Pictured, Columbia’s Jordan Holmes drives against Waterloo’s Griffin Lenhardt during Monday’s rivalry contest at the Freeburg tournament. For more photos, click here. (John Spytek photo)

Columbia and Waterloo took their cross-county basketball rivalry to the Freeburg Holiday Tournament on Monday night, with the Eagles emerging victorious for their fifth win in a row.

Jordan Holmes, who returned to the lineup for Columbia last week after missing a few games due to a dislocated finger, scored 24 points to lead the Eagles past the Bulldogs.

Waterloo went on a 12-0 run that started late in the third quarter and closed what had developed into a large lead for the Eagles. But Holmes poured in 12 points in the fourth quarter en route to the 57-48 win.

Holmes, a junior, is averaging 20.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game this season for the Eagles.

“Jordan will be the best player that I’ve ever coached in my coaching career by the time it’s all said and done,” Columbia head coach Mark Sandstrom told reporters after the win. “He’s got a long ways to go, but that’s what I expect out of him. And that’s what he expects of himself.”

Waterloo’s Ross Schrader goes up for a shot against Columbia on Monday. For more photos, click here. (John Spytek photo)

Greg Long added 14 points and Jon Peterson added 13 points for Columbia. Waterloo was led by Ben Huels with 22 points. Ross Schrader added 10 points.

“We just know Waterloo very well and what they do,” Sandstrom said. “Our kids are warriors. With two games in one day, it kind of hit them in the middle of the third quarter there. But Jordan hit a couple of key shots to stretch the lead back out a bit.”

Holmes was the man for Columbia in the team’s opening game of the tourney Monday morning, scoring 20 points in a 59-23 blasting of Sparta.

Long added 15 points and Peterson poured in 13 more.

Columbia (8-4) played Valmeyer on Tuesday night, winning 70-47, and will battled Triad Wednesday night for a berth in the tourney final on Thursday night. The Eagles topped the Knights, 55-50, behind a career high 30 points from Holmes. Columbia plays Marquette for the title at 7 p.m. Thursday.

“We’re the two-time defending champ here, and we want to make it three times,” Sandstrom said.

Holmes scored 20 points and pulled down 13 rebounds in the win over Valmeyer. Jared Germain added 15 points, including 4-for-6 shooting from three-point range. Peterson also scored 15 points.

Columbia entered the tourney on a high note, having defeated Freeburg on the Midgets’ home court in a rescheduled Cahokia Conference game on Friday night. The Eagles led 35-25 at the half and continued the pressure in the second half en route to a 56-43 victory.

Brennen van Breusegen led the way with 16 points, including 3-for-3 shooting from three-point range. Holmes added 14 points and 10 rebounds; Long added 11 points and 12 rebounds.

In other Monday action from the Freeburg tourney, Valmeyer lost its opening game to a tough Triad team, 75-53. The Pirates rallied after being down 26-5 after the first quarter, but it just wasn’t enough.

Owen Miller scored 14 points to lead Valmeyer. Michael Chism added 13 points.

Also on Monday, Dupo dropped games to Freeburg and Civic Memorial. Austin Francis and Kelvin Swims each scored 13 points for the Tigers in their loss to CM.

On Tuesday, Valmeyer topped Sparta, 65-43. The Pirates led 38-25 at halftime and pulled away by outscoring the Bulldogs 27-10 in the third quarter.

Chism led the way with 20 points for Valmeyer, with Miller adding 18 points.

Valmeyer battled cross-county foe Waterloo on Wednesday, falling 64-49. The Bulldogs were led by Griffin Lenhardt with 20 points, followed by Huels with 17.

Waterloo dropped its second game of the tournament on Tuesday, falling 62-50 to Triad.

The ‘Dogs were down only one at 15-14 after the first quarter, but the Knights pulled away with a 17-3 edge to end the second half.

Dylan Hunt led the ‘Dogs with 17 points. Schrader added 11 points in the loss.

Waterloo bounded back with a win over Sparta on Tuesday night, 63-30. Waterloo led 24-6 after one quarter and never let up. Hunt scored 23 points to pace the Waterloo offense.

Schrader added 19 points and Lenhardt chipped in with 10 points and seven assists.

Gibault is also playing in a tournament over the holidays, but it is down in Pinckneyville.

The Hawks opened play Tuesday morning at the annual Duster Thomas Hoops Classic with a thrilling overtime win over Greenville, 71-68.

Gibault trailed by as many as 16 points in the third quarter, but stormed back to force an extra frame. Karson Huels nailed a shot with 7.9 seconds left to tie the game at 59-59.

Collin Kessler led the way with 21 points, followed by Trevor Davis with 20.

The Hawks continued Pinckneyville tourney play Tuesday night with a victory over DuQuoin, 67-60. Davis poured in 28 points and Kessler turned in another strong effort with 19 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.

Gibault faced host team Pinckneyville on Wednesday for the right to play in the tourney final, losing 45-36.

Down 20-17 at the half, Davis and Kessler nailed some shots early in the third quarter to give the Hawks a 28-25 lead. But the Panthers closed the third quarter with a scoring flurry to retake the lead at 31-28 entering the fourth quarter.