COLFAX - The Ridgeview High School basketball team gave Central Catholic fits Friday until it gave the Saints turnovers where no defense could come to the rescue.

Four Mustang miscues fueled a 10-0 Central run in the third quarter of what became a 69-58 Saint triumph.

"You can't afford turnovers where you can't play defense," said Ridgeview coach Rodney Kellar, whose team fell to 5-2. "You can't give up layups against a good team like that."

Aaron Garriott, a 6-foot-4 Southern Illinois-Edwardsville recruit, had eight layups en route to 18 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Saints.

First-year coach Jason Welch wished he had fired up Central as it fell behind 25-15 while allowing Ridgeview to shoot 50 percent from the field.

"They were playing a lot harder than we did," said Welch, whose team improved to 6-1. "We did not get them ready to play."

The Saints awoke with a 14-4 run in the second quarter to tie it at 29-29 and they were still within 33-31 at intermission.

"For a small school, they are very well coached and they did a nice job," said Welch, who watched his team turn things around in the third quarter by forcing Ridgeview to miss five of its first six shots.

"Our guys hunkered down. I give them a lot of credit defensively. We got our hands on a lot of balls, which led into transition for us. That probably determined the game."

Jeff Collier, who finished with 12 points, ignited Central's pivotal 10-0 surge in the third quarter with a fastbreak layup off an assist from Garriott after a steal.

Garriott followed with a layup to put his team ahead to stay at 44-43. Freshman Hayden Hoerdemann, who finished with 15 points, followed with back-to-back layups off Ridgeview turnovers.

Garriott ended the flurry with a dunk to make it 50-43 and emphatically make up for the dunk he missed in the first quarter.

"Garriott does such a good job creating for himself and an awesome job creating for his teammates," Kellar said.

"This was not one of his best games," said Welch, "but all that being said, we depend so much on him."

Garriott finished 8 of 15 from the field.

"We knew Ridgeview was going to come out strong," said Garriott, whose team has beaten the Mustangs five years in a row. "This game is like the World Series to them."

Ridgeview needed a three-run homer when it got the ball trailing 57-54 with 4:46 left. Instead, Hoerdemann stole the ball and converted a layup as Aaron Coile fouled out.

"The steal that he had was a key play," said Kellar, whose team had 13 turnovers compared to 14 for the Intercity Tournament co-champions.

"What you saw tonight is what he does in practice every day," said Welch of the ever intense Hoerdemann. "He's fun to coach."

Ridgeview was led by Casey Heimer's 19 points. Mitch Roth added 14 and Bradley Ghere 11 to go with nine rebounds.

Central outshot its host, 57 percent to 40 percent. Tom Norton chipped in 14 points and six rebounds.