Patriots hold off No. 1 Mules to capture 8th EHT title

For the first time since 2016, the No. 1 seed in the Eldorado Holiday Tournament, didn't walk out of Duff-Kingston Gymnasium with the championship trophy.

In fairness, fans didn't walk out of Duff-Kingston Saturday night disappointed.

Fairfield, who was the No. 1 seed used a 21-3 run to take a second half lead late Saturday night against No. 2 Massac County, but it was the Patriots who then went on a 13-0 run of their own to build a 51-43 lead and walk out with their 8th EHT title in a 57-51 win over the Mules.

The Patriots (13-1) now trail Eldorado by just one with the most titles and got a game-high 16 points from Jace Mizell, who was named MVP of the EHT. Mizell is the first MVP for Massac since J.T. Weber took home the title in 2015, coincidentally the last time Massac won the EHT.

Zach Travis added 12 points for the Patriots, while Fairfield's Landon Zurliene scored 12 points and Noah McElravy tossed in 11 points.

Fairfield's road to the championship game meant a rematch of last year's EHT title game as the Mules knocked off Herrin 78-72 in the semifinals.

Each team put five players in double figures as Brandon

Anthony led all players with 25 points. Wyatt Gilbert, who came in averaging six points per game, had a team-high 17 points for Fairfield.

There were nine lead changes and two ties in the first quarter alone, but Fairfield maintained a six-point lead at the end of each quarter.

Herrin was able to battle back in the second half and get to within two points, but Fairfield's ability to rebound and keep the Tigers off the glass was the difference.

Massac County beat Carmi-White County 48-29, where the Patriots' Zach Travis had 17 points and was the only MCHS player to post double figures.

Ethan Mahon had a team-high 11 points for Carmi-White County.