Saturday Rewind: Quincy, Galesburg on collision course next week in WB6 play

QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball team finds itself in a place the program has always thrived.

At the top.

Friday night’s 61-57 victory at Rock Island gave the Blue Devils sole possession of first place in the Western Big 6 Conference a week before the league hits the midpoint of its season. QHS will have to fend off another title contender on the road next Friday to maintain its edge.

Quincy (12-3, 5-0 WB6) plays host to Geneseo on Tuesday and travels to John Thiel Gym to square off with Galesburg (15-2, 4-1 WB6) next Friday. The Silver Streaks have won four straight conference games, but they face Rocky on Tuesday in a battle of teams tied for second.

“Every night in the Big 6 is unpredictable, you never know what can happen,” Galesburg coach Chad Thompson told the Galesburg Register-Mail.

This season, that’s especially true.

The Blue Devils went 2-11 in WB6 play a year ago and had only two starters returning. It certainly helps having 6-foot-6 all-state swingman Jeremiah Talton as one of the returnees, but with three freshmen and a sophomore as part of an eight-man rotation, expectations weren’t soaring.

Now they are, but first, the Blue Devils have to finish the first half of the slate strong. It won’t be easy going to Galesburg.

The Silver Streaks beat Alleman 73-23 Friday night and are blessed with a bevy of experience. There are seven seniors on the roster, including three in the backcourt — Jeremiah Babers, Dre Egipciaco and Alex Egipciaco — who have been varsity mainstays the past three seasons.

Senior forward Keon Derry is among the WB6 leaders in scoring (18.8 ppg) and rebounds (7.5 rpg), while Babers leads the league with 7.5 assists per game. Dre Egipciaco is among the WB6 leaders in 3-pointers made with 10 through the first four games.

“We want to really make sure that we’re playing our best Galesburg basketball as we get into the back half of the season,” Thompson told the Register-Mail.

WB6 Standings

Conf. Overall

Quincy 5-0 12-3

Galesburg 4-1 15-2

Rock Island 4-1 9-7

Moline 3-2 11-3

Sterling 2-3 8-6

United Township 1-4 8-7

Geneseo 1-4 6-10

Alleman 0-5 0-9

Friday’s Games

Quincy 61, Rock Island 57

Galesburg 73, Alleman 32

Moline 62, United Township 46

Sterling 66, Geneseo 40

Tuesday’s Games

Geneseo at Quincy

Galesburg at Rock Island

Moline at Sterling

Alleman at United Township

Next Friday’s Games

Quincy at Galesburg

Rock Island at Sterling

Moline at Alleman

Geneseo at United Township