Blue Devils’ mission is simple: Win elusive Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic title

QUINCY — Following an emotionally charged weekend that saw the Quincy High School boys basketball team win a pair of games to improve to 9-0, the Blue Devils were given Sunday off to rest and recharge.

Not that any of them planned to take advantage of it.

“I know guys are already talking about being in the gym,” senior point guard Kamren Wires said before exiting Blue Devil Gym following Saturday night’s 70-40 victory over Quincy Notre Dame. “I know we’re going to come in Monday and Tuesday and work really hard in practice to prepare ourselves for Collinsville, but the work starts sooner than that.”

Actually, the effort to be ready for the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic began months ago.

The Blue Devils have finished as the runner-up at the holiday tournament each of the past two seasons, losing to Decatur MacArthur 57-52 in 2022 and 44-39 to Collinsville last season. In fact, Quincy hasn’t won a holiday tournament since capturing the Collinsville title in 1997.

“Our guys have been talking about Collinsville for a while,” Wires said. “Before the season, that was the one thing that we wanted to win. Two of the main things we talked about was winning at Collinsville and winning every home game. Those were two big things for us.”

The holiday tournament success — of lack thereof — isn’t lost on the Blue Devils.

Since capturing the championship at the Pontiac Holiday Tournament in 1978, which was the first of five consecutive titles at Pontiac, Quincy has won nine total holiday tournament crowns. The Blue Devils have been in the field at Collinsville in 36 of the last 40 years with an 87-40 record.

Quincy has won the Collinsville title four times and finished as the runner-up eight times. 

“Haven’t done it yet, haven’t done it since 1997,” said Quincy senior forward Keshaun Thomas, referencing the title drought. “It’s what we need to go in there and do.”

The Blue Devils, ranked second in Class 4A, go in as the odds-on favorite and open at 2:30 p.m. Friday against McCluer (Mo.) North. 

Two other teams in the top half of the bracket to keep an eye on are Belleville Althoff, which has won seven consecutive games to get to 9-2, and Troy Triad, which is 7-3 and on a three-game win streak.

Althoff’s Bryden Gryzmala, a 5-foot-10 senior guard, is averaging 21.4 points and has made 33 3-pointers. Drew Winslow, a 6-foot-6 senior forward, and Tyler Thompson, a 6-foot-7 junior forward, lead Triad at 14.1 and 13.7 points per game, respectively.

In the bottom half of the bracket, Belleville East is 9-1 with x-foot-x senior guard Jalen Dawson averaging 13.4 points and two assists and steals per game. The Lancers’ lone loss was a 10-point setback against Edwardsville, which is one of three Southwestern Conference teams with one loss apiece.

Collinsville hasn’t been as consistent as its SWC foes, but the Kahoks are 6-4, will be playing on their home floor and are led by 6-foot-3 senior guard Donovan Coates, who is averaging 19.4 points and 5.8 rebounds.

As talented as each of those teams is, the Blue Devils believe there’s one thing that sets them apart.

“It’s our work ethic,” Thomas said. “I feel like we go into practice and attack each other. Playing so hard in practice helps us in games. It translates to success.”

That’s why there are no days off, even if practice isn’t mandatory.

“I know everything will flow together,” Quincy all-state senior guard Bradley Longcor III said. “We just have to keep grinding and having good practices.”