Red Devils Fall to Greenville 124-114 in High-Scoring Battle

GREENVILLE, Ill. – The Eureka's men's basketball team fell to Greenville 124-114 on Wednesday evening in a high-scoring affair.

The game started fast, with Emaryon Byrd (Peoria, Ill./Manual) quickly tying the game at 2-2 with a layup. Both teams struggled with turnovers early, but Jacob Gonzalez (Los Angeles, Calif./Chatsworth Charter) hit a free throw, and Jonah Lauff (Pana, Ill./Pana) knocked down a 3-pointer, bringing the Red Devils within eight points of the Panthers. Lauff continued his stellar play throughout the half, finishing with a career-high 21 points and securing his first career double-double. As the first half wound down, Dylan Logsdon (Meridian, Idaho/Mountain View) and Jaxson Provost (Kankakee, Ill./Bishop McNamara) sparked a late rally. Logsdon drilled a 3-pointer, and Provost added a layup, helping the Red Devils close the gap to 65-58 by halftime. Provost also set a career-high with 15 points in the game.

In the second half, Greenville capitalized on a few early turnovers to extend their lead. However, Eureka responded with a burst of energy. Byrd grabbed a defensive rebound and raced down the court for a fast-break layup, leading a brief scoring surge for the Red Devils. Byrd's double-double (16 points, 11 rebounds) was his 11th of the season. In the closing minutes, Lauff and Peewee Brown (Peoria, Ill./Manual) continued to push the Red Devils forward. Lauff connected on several key 3-pointers, and Brown added a tip-in, but Greenville's lead proved too much to overcome. The Panthers sealed the win with a 124-114 final score.

Despite putting up a strong fight, the Red Devils couldn't overcome Greenville's offensive firepower, suffering their second close loss to the Panthers this season.

GAME NOTES

• Emaryon Byrd recorded 16 points and 11 rebounds, giving him his 11th double-double of the season.
• Jonah Lauff scored a career-high 21 points, including 5 three-pointers, and matched Byrd's 11 rebounds for his first career double-double.
• Peewee Brown led Eureka in scoring with 23 points, hitting 8 field goals and going 7-for-9 from the free-throw line. He also contributed 8 rebounds and a block.
• Micah Bruer (Washington, Ill./Washington) had an efficient shooting night, tallying a career-high 14 points on 5 field goals, including 4 three-pointers. Bruer also added a steal and 2 assists.
• Jaxson Provost set a career-high with 15 points.

UP NEXT

The Red Devils will look to bounce back when they face Principia on February 1 at 3:00 p.m. in Elsah, Ill. Eureka will aim to recover from a narrow 66-61 loss to Principia earlier in the season.