In a game heard on WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com, Monticello held off a late charge by IVC and won its Illini Prairie Conference opener 54-45 from Chillicothe Friday night in high school boy’s basketball action.
The Sages led 41-31 after three quarters but Cole Yates scored the first five points of the fourth quarter and the Grey Ghosts got within three when Bryce Radcliff was fouled on a layup but missed the and-one free throw and Monticello was able to close out the game making its final six foul shots.
Gatsby Grant scored five of his game-high 14 points in the fourth quarter. Carter Foran added 13 points for the Sages.
IVC went five-in, five-out the first three quarters and did not have a player score in double-figures. Grady Read and Brady Ward each had eight points while Yates finished with seven, all in the fourth quarter.
Ike Young and Tyler Blythe each added nine points for Monticello. Foran was the ServPro of Piatt/DeWitt Counties player of the game.
The Grey Ghosts fall to 6-10 overall and 0-1 in the IPC.
Since starting the season 0-4 after its football team finished runner-up in the 3A football playoffs, the Sages have won seven of its last ten to go to 7-7 overall and start 1-0 in the Illini Prairie Conference.
Monticello is in St. Joseph Saturday afternoon for the Christie Clinic Shootout taking on Seneca at 4:30 pm. Hear the action in 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com.
