Quarter century of memories: Forbes ties 3-point record, sets career scoring high in Blue Devil Gym

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

January 23, 2010 — Quincy 81, Hinsdale South 62

QUINCY — Mention the Quincy High School boys basketball team’s victory against Hinsdale South his senior season and Zach Forbes starts to chuckle.

“It’s a funny game, isn’t it?” Forbes said.

On the night Forbes tied the Blue Devils’ single-game record for 3-pointers and set a career high with 38 points, he actually showed up early to get some extra shooting in before the sophomore game was played. The previous night, in a 15-point victory at United Township, Forbes had gone 4 of 14 from the field.

So no one, including himself, was prepared for a record-setting performance.

“If you had told me after the first quarter this is the game it was going to happen, I would have been like, ‘What are you talking about?’” Forbes said.

The extra shooting session got him zeroed in again, and Forbes made his first three 3-pointers and the Blue Devils shot down the Hornets 81-62 on Jan. 23, 2010. The Blue Devils shot 53.4 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from 3-point range.

Forbes went 13 of 22 from the field and 7 of 12 from 3-point range to match the single-game 3-point record set by Kyle Cartmill during the 1992-93 season against Moline. The record has since been broken and is currently held by Jacob Jobe, who made 10 treys against 

“You play the game to win,” Forbes said. “You always kind of knew records could potentially be broken. That’s not why I played. I played to win, to represent the Quincy community, to put on a show and make the fans feel something.”

Forbes nearly didn’t get the chance to finish his night by tying the record.

Quincy coach Sean Taylor was going to substitute for Forbes with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter when his teammates recognized how close he was to the record.

“Jimmy Behrens was like, ‘Whoa, he needs one more three,’” Forbes said.

So Taylor left Forbes in the game, and off an inbounds play moments later, he made the record-tying trey. Adam Miklius set a screen that allowed Forbes to roll to the top of the key unabated while Behrens, who passed up an open look on the wing, delivered the assist as Forbes made the shot.

It was the only time the Blue Devils ran a specific play for Forbes to get an open look from three.

“Everything happened within the game plan,” Forbes said. “It just happened.”

Forbes exited with 1 minute, 13 seconds remaining in regulation to a standing ovation from the Blue Devil faithful. Tying the record and setting a career high in scoring in Blue Devil Gym made it perfect.

“I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Forbes said. “If it happens on the road, it feels somewhat hollow. My whole goal was to get that gym as full as it could possibly be and put on a show. I wanted the fans to be emotionally involved.”