In sports, there’s the oft-used phrase that “big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games.”

Such was the case Saturday night as the red-hot Columbia High School boys basketball squad traveled to Pinckneyville. 

Eagles senior Eddie Smajic only scored five points on this night, but his clutch three-pointer in the final seconds gave Columbia a thrilling 47-45 come-from-behind victory. 

Columbia (21-4) trailed 38-26 after three quarters, only to go on a 21-7 run in the final frame. Brody Landgraf led the Eagles on this night with 15 points and six rebounds. 

Winners of 12 in a row, Columbia beat Sumner on Tuesday night and will take on Staunton this Saturday in Wood River before playing this coming Tuesday at Breese Central. 

On Friday, Columbia posted a 48-39 win over Salem. Smajic scored 22 points, with Landgraf supplying 11 points and eight rebounds. 

Last Wednesday, the Eagles flew slightly south to Waterloo in a rivalry showdown. The result was a 53-37 victory for Columbia. The Eagles led 21-3 at halftime. 

Smajic and Landgraf each scored 13 points, with Landgraf also pulling down 11 rebounds and blocking three shots. 

Smajic leads Columbia in scoring this season at 21.7 points per game and is shooting 84 percent from the free throw line. 

Landgraf is averaging 15.7 points and seven rebounds per contest.

Waterloo (4-19) followed up last Wednesday’s loss to Columbia with a narrow 50-47 defeat Friday at home against Mascoutah. Owen Niebruegge and Reid Metzger had solid games for the Bulldogs, both reaching double digits in points.

The Bulldogs played Tuesday at Red Bud, travel Friday to Civic Memorial and then host Fox this coming Tuesday. 

Niebruegge and Tyler DeVilder are the top scorers this season for Waterloo. 

Gibault (6-17) dropped a 45-42 contest at home to Red Bud on Saturday despite leading 30-27 after three quarters.  Luke Quintin led Red Bud with 20 points. 

For the Hawks, Jack Holston scored 12 points before fouling out, with Dante Gianino contributing seven points and 13 rebounds. 

Last Tuesday, it was a 55-52 loss for Gibault against Freeburg. The Hawks shot 53 percent from three-point range, led by Colby Kincheloe with 16 points and Holston with 13 points. Gianino grabbed 18 rebounds and dished out five assists.

Gibault hosted Valmeyer on Tuesday, play Friday at St. Pius X and then travel this coming Tuesday to Chester.

Holston leads the Hawks in scoring this season at 11.8 points per game (41 percent from three-point range). Kincheloe is averaging 11.4 points per contest.

Valmeyer (10-14) picked up a 68-58 win over Marissa on Friday as four Pirates reached double digits in points: Evan Hill (23), Gavin Rau (17), Chase Snyder (16) and Carter McSchooler (12). 

On Thursday, it was a 56-42 loss for Valmeyer at Maryville Christian. McSchooler scored 13 points, and Snyder added 10 points.

Following Tuesday’s Monroe County tilt at Gibault, the Pirates travel to face Hancock on Wednesday.

Hill is the leading scorer for Valmeyer this season at 13.5 points per game, followed by McSchooler at 10.8 points per contest.

Dupo (11-10) went 1-2 in recent play. 

On Monday, it was a 56-46 win for the Tigers against McCluer South’s STEAM Academy. Jacob Duncan scored 19 points and Brrayden Esterlein scored 12 points for Dupo. 

On Friday, the Tigers dropped a 49-46 contest to Lebanon despite 16 points from Duncan. 

Last Wednesday, Dupo lost 62-50 to Red Bud. Esterlein scored 18 points, and Duncan scored 14 points. 

Dupo plays Thursday at Maryville Christian and Friday at New Athens before hosting Collegiate Medicine & Bioscience on Tuesday. 

Esterlein is the leading scorer this season for the Tigers at 14 points per game.