Becker stole the ball on the

next Ram possession. Shelby turned the ball over for the third straight

possession and Brandon Helmuth scored, was fouled and made the 3-point

play, 38-27.

Luke McConnell had a free throw and Bence scored on a bunny, but Helmuth

answered with a 3-pointer, 41-32. It was the start of a 7-0 run.

Becker scored off another Ram turnover and Fulk had a catch and bank in

the paint, 41-36.

Bence scored, but Helmuth dialed up another basket from long distance and

it was a 4-point game with 2:28 in the 3rd, 43-39. Helmuth was fouled and

made it a 2-point game.

That’s when Breeden made his presence known. He drove and spun between two

Comets and had a easy bank at the hoop. Jon Luce answered with a long base

line jumper and neither team scored in the final 1:10 of the period and it

was 45-43 heading into the 4th.

McConnell went head to head against Fulk in the paint and won to start the

4th period scoring and a 14-2 Ram run, 77-43. Standerfer had a quick

first-step drive from the wing and went all the way to the dish, 49-44.

After Comet misses, Breeden drove the base line, got the foul and made the

shot, 51-44.

The Rams missed a 3-pointer, but McConnell fought to get the board and

Breeden drained a flat shot from the key, 53-45.

The Comets, who are still missing shooter Christian Vonderheide, missed a

3-pointer. Breeden drove from the key and made a lefty lay-up with 3:43

left for a 10-point lead, 55-45.

McConnell’s defense turned over the Comets and the Rams started working

the clock without their three leading scorers on the floor. Point guard

Jake Keown found McConnell underneath and he scored again, 57-45.

Ram reserve Tyler Hendryx got a steal and McConnell got on the floor for a

loose ball to keep the Ram possession.

Shelby worked the ball for 16 seconds and Stew-Stras had to start fouling

to get Shelby in the bonus and slow the clock.

It was desperation time for the Comets. Jason Fry drove and scored. The

Comets pressed, but the Rams broke it and Standerfer got a lay-up with

1:43 left, 59-47.

Helmuth nailed a trey in transition, but Shelby guard Spencer Shadwell

made 1-of-2 foul shots to get the lead back to 10, 60-50.

Helmuth missed a 3-pointer, fry missed a 3-pointer, but Fry drove for two.

Fry got another lay-up with 35 seconds left, cutting the deficit to seven,

61-54.

Fry kept driving to the hole and scored again, but Standerfer made 3-of-4

foul shots to ice the game, 65-56.

Standerfer and Bence combined for 37 points and Breeden gave them 10 more,

eight in the 4th period. Helmuth ended up with a game-high 21, scoring 11

in the 3rd period run. Fulk was held to 11, 10 coming in the 1st and 3rd

periods. Fry finished in a flourish with nine, seven in the 4th.

Shelbyville will head to the Vandalia Holiday Tournament after Christmas

and Stew-Stras to the Tri-County Tourney.

Shelbyville 64, Stew-Stras 56

Stew-Stras  13-9-21-13--56

Shelbyville  19-19-7-19--64

Ram stats: Standerfer 19 (2-2s, 4-3 pt FGs, 3/4 FTs), Bence 18 (9 FGs, 0/2

FTs), Breeden 10 (4 FGs, 2/3 FTs), McConnell 5 (2 FGs, 1/2 FTs), Shadwell

4 (FG, 2/4 FTs), Keown 2 (FG) , Schwengel 2 (FG, 0/1 FTs), Hendryx 2 (FG),

C. Williams 2 (FG). Team FGs 26. 3-Pointers: 4 (Standerfer). Team FTs 8-of-16.

Stew stats: Helmuth 21 (1-2, 4-3 pt FGs, 7/8 FTs),  Fulk 11 (5 FGs, 1/2

FTs), Fry 9 (4 FGs, 1/4 FTs), Luce 8 (4 FGs), Becker 7 (2 FGs, 3/4 FTs).

Team FGs 20. 3-Pointers: 4 (Helmuth). Team FTs  12-of-18.