Muddy River Showcase: Marion County’s Keilholz understands need to fulfill family tradition

The inaugural Muddy River Showcase is taking place June 18 at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. The Illinois vs. Missouri format for senior prep basketball players will feature a girls game at 3 p.m. with the boys game to follow at 5 p.m. Admission is $10 at the door and all seating is general admission.

PHILADELPHIA, Mo. — Here’s a warning those interested in playing intramural basketball next winter at Truman State University might want to heed.

The Marion County contingent is teaming up, and it’s going to be a family affair.

Halle Keilholz, one of the standouts on the Marion County girls basketball team that reached the Class 1 state quarterfinals last winter, is planning on attending the Kirksville, Mo., school to study biology. And she’s already been in contact with her cousin, Sadie Spratt, who will be a senior at Truman State, about playing intramurals.

“We’ve decided we’re going to build the best intramural team,” Keilholz said. “I’m excited.”

And for good reason, because basketball will still be part of her life.

“Ever since I could walk, I was playing with a basketball,” Keilholz said. “It’s just how it was for me.”

It’s how it is for every branch of her family tree. 

“Honestly, I never really thought playing sports was much of an option,” Keilholz said. “I was going to play basketball, play softball and run track. It’s really not just my house. My entire family is basketball crazy.”

She gets one more opportunity to represent Marion County and her family on the prep stage when Keilholz takes part in Saturday’s inaugural Muddy River Showcase. The girls game in the Illinois vs. Missouri format tips at 3 p.m. at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. The boys game follows at 5 p.m.

“It’s really fun to meet everyone and play with people I’ve never played with before,” Keilholz said. “It’s a lot different since I’ve played with my teammates since we were all 10. It’s different, but exciting.”

She’ll be playing alongside two of her Marion County teammates — Delaney Straus and Olivia Wood — after they guided the Mustangs to a 21-6 record and a district championship. The Missouri girls also will be coached by Marion County skipper Reed Plunkett.

“We ended on a really good note with a lot of good memories,” Keilholz said. “So this will be fun to end on another one.”

Quite a group this was, especially academically.

“Coach Plunkett was very strict about our grades,” Keilholz said. “He was always on top of it. All of us are very good students, so I think it was nice for him to know we were all on top of it.”

Keilholz never questioned the importance of education.

“I love school. I always have,” Keilholz said. “My mom and dad always made it very clear to me that academics were No. 1 and sports were right next to that.”

It’s a key reason she chose to study at Truman State University with the intent to turn her biology degree into a career in dentistry.

“As a kid, I would get excited for my checkups,” Keilholz said while explaining why she chose dentistry. “I like that you never know what you’re going to do in a day. It’s a lot about meeting new people, which I enjoy.”

A visit to the dentist has never bothered her.

“I was so weird,” Keilholz said. “I always thought it was so fun.”

And she knew to make the best of any situation, something her parents stressed.

“Your best is always good enough,” Keilholz said. “My mom would always say that to me when I felt I hadn’t done all I could. She would always tell me that.

“It kind of applied to everything. It really helped calm me down.”