Regional roundup: Tornadoes fall in triple overtime, while Panthers, Bombers advance to title games

NEW BERLIN, Ill. — The Griggsville-Perry boys basketball team had opportunities to avoid a second and a third overtime.

Jacksonville Routt made sure there wasn’t a fourth.

The sixth-seeded Rockets took the lead for good with two minutes remaining in the third overtime and finished off a 55-53 victory over the second-seeded Tornadoes in the semifinals of the Class 1A New Berlin Regional on Wednesday night.

Griggsville-Perry (27-6) trailed 43-40 with 23.3 seconds remaining in regulation before Lane Lipcaman took a pass from his brother, Wyatt, and drilled a 3-pointer from the right wing with 9.8 seconds remaining. Following a timeout, Routt got the ball quickly upcourt and Isaac Long had a look at the rim from the right side of the lane, but it caromed out to force overtime.

In the first overtime, the teams were tied at 47 before the Tornadoes worked more than a minute off the clock and got Wyatt Lipcaman going to the basket on a curl. He was fouled with 1.6 seconds remaining, but he missed both free throws.

The Tornadoes went 4 of 13 from the free-throw line overall and 1 of 6 in the overtime periods.

Neither team scored in the second overtime and Griggsville-Perry’s Michael Myers missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the game to a third overtime.

Nolan Turner’s steal and layup with two minutes to go in the third OT put Routt ahead 49-47. Turner made two free throws with 15.2 seconds remaining for a 53-50 advantage and sank two more with 1.5 seconds to play to ice the game.

Wyatt Lipcaman led the Tornadoes with 15 points, while Logan Fencik finished with 13 points and Lane Lipcaman had 10 points. Adam Abell and Bryson Mossman led the Rockets with 17 points apiece. Turner had 11 points, including seven in the third overtime.

Strong second half carries Panthers into regional title tilt

AUGUSTA, Ill. — A third-quarter surge in which the Camp Point Central boys basketball team limited Rushville-Industry to one field goal enabled the second-seeded Panthers to pull away for a 56-30 victory in the semifinals of the Class 1A Southeastern Regional on Wednesday night.

Central (23-8) led 21-19 at halftime, but outscored Rushville-Industry 21-8 in the third quarter. The Rockets’ lone field goal was a 3-pointer from R. Fretueg. Nick Moore scored nine points and Gavin Blewett added five in the third quarter for the Panthers.

A 14-3 edge in the fourth quarter put the game away. Isaac Genenbacher led the Panthers with 14 points, while Moore and Blewett scored 13 points apiece and Drew Paben added 12.

Central will face third-seeded Delavan in Friday’s regional title game. Delavan beat Southeastern 37-20 in the other semifinal.

Bombers put Farmers out to pasture with blistering start

FARMINGTON, Ill. — A fast start carried the Macomb boys basketball team to the regional championship game.

Senior forward Dion Doyle scored the first two baskets and Drew Watson buried an uncontested perimeter jumper to highlight a game-opening 6-0 run. A timeout by Farmington didn’t slow the Bombers down as they built the advantage to 21-5 at the end of the first quarter and rolled to a 59-48 victory in the semifinals of the Class 2A Farmington Regional.

It is the Bombers’ first postseason victory since 2020. Second-seeded Macomb (24-5) will face third-seeded Sherrard at 7 p.m. Friday in the regional title game.

Doyle led the Bombers with 19 points and Watson added 14 points.

Cougars put clamps on Eagles in semifinal victory

LIBERTY, Ill. — The Winchester West Central boys basketball team’s suffocating defense never allowed Liberty space to breathe, shoot or score.

The top-seeded Cougars advanced to the championship game of the Class 1A Liberty Regional with Wednesday night’s 43-13 victory over Liberty. The Eagles managed just four field goals overall and scored only two points in three different quarters.

Zach Evans led West Central (30-3) with 13 points, while Berry had 12 and Little scored 11. Tanner Gimm led Liberty with six points.

West Central will face South County in the regional title game at 7 p.m. Friday.