Basketball Game Preview: Effingham Hearts vs. Mattoon Greenwave

The Effingham Hearts will square off against the Mattoon Greenwave at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Effingham will be looking to extend their current four-game winning streak.

Effingham is headed into the match after thoroughly thrashing Newton: they outscored them in every quarter. Effingham enjoyed a cozy 48-31 win over Newton on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Mattoon was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap on Saturday as they fell 42-36 to Vandalia.

Mattoon has traveled a rocky road recently having lost nine of their last 11 contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 6-17 record this season. As for Effingham, their victory bumped their record up to 20-5.

Everything came up roses for Effingham against Mattoon when the teams last played back in December of 2024, as the squad secured a 63-21 win. Does Effingham have another victory up their sleeve, or will Mattoon turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.