Can anyone stop Columbia? That was a question many area squads had been asking of late. 

But on Tuesday night, it was Waterloo that answered “we can.”

The Columbia High School boys basketball team improved to 17-4 on the season with its 12th straight win on Saturday, a 41-32 victory over Highland in the Okawville Invitational Tournament final. 

With that win, the Eagles won their third straight Okawville tourney title. 

A 10-2 second quarter run provided just enough separation for Columbia in the win over Highland. Sam Donald, a 6-foot-8 junior, led the Eagles with 20 points. Brody Landgraf, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, added 10 points. 

On Friday, Columbia reached the tourney by virtue of a 46-42 win over Wesclin – avenging an early season loss in the process. 

The Eagles clung to a slim lead after three quarters and were able to hold on. Donald scored 18 points  and Hayes van Breusegen added 14 points. 

Donald and van Breusegen were both named to this year’s all-tourney team, with Logan Bosch being selected as Most Valuable Defender of the tournament.

Donald is averaging 20.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game this season. 

Landgraf is averaging 11.6 points and nearly six rebounds per contest for the Eagles, who host Salem on Friday and play Saturday afternoon at Belleville West.

Columbia traveled to Waterloo on Tuesday, and the Bulldogs put an end to their rival’s win streak with a 53-49 victory. The ‘Dogs led by nine early in the fourth quarter, only to fend off a furious late rally by the Eagles. 

Alex Stell had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulldogs. Rodrigo Lopez Tercero scored 18 points and Caleb Yochum poured in 16 points.

For Columbia, van Breusegen led with 18 points, followed by Donald with 14 points. The Eagles had a poor shooting night overall, making less than 35 percent of their attempts from the floor.

Prior to Tuesday’s big win, Waterloo (14-10) won three of four games at the Sparta Mid-Winter Classic. 

The Bulldogs opened with a narrow defeat at the hands of Red Bud last Wednesday, 39-37. Waterloo led 19-14 at halftime but couldn’t hold on. 

Stell, a 6-foot-10 junior, had 11 points and 11 rebounds. Lopez Tercero, a 6-foot-8 senior, added 11 points and 10 rebounds for the ‘Dogs.

On Thursday, Waterloo won 61-45 over Freeburg, propelled by a 15-5 first quarter run. Lopez Tercero  scored 16 points, with Stell and Isaac Lohman both scoring 11 points and Yochum contributing 10 points. 

On Friday, Waterloo won 64-39 over Trico. Lopez Tercero was the high-point man again for the ‘Dogs with 16 points. Stell had 15 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. Yochum added 12 points. 

On Saturday, the Bulldogs concluded Sparta tourney play with a 62-53 win over Steeleville. Stell scored 19 points and Tercero Lopez scored 13 points.

Waterloo hosts Mascoutah on Friday for Hall of Fame induction night, then plays Saturday night at Pinckneyville in the Panther Showcase. 

Stell leads the Bulldogs at nearly 17 points per game this season, followed by Lopez Tercero and Yochum at nearly 12 points per game. 

Gibault (13-11) won two of three games at the Okawville tournament. 

The Hawks opened tourney action last Tuesday with a 54-42 loss to Carlyle  despite 20 points from Gavin Kesler and 16 points from Kanen Augustine. 

Last Wednesday, Gibault picked up a 47-44 win over Madison. Kesler scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Augustine added 14 points, with Ryan Biffar chipping in with 12 points. 

On Saturday, Gibault concluded tourney play with a 53-50 victory over Christ Our Rock. Kesler (17 points) and Augustine (10 points), both seniors, were the stars once again. 

Kesler is averaging nearly 16 points and 7.3 rebounds per game this season. 

Augustine is averaging 14.5 points and 2.5 assists per game for Gibault, which hosts Red Bud this Saturday on alumni night and then plays Tuesday at Valmeyer. 

Valmeyer (6-13) dropped a 56-53 contest at New Athens on Friday despite a 33-point performance from 6-foot-1 junior Aiden Crossin. The Pirates led by five points after three quarters but could not hold on. 

Valmeyer hosted New Athens on Tuesday, then will play Thursday at Maryville Christian before hosting Marissa on Friday. The Pirates then host St. Pius on Monday and Gibault on Tuesday. 

Crossin is averaging nearly 18 points per game this season – including 40 percent shooting from three-point range. 

Landon Roy, a 6-foot-1 junior, is averaging 13.4 points and nearly five assists per game. 

Dupo (0-16) is still in search of its first win this season.

The Tigers lost 47-16 to Notre Dame de Salette on Friday, 63-24 to Wood River on Thursday, and 46-35 to Metro last Wednesday. 

Kaden Scheppelman, a junior, and Keith West, a sophomore, have been the top scorers so far this season for Dupo, which played Tuesday at Red Bud and hosts Lebanon this Friday.