Blue Devils maintain focus, Talton finds rhythm, and momentum is building following victory over Crimsons

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — With a monumental conference victory in its rear view and an outright championship to fight for looking ahead, the Quincy High School boys basketball team could have been caught lollygagging through Saturday night’s game.

That didn’t happen.

The Blue Devils scored the game’s first 15 points, held Jacksonville scoreless for the first 6 minutes, 26 seconds and waltzed out of the Jacksonville Bowl with a 61-42 victory.

Now the focus can fully be on Tuesday’s regular-season finale against Galesburg and the opportunity to finish off the Western Big 6 Conference season alone in first place.

“That’s what our minds went to right after the game,” QHS senior swingman Jeremiah Talton said after the Blue Devils improved to 23-5 overall. “There would be no better feeling than to be sitting alone at the top of the WB6. It would be a great way to end the regular season.”

The finish to the non-conference portion of the schedule wasn’t too bad in its own right.

Two 3-pointers by Bradley Longcor III sandwiched around a Talton 3-pointers spearheaded the 15-0 run to start the game. An 11-3 run to close the first half with Talton hitting a 3-pointer for the final basket put the Blue Devils up 31-12.

By then, any concerns there’d be a letdown following Friday night’s two-point victory over Rock Island were alleviated.

“It’s tough when you play an emotional game, it’s Senior Night and there’s a lot going on Friday night,” QHS coach Andy Douglas said. “You’re playing in front a packed gym one night, and then going to Jacksonville where there’s a decent crowd but it’s a different environment.

“You hope you don’t have a letdown. For our guys, it was good they created their own energy and did a really good job from the jump.”

It comes back to the players refusing to take things lightly.

“At this point in the season, we know how we have to come out every game in order for us to be at our best every time we step on the court,” Talton said.

In the third quarter, Talton showcased the very best of his shot.

After struggling Friday night to find his rhythm against Rocky’s pressure defense and missing a couple looks in the first half against Jacksonville, Talton made three 3-pointers and scored Quincy’s first 13 points of the third quarter.

“It felt really good,” said Talton, who finished with 24 points and six 3-pointers. “I’ve definitely been struggling with my shots, but I just have to keep having confidence that it’s gonna go in every time I shoot the ball.”

Longcor added 15 points, with three 3-pointers, as the Blue Devils held the Crimsons without a double-digit scorer.

“I would say keying in on their best players,” Talton said of how QHS shackled Jacksonville’s offense. “We knew who the shooters were and just didn’t let them get in rhythm.”