In a game heard on WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com, Monticello rallied back from 18 points down in the fourth quarter to tie the game but could not finish the comeback as they fell to Rantoul, 77-75 in Illini Prairie Conference high school boys basketball action at the Sievers Center in Monticello Tuesday night.

The Eagles shot an unsightly 74 percent in the first half Tuesday night, including going 8-for-9 from free, opening up a 46-34 halftime lead. Rantoul did not slow down much in the second half, leading 68-50 early in the fourth. 

Monticello senior Trey Welter sparked the comeback, starting with a three-point play on a drive to the basket where he made the layup on a foul and made the free throw to make the score 70-56 with 4:37 left.

Monticello went on an 11-2 run in a span of 2:05 - finished by Carter Foran's layup on a clear path to the basket in the halfcourt to make 72-67 with 2:32 left. 

Welter was fouled again on a drive to the basket and made two more free -throws to make it 72-69 with 2:02 seconds left.

After a Rantoul turnover on its ensuing possession, Welter was fouled again as he made a layup through contact where he cut the inside of his finger and had to have his hand taped up before his and-one free throw, which he stepped up and made with a heavily taped hand with 1:35 left.

Rantoul made just enough free throws down the stretch to hold on against Monticello. 

With 1:17 left, Justin Merrill made one of two free throws to put the Eagles up for good at  73-72. 

Ross Gawenda made two big free throws with under a minute left but missed two more with 4 seconds and Rantoul up by three, 77-74.

Off the rebound, the Eagles fouled Welter with 0.6 seconds left. The senior made the first free throw and time expired as he missed the second without a put-back attempt for the Sages.

Rantoul finished shooting 67.5 percent from the floor and finished 8-13 from distance, going 0-4 in the second half. The Eagles used effective dribble penetration to score 44 points in the paint, with 26 coming in the second half. 

In the first half, Rantoul turned just six Monticello turnovers into 14 points. Each team had 22 points off turnovers for the game. The Sages forced the Eagles into 16 total turnovers. 

Despite the tough loss to a Rantoul squad that was just 3-14 coming into the game and played the game of its season Tuesday, Monticello shot 52.6 percent from the floor, finishing just 5-for-25 from three.

The Eagles made 15-of-24 free throws. Monticello knocked down 10-of-15. 

Sophomore Melvin Hall came off the bench and scored 19 points, he had three, old-fashioned three-point plays for the game. DJ Davis added 18 points for Rantoul while Tyler Merrill finished with 11 points. 

Welter scored a game-best 28 points. Raiden Colbert added 14 points while Ike Young added 12 for the Sages.

Monticello outrebounded Rantoul 26-23. The teams combined for 57 made field goals. 

Rantoul goes to 4-14 overall and 2-3 in the Illini Prairie Conference.

With a tough stretch ahead for the Sages and a chance to posture for better postseason seeding, Monticello falls to 11-11 overall and 3-2 in the Illini Prairie Conference.

The Sages are off until Saturday when they take on Athens in the Illini Prairie/Sangamo Conference shootout from the Sievers Center at 3:30 pm. Hear the action on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com.