Quarter century of memories: Forbes outduels Randle to boost Blue Devils’ WB6 title pursuit

April 26, 2023 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor

Quincy High School's Zach Forbes, left, drives on Rock Island's Chasson Randle during their game on Feb. 19, 2010, in Blue Devil Gym. | Photo courtesy QHS Hall of Fame

Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman began covering the Quincy High School boys basketball program during the 1998-99 season, and since he recently wrapped up his 25th season following the Blue Devils, he put together a list of his 25 most memorable games. Here is today’s installment:

February 19, 2010 — Quincy 57, Rock Island 55

QUINCY — Matt Painter came to watch Chasson Randle play. He left impressed by Zach Forbes. Too bad the Quincy High School all-state basketball player had already made his collegiate decision or he might have ended up a Boilermaker.

Rock Island came to Quincy on February 19, 2010, with a chance to win the Western Big 6 Conference title outright, and Randle was being wooed by multiple NCAA Division I programs, including Purdue, which is why Painter made the trip to Blue Devil Gym.

The Purdue coach liked what he saw from Randle in the first half.

He liked what he saw from Forbes in the second half even more.

Forbes scored 18 of his game-high 20 points in the second half, helping the Blue Devils overcome an eight-point deficit to upend the Rocks 57-55. The victory moved Quincy within a half-game of the WB6 lead, and a victory the next week at United Township gave the Blue Devils a share of the conference crown along with Rock Island.

“In the second half, the Blue Devil Gym energy kicked in,” Forbes said. “My ego kind of kicked in a little bit. I wanted to show people I’m just as good as (Randle). I’m just as good of a player. Then the game opened up. We started to pick up the pace. We started to play Quincy High basketball. The game opened completely wide open for us.”

Of all the shots Forbes made — he was 6 of 13 from the field and 2 of 4 from 3-point range — none was bigger than the 3-pointer that gave the Blue Devils the lead for good in the fourth quarter.

With 4:25 remaining in regulation and the game tied at 44, Forbes caught the ball just above the 3-point stripe to the right of the top of the key. He planted, elevated and shot — all with Randle charging at him with his arms extended. The 3-point attempt found nothing but net.

Quincy made a series of plays the final four minutes to make the lead last, including sophomore forward Michael Davis grabbing the rebound of a Forbes miss and making the putback.

“Whenever our team played in that gym, especially in big games like that, it was all about putting on a show,” Forbes said. “Blue Devil basketball means so much to that community and is so special that win, lose or draw the support is always there.

“Every night I stepped onto that floor, I wanted the fans to leave feeling some type of emotion, like they went on the roller coaster ride with me.The emotional roller coaster of that game was crazy.”

Randle, the all-time leading scorer in Rock Island history who went on to star at Stanford and has played in the NBA, was limited to just nine points. Forbes, who played soccer at DePaul, played a hand in that.

“After the game, I talked to Painter and he was like, ‘Who are you? Where did you come from?’” Forbes said. “It was an opportunity to show what Quincy basketball was about. My whole childhood peaked in that moment. I grew up going to Loren Wallace basketball camps and Sean Taylor basketball camps. All I wanted to do was play under those lights on Friday night. That was the game where it all came together.”

To check out previous stories in this series, click on the links below:

Wallace’s return from suspension starts run to regional title

Blue Devils dismantle Redbirds to end regional title drought

Return of QHS-QND series comes with sophomore guard Shoot-ing down rival

Summers buries Maroons’ title hopes with last-second shot

Kvitle’s career-best scoring effort carries QHS to regional title

Dade’s half-court heave banks in for Thanksgiving tourney title

Summers puts hip pain aside to leave Alleman hurting

Riled up Blue Devils run former assistant coach’s team out of gym

Medsker’s willingness to play despite days battling flu leads to epic performance

Jobe’s 3-point barrage puts in him record books

After assistant coach suffers heart attack, Blue Devils ‘had to do it for Coach Q’