The Mt. Pulaski Hilltoppers (Mt. Pulaski, IL) basketball nipped the visiting Lutheran Crusaders (Springfield, IL), 58-54 in Friday's non-league test.

The Hilltoppers (11-16) will now prepare for their test against Calvary (Springfield, IL). The Saints go into the non-league test with a 18-8 record. In their last test, Calvary got by Nokomis (Nokomis, IL), 67-53, in a league test.

The Crusaders now own a 10-15 record. They play next when they travel to Hartsburg-Emden for a non-league outing on Tuesday, February 6. Lutheran will clash with a Stags squad coming off a 59-30 league loss to Illini Bluffs (Glasford, IL). The Stags record now stands at 5-19.