SHELBYVILLE – In the final Central Illinois Conference game before the tournament seedings are released, Shelbyville's Kade Kull scored 30 points, but it was not enough as Meridian beat the Rams 67-59 Friday night.
The two teams met Dec. 27 in the Vandalia Holiday Tournament, with the Hawks winning 73-52 and holding a commanding lead for most of the game.
Friday's game was different, as neither team led by more than nine points.
"Our kids are getting better for sure," Shelbyville coach Matt Colston said. "They are playing hard. I am really proud of their effort and their improvement. We are a young team and what hurts us is the youthful mistakes like turnovers and forgetting an assignment or forgetting a play. Those are things that are biting us on the back side in close games."
The game was tied for the 10th and final time at 56 with 4:11 left when Meridian's Riley Day canned a 3-pointer from the left wing. Shane Smith's basket made it 61-56 with 3:28 left.
"He has been a little slump and it was good for him to hit that 3-pointer," Meridian coach Shannon Houser said of Day.
Kull, who was 11-of-18 from the field for the game, netted a 3-pointer with 2:07 left. It tuned out to be the final points for the Rams, who missed their last four shots.
Smith, a senior, came off the bench and scored a pivotal nine points and grabbed two rebounds. He gave the Hawks a big post presence.
"He came in and gave us some real good minutes for us," Houser said. "That is what he does for us."
In the first half Meridian led by as much as nine, with the help of a 6-0 run. Jacob Jones scored and then Graham Meisenhelter added four points, including two off a pass from Day for a 17-8 lead.
"Our kids are starting to understand how to play defense," Colston said. "One of the key things for us is not just coming down and chucking it. A seven- or nine-point deficit in the first quarter is not a big deal if you are getting good shots and taking your time and you are guarding them. That is different than earlier in the year when we were having a hard time playing defense and being physical and we shot too quick."
Shelbyville answered with a 6-0 run of its own, as Kull scored the final four points of the first followed by a 3-pointer by Ethan Clark and a bucket by Payton Bryant.
"We got out of here with the win," Houser said. "Shelbyville played hard tonight. I tip my cap to them."
After that the neither team led by four points. Shelbyville took its first lead of the game on a basket by Kull off a turnover, one of only eight combined in the half. Another bucket by Kull made it 26-23 with 3:44 left in the half. Meridian led 32-30 at the half.
Friday was the third time Kull had scored 30 points or more this season.
"Kull was aggressive and he is learning how to play without the ball really well," Colston said. "He made a couple of great cuts tonight. Braden Nichols and all of our kids are learning how to play without the ball a lot better."
Nichols had 13 points for the Rams, who were 22-of-55 (.400) from the field, including 3-of-11 from beyond the 3-point line. However, they were 12-of-20 from the free throw line, including just 4-of-9 in the fourth quarter. The Rams were without Leo Logue.
Both coaches, had previous experience as a head coach, but this is their first year at the respective schools. Colston coached Hoopeston, while Houser was at Decatur LSA.
Graham Meisenhelter led Meridian with 21 points, including 15 in the first half, while his twin brother Grant Meisenhelter had 12 points. Jacob Jones added 12. The Hawks were 25-of-52 from the field and 14-of-22 from the free throw line. They out-rebounded the Rams 38-28, as Jones and Graham Meisenhelter had nine rebounds each.
Meridian, 15-8 overall and 2-2 in the CIC, will host Monticello Saturday in a non-conference game. Shelbyville's next game is Wednesday at Tuscola in a 7 p.m. varsity-only CIC game that was rescheduled from last Friday. The Rams are 6-14 overall and 1-2 in the conference.
PHOTOS: Shelbyville vs. Mattoon
PHOTOS: Shelbyville falls to Mattoon 73-41
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Contact Mike Monahan at (217)-238-6854. Follow him on Twitter: @monahanmikejgtc