That's where Nashville senior Maddox Ritzel heated up the basketball nets.

The 6-3 guard/forward stoked the statistical fire with 35-points as his Hornets took home the title of the 43rd annual Nashville Invitational Tournament with a dominating victory over rival Breese Central, 66-33.

Ritzel scored 21 of his points in the second half as Nashville pulled away for the doubled up victory.

The Hornets improved to 20-2 on the season and now have a pair of tournament championships secured for 2025-26.

“I didn't think he played very hard in the first half and we got on him a little bit at halftime,” said Nashville head coach Stote Reeder. “But, boy was he on fire in the second half. In his defense his ankle wasn't feeling well today and we're really needing this next week off until Friday.”

Ritzel hit on 14-of-20 shots from the floor, including 3-of-6 from the 3-point line as the Hornets have won their last 14 games.

He also led the team with 10 rebounds as they out-boarded the Cougars 16-9.

But a big key for the win was the defensive end of the floor.

Nashville held the Cougars to just 13-of-34 from the field (38.2 percent) and forced nine turnovers.

The Hornets had seven other players score in the win.

Junior Gannon Turner produced eight-points for Nashville; senior Blake Brooks and junior Palmer Renken added six-points each.

Breese Central and head coach Jeremy Shubert had their seven-game win streak stopped cold on Saturday.

Five-eleven senior guard Conlan Haar was the lone bright spot offensively for Breese Central on Saturday.

Haar scored nearly half of the Cougars' total as he notched 16-points.

Sophomore Wyatt Schrage was next on the list with eight.

After Haar started the game with a 3-pointer and then scored on a drive for a 5-2 lead, the Central wheels went spinning, slipping and sliding towards the ditch.

Nashville scored the next 14-points.

Ritzel scored twice with nice spin moves into the lane with the second one turning into a three-point play while being fouled.

Nashville passed the ball well during the contest and found open shots.

Renken, Brooks and Ritzel nailed down 3-pointers in succession to close the first quarter strong.

Ritzel's shot ended the run with the Hornets up 16-5.

Central recovered briefly before the half.

Schrage scored six-points in the second quarter and score with a minute left by sophomore Ryder Burgmeier narrowed the Nashville led to just 28-20.

Then Turner came up with a couple of scores, the second one on a hustling steal.

After scoring on a drive, the Hornets' pressure produced a loose ball on the Central side of the court and Turner came up with the ball with the clock ticking down.

He set himself and launched a 3-pointer that found the mark at the buzzer for a 33-20 halftime bulge.

“Our defense each and every day since the Carterville loss has gotten better and better. This tournament might have been the best defense these kids have ever played,” said Coach Reeder. “They did such an awesome job. They do it together. Our chemistry, I can't say enough about it.”

Following some choice words from the coaching staff at intermission, Ritzel turned up the volume.

The senior leader scored the next five baskets for Nashville.

The first four baskets were on the inside, posting up for points in the paint.

He turned one of the Nashville fast break chances into a transition bucket and then nailed a shot from the left wing for a 43-24 spread.

Haar answered with a 3-pointer but the Hornets closed out the third with reserve Brenton Bultman hitting a 3-point shot and junior Kassidy Linkey also getting on the board with a shot near the foul line as the Hornets led Central, 50-27 heading to the fourth.

Nashville hit 8-of-10 shots in the third quarter and defensively they put the clamps on the Cougars.

Central hit just 3-of-9 in the third and managed just one offensive rebound as Nashville made a statement.

Ritzel closed out his game and tournament with eleven more points.

Twice he scored while being fouled inside, which turned into six of the points.

He hit his final shot from the floor, a 3-pointer from the right wing, triggered the mercy rule continuous clock at 62-30 with 4:05 left.

Two of the four Nashville turnovers came in the final minutes by the reserves.

The Hornets connected on 25-of-39 total field goal attempts (64.1 percent) and 9-of-17 from 3-point land.

“We average less than seven turnovers a game and we still play that fast,” said Coach Reeder. “It's their hard work they have done. This is why we're becoming a great team.”

MASCOUTAH 58, BMD 54
The Indians rallied past Mater Dei by outscoring the Knights 23-13 in the fourth quarter.

Mascoutah improved to 13-8 on the season with the victory, getting 15-points each from sophomore Michael King and junior Micah Griffo.

Freshman Brayden Watson added 13 for Mascoutah, eight of which came in the final eight minutes.

King hit four 3-pointers, three coming in the fourth comeback.

Junior Austin Bramwell added 10 for Coach Cole Schomaker.

Mater Dei (12-12) was led by senior guard Gavin Peppenhorst with 29-points.

Senior Beckett Wade tossed in nine for the Knights and freshman Stuart Parkin added eight.

Coach Cory Arentsen and his club used a big second quarter to take a 29-18 lead into the second half.

The Knights hit nine 3-point shots, five in the second quarter.

Parkin nailed down two of the long shots with Peppenhorst, Wade and freshman Roman Zambrencia hitting the others.

Mascoutah also hit nine 3-pointers, six in the second half.

Griffo, King and Bramwell all hit 3-pointers to close the deficit to just 41-35 heading to the fourth quarter.

Mascoutah hit 6-of-8 free throws in the final minutes to secure the win.

The Knights ended up 18-of-44 overall shooting the ball, 9-of-23 outside the arc and
Mascoutah was 20-of-43, 9-of-19 from downtown.

The NIT all-tournament team consisted of Maddox Ritzel, Palmer Renken and Kassidy Linkey of Nashville; Conlan Haar, Wyatt Schrage and Bryce Wieter of Breese Central; Gavin Peppenhorst of Breese Mater Dei; Makhi House and Cameron Curry of Marion and Micah Griffo of Mascoutah.