Collinsville notebook: Brown’s slip causes no worry, while O’Fallon guard sets steals record

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Afterward, Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas could joke about it.

In the moment, it could have been cause for trepidation.

With two minutes remaining in the first quarter of Wednesday’s opening-round game of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic and the Blue Devils leading Oakville (Mo.) 16-5, Quincy swingman Camden Brown stole the ball at the top of the key on the defensive end of the floor and drove uncontested for what appeared to be a dunk attempt.

However, as the 6-foot-5 senior planted his left foot in the lane to take off, his foot appeared to slip and his knee buckled. Douglas immediately substituted for Brown, who explained to Douglas what had happened as he walked to the bench.

“We have a bunch of wannabe dunkers,” Douglas said with a laugh after the game.

Although Brown wears a wrap on his right knee after sustaining an injury as a sophomore that cost him the entire season, this wasn’t serious. He returned to the game in the second quarter and finished with 13 points and three assists in the 76-38 victory at Vergil Fletcher Gym.

“Everybody’s healthy,” Douglas said.

That includes junior forward Keshaun Thomas, who hobbled to the bench two minutes into the third quarter with what appeared to be a right knee issue. The 6-foot-5 Thomas finished with six points and five rebounds, but he had no issues with the knee after the game.

O’Fallon’s Harris sets steals record

A single-game record that has stood the test of time finally was broken Wednesday.

O’Fallon senior guard Rini Harris swiped nine steals in the 67-36 victory over Rockford East, breaking the record of eight steals set by East St. Louis Lincoln’s Cuonzo Martin against Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin in 1988.

Only four records have lasted longer without being broken.

East St. Louis Lincoln’s LaPhonso Ellis blocked 13 shots against Springfield Calvary in 1987, while Jacksonville’s Andy Kaufmann set the mark for two-point field goals made with 18 against Troy Triad in 1985. Collinsville’s Tim Pace made 39 free throws against Springfield Calvary in 1988.

Springfield Calvary’s Terry Wise went 12 of 12 from the free-throw line against Sacred Heart-Griffin in 1984. Wise’s perfect free-throw shooting record has been matched eight times, including by Quincy’s Jack Kramer against in 1985 when he went 13 of 13 against Chicago Julian.

Collinsville’s Chambers records double-double

There were two double-doubles in the first round — one from Zach Chambers, Collinsville’s 6-foot-9 senior forward, and the other from Elijah Lussier, the 6-foot-9 senior forward from Collierville, Tenn.

Chambers scored 17 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the Kahoks rolled to a 64-47 victory over Decatur Eisenhower. He went 7 of 8 from the field and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line, while grabbing three offensive rebounds and 10 defensive boards. He helped Collinsville outrebound Eisenhower 31-25 overall.

Lussier finished with 15 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots in the Dragons’ 52-49 loss to Belleville East. Lussier went 7 of 13 from the field and grabbed five offensive rebounds.