Blue Devils’ Talton named Western Big 6 MVP, joined on all-conference first team by Longcor

QUINCY — Jeremiah Talton’s impact on the Quincy High School boys basketball team’s success went far beyond points scored and 3-pointers made.

Every coach in the Western Big 6 Conference felt that.

It made it easy for them to vote for Talton, the 6-foot-6 senior swingman, as the WB6 most valuable player, the first season the league has formally announced such an honor.

The University of New Orleans-bound sharpshooter finished second in the WB6 in scoring in conference play at 20.3 points per game, but he led the league in 3-pointers made with 46 and blocked shots with 14. He also finished in the top 10 in rebounds (seventh at 5.6 rebounds) and steals (tied for fourth with 22).

It helped QHS win the WB6 championship outright with a 13-1 record and propelled the Blue Devils to a 28-6 mark overall and a berth in the Class 4A elite eight.

Talton was one of seven players named to the All-WB6 first team. Quincy freshman guard Bradley Longcor III also received first-team plaudits, and they were joined by Moline junior guard Brody Harding, Rock Island senior guard Amarion Nimmers, Galesburg senior guard Jeremiah Babers, Geneseo junior guard Bristol Lewis and Sterling junior guard John Paul Schilling.

Moline senior guard Kyle Taylor, the son of former QHS coach Sean Taylor, was one of five players named to the second team.

Talton finished his season averaging 18.5 points overall and scored 630 points, which ranks 12th in program history in single-season scoring. He finished his career with 1,487 points, which ranks eighth in program history and makes him one of 22 players all-time to score at least 1,000 career points.

Talton also set single-season and career 3-point records, making 104 treys this season and finishing his career with 229 3-pointers made.

Longcor finished seventh in the league in scoring at 15 points per game and ranked fifth in 3-pointers made (28) and seventh in assists (3.1). He finished freshman season averaging 13.4 points per game and set a QHS freshman scoring record with 454 points.