Schuckman: IHSA eyeing target date to implement shot clock and other prep basketball notes

Zack Evans and the Winchester West Central boys basketball team won 15 consecutive games after playing in the Quincy Shootout and captured the Class 1A state championship. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Follow the bouncing ball as the high school basketball season enters its final week … • The shot clock is coming to Illinois and the Illinois High School Association appears to have a target date for implementing it into the state tournament series. Kurt Gibson, the IHSA associate executive director who oversees basketball,…

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Top Missouri players earn all-district honors with four receiving Player of the Year nods

Palmyra senior guard Bear Bock was named the Class 3 District 6 Player of the Year. | Mathew Kirby photo

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Four area basketball players were named Player of the Year in their respective districts by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association and four coaches received the top district honor as well. The MBCA all-district selections are not based on district tournament performances. They are supposed to be an overview of the entire season…

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Crim: With more than five decades of coaching experience to share, Fray still willing to answer call

Mike Fray, left, and Pat Rafferty, longtime friends and basketball coaching counterparts, continue to offer decades of knowledge to teams and younger coaches while also engaging in conversation every Thursday at Sprout's Inn in Quincy. | Don Crim photo

QUINCY — Mike Fray and Pat Rafferty lunch together every Thursday morning at Sprout’s Inn, arriving when the restaurant opens at 10:30. A corner window booth is set aside if it’s just the two of them, a table if they call ahead to say there will be guests. Tracy, their waitress, has their drinks already…

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Central’s Moore receives second-team all-state honors, five area players earn special mention

Camp Point Central senior guard Nick Moore averaged 15.5 points per game and was named a second-team all-stater by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Nick Moore’s high school career can be summed up best by Al Davis’ catchphrase. Just win baby. The Camp Point Central senior, who was named a Class 1A second-team all-stater by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association this week, will graduate with a three-year winning percentage of .787 as the Panthers’ starting shooting guard…

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QHS’s Longcor receives IBCA first-team all-state plaudits, Thomas earns third-team honors

Quincy High School junior guard Bradley Longcor III was named a Class 4A first-team all-stater by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — During a season in which he became the 23rd player in the history of the Quincy High School boys basketball program to reach 1,000 career points, junior guard Bradley Longcor III showcased why a vast number of college coaches are interested in his services. He has poise, precision and presence. Longcor has a…

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Bombers’ remarkable postseason run ends with super-sectional loss to Bullets

Macomb guard Malachi Conley drives between a pair of Williamsville defenders during Monday night's Class 2A super-sectional at the Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield, Ill. | Photo courtesy Andrea Ratermann

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Jeremy Anderson didn’t want the Macomb boys basketball players to mask their tears. “We asked them to take a couple of minutes, to honestly take a couple of minutes, and feel disappointed and feel upset,” the Bombers coach said. “That’s OK. That’s a good thing to do. Let the emotions out.” But…

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Photo gallery: Macomb, Williamsville engage in defensive battle in super-sectional

The Macomb boys basketball team suffered a 36-32 loss to Williamsville on Monday night in the Class 2A Springfield Super-Sectional at the Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield, Ill. | Photo courtesy Andrea Ratermann

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Macomb boys basketball team learned just how difficult it can be to score against Williamsville’s ultra-aggressive 1-3-1 zone defense Monday night, getting held to 16 points over the final three quarters of a 36-32 loss in the Class 2A Springfield Super-Sectional at the Bank of Springfield Center. Photographer Andrea Ratermann shared…

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Postseason scoreboard: State basketball tournament fields set for Illinois boys

QUINCY — Here are the scores from the Illinois boys basketball super-sectionals and the pairing for the state tournament: Class 4A DeKalb Super-Sectional Palatine 55, Gurnee Warren 53 Normal Super-Sectional Normal Community 53, Downers Grove North 29 Chicago Super-Sectional Homewood-Flossmoor 60, Chicago Curie 58 Hoffman Estates Super-Sectional New Trier 65, Glenbard North 41 Friday’s games…

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Schuckman: Strength of character shows in how Wires, Buehler handled adversity

Quincy High School senior guard Ralph Wires displayed character and maturity in how he handled the season-ending loss to Normal Community in the Class 4A sectional championship game in Pekin, Ill. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Adversity doesn’t build character. It reveals it. That adage, originally coined by 19th century American novelist James Lane Allen, and variations of it have been used endlessly. But as I sat here mulling over what already has transpired this basketball postseason, that adage kept coming to mind. The toughest moments have shown us…

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Game Night Guide: Bombers look to dodge Bullets in Class 2A super-sectional

Macomb senior forward Ian Case, left, and the Bombers face Williamsville at 6 p.m. Monday in the Class 2A super-sectional at the Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield, Ill. | Photo courtesy Andrea Ratermann

Class 2A Springfield Super-Sectional Macomb (28-5) vs. Williamsville (25-9) When: 6 p.m. Monday Where: Bank of Springfield Center Livestreams: Bomber Sports Network on YouTube Central Illinois Sports on NFHS Network Scouting the Bombers: Macomb is playing in a super-sectional for the first time since 2006 and is in search of the first state trophy in…

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From ecstasy to misery in four seconds: Turnover on inbounds pass leads to bitter season-ending loss for QHS

Bradley Longcor III rests his head on teammate Keshaun Thomas' back in dejection after the Quincy High School boys basketball team lost 44-43 in the Class 4A sectional final on Friday night in Dawson Hawkins Gymnasium in Pekin, Ill. | David Adam photo

PEKIN, Ill. — Four seconds was all that separated the Quincy High School boys basketball team from one of its most inspirational and dramatic victories in many seasons. Instead, the Blue Devils walked off the floor at Dawson Hawkins Gymnasium bewildered and shocked moments later. An inbounds pass along the baseline from Tyler Sprick was…

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Bombs away!: Macomb’s 3-point barrage overwhelms Rockridge, leads to first sectional championship since 2006

The Macomb boys basketball players celebrate their Class 2A Canton Sectional championship after beating Rockridge 54-38 on Friday night at Alice Ingersoll Gymnasium in Canton, Ill. | Photo courtesy Andrea Ratermann

CANTON, Ill. — Ian Case didn’t have to concern himself as much with getting in position to snare an offensive rebound as he did with getting back on defense. There weren’t many shots coming off the rim anyway. “Every shot that went up, I had to put a three up,” said Case, a 6-foot-7 senior…

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Panthers unable to chop Alvey, Tigers down to size in suffering sectional championship setback

Camp Point Central senior guard Drew Paben reacts to the 47-35 loss to Illini Bluffs in Friday night's championship game of the Class 1A Abingdon-Avon Sectional. | Photo courtesy Mike Pritchard

ABINGDON, Ill. — Size eventually won out, no matter what the Camp Point Central boys basketball team did to negate it. The Panthers neutralized Illini Bluffs’ height advantage — 6-foot-9 Hank Alvey towers above most Class 1A post players — for the better part of the first half Friday night in the Class 1A Abingdon-Avon…

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Breaking down the final four seconds of the Quincy High School vs. Normal Community Class 4A sectional final

Quincy High School's Ralph Wires throws the ball back toward the basket while falling out of bounds during Friday night's Class 4A sectional game at Dawson Hawkins Gymnasium in Pekin. Defending the play is Normal Community's Braylon Roman. | David Adam photo

PEKIN, Ill. — It seemed so simple, right?  Get the ball inbounds, let Normal Community foul, make a couple of free throws and force the Ironmen to take a desperation heave at the end. However, the Ironmen didn’t allow for the baseline inbounds play with 4.3 seconds left to be simple for the Quincy High…

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Photo gallery: Blue Devils trail by as many as nine in first half before rallying to take lead

Quincy High School's Bradley Longcor III dribbles to the basket during the Class 4A sectional boys basketball game on Friday night at Dawson Hawkins Gymnasium in Pekin, Ill. | David Adam photo

PEKIN, Ill. — The Quincy High School boys basketball team fell behind 17-8 in the first half but rallied to take the lead on multiple occasions in the second half before losing 44-43 to Normal Community on Friday night in the Class 4A sectional at Dawson Hawkins Gym in Pekin. Quincy turned up the defensive…

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Photo gallery: Macomb reaches Class 2A elite eight by avenging holiday loss to Rockridge

The Macomb boys basketball team beat Rockridge 54-36 in the championship game of the Class 2A Canton Sectional on Friday night in front of a packed house at Alice Ingersoll Gymnasium. | Photo courtesy Andrea Ratermann

CANTON, Ill. — The Macomb boys basketball team went 1 of 12 from 3-point range in suffering a 36-33 loss to Rockridge in the championship game of the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament. Friday night, in a rematch with the Rockets in the Class 2A Canton Sectional championship game, the Bombers hit every target. Macomb went 9…

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Photo gallery: Central’s effort to cut Illini Bluffs down to size falls short in sectional title game

Camp Point Central boys basketball coach James Barnett talks to his team during a timeout Friday night during the Class 1A sectional championship game against Illini Bluffs in Abingdon, Ill. | Photo courtesy Mike Pritchard

ABINGDON, Ill. — The Camp Point Central boys basketball team knows just how big of a road block Illini Bluffs senior forward Hank Alvey can be. For the second year in a row in a sectional championship game, Alvey and the Tigers ended the Panthers’ season. Friday night, in the Class 1A Abingdon-Avon Sectional title…

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Game Night Guide: Quincy High School to face Normal Community for sectional title

Ralph Wires' ability to distribute, score and apply on-the-ball defensive pressure will benefit the Quincy High School boys basketball team in Friday night's Class 4A sectional championship game against Normal Community in Pekin, Ill. | Matt Schuckman photo

Class 4A Pekin Sectional Championship Quincy High School (31-3) vs. Normal Community (29-5) Where: Dawdy Hawkins Gym, Pekin High School When: 7 p.m. Friday Livestream: Pekin Community High School YouTube page Radio: WGEM 105.1 FM Scouting the Blue Devils: Led by the inside-outside combo of junior forward Keshaun Thomas and junior guard Bradley Longcor III…

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Game Night Guide: Macomb, Rockridge lock horns once again, this time with sectional title at stake

The Macomb bench will need to continue to bring energy as the Bombers face Rockridge on Friday night for the Class 2A sectional championship in Canton, Ill. | Photo courtesy Macomb boys basketball/Andrea Ratermann

Class 2A Canton Sectional Championship Macomb (27-5) vs. Rockridge (24-6) Where: Alice Ingersoll Gym, Canton High School When: 6 p.m. Friday Livestream: Bomber Sports Network Radio: WRMJ 102.3 FM Scouting the Bombers: Coming off the sectional semifinal upset of title favorite Peoria Manual, the Bombers’ biggest challenge will be to not have a letdown. Facing…

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Game Night Guide: Camp Point Central gets sectional title game rematch with Illini Bluffs

Camp Point Central boys basketball coach James Barnett and his staff will have to game plan to mitigate Illini Bluffs' height advantage in Friday night's Class 1A sectional championship game in Abingdon, Ill. | Matt Schuckman photo

Class 1A Abingdon-Avon Sectional Championship Camp Point Central (25-8) vs. Illini Bluffs (32-3) Where: Abingdon-Avon High School When: 7 p.m. Friday Livestream: Central Illinois Sports on YouTube Scouting the Panthers: This group just knows how to win, whether that’s on the gridiron or the hardwood. The Panthers have won 52 basketball games the last two…

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Comeback for the ages: Macomb rallies in fourth quarter to upset title favorite Peoria Manual

Macomb senior forward Dion Doyle, right, and the Bombers celebrate their 41-40 upset of Peoria Manual in the Class 2A Canton Sectional Semifinals in Canton, Ill. | Photo courtesy Macomb boys basketball/Andrea Ratermann

CANTON, Ill. — The Macomb boys basketball team authored a comeback and an upset Wednesday night that will remain part of Bombers’ lore for decades to come. That’s what never losing faith will do. “There’s a little basketball karma that came our way tonight,” Macomb coach Jerremy Anderson said. Down as many as 18 points…

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‘Phenomenal’ second-quarter blitz helps QHS rout Belleville West to reach sectional championship game

Bradley Longcor, left, receives an ovation from the Quincy High School fans while being congratulated by his teammates after being taken out of Tuesday night's Class 4A sectional semifinal game in the Panther Dome at O'Fallon Township High School. | David Adam photo

O’FALLON, Ill. — Bradley Longcor III believes he and his Quincy High School boys basketball teammates have more quarters in them like the second quarter of Tuesday night’s game. After Belleville West’s Jordan Lacey hit a 10-foot jump shot to tie the score at 16 on the first possession of the second quarter, the Blue…

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With a wink and a smile: Longcor’s buzzer beater to end first half also shuts up teasing teammate

Quincy High School's Bradley Longcor III launches a 3-point shot over Belleville West's Daylen Byrd as the final second ticks off the clock in the second quarter of Tuesday night's Class 4A boys basketball sectional semifinal in the Panther Dome at O'Fallon Township High School. | David Adam photo

O’FALLON, Ill. — With four seconds left in the first half and his team leading 42-22, Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas took Bradley Longcor III off the floor to prevent him from picking up his second foul. However, after Belleville East had an over-and-back violation, leaving one second on the clock, Douglas…

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Photo Gallery: Four Blue Devils score in double figures in dominant performance over Belleville West

Quincy High School's Dom Clay, left, stares downm Belleville West's Jordan Lacey during Tuesday night's boys basketball game in the Class 4A sectional semifinal in the Panther Dome at O'Fallon Township High School. | David Adam photo

O’FALLON, Ill. — Junior guard Bradley Longcor III scored 28 points in a 74-46 victory for the Quincy High School boys basketball team on Tuesday night over Belleville West in the Class 4A sectional semifinal in the Panther Dome at O’Fallon Township High School. Dom Clay scored 11 points, and Ralph Wires and Keshaun Thomas…

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Moore’s late free throws help Central claw way into Class 1A sectional championship game

Camp Point Central senior guard Nick Moore scored 19 points in Tuesday night's victory over Peoria Heights in the Class 1A Abingdon-Avon Sectional semifinals. | Photo courtesy Mike Pritchard

ABINGDON, Ill. — Camp Point Central boys basketball James Barnett had complete faith Nick Moore was going to drain the game-clinching free throws no matter what had happened a minute earlier. “It might seem weird, but I felt more confident he was going to make those two because he had missed the previous two,” Barnett…

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Priory’s fourth-quarter defense locks down Palmyra, ends Panthers’ dynamic season

Palmyra's Luke Sheppard, right, looks for room to score while being defended by Priory's Christian Gonzalez during Tuesday night's Class 2 sectional game in Palmyra, Mo. | Photo courtesy Alicia Deming

PALMYRA, Mo. — The St. Louis Priory boys basketball team had not beaten an opponent with a winning record. Until Tuesday night. That’s when Priory stunned heavily favored Palmyra 40-29 in a Class 3 sectional game played before a crowd of about 1,200. Priory, which entered the evening with a rather pedestrian 14-14 record and…

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Crim: Postseason basketball outcomes create intrigue, questions how futures unfold

Illini West boys basketball coach Blaize Kimmel led the Chargers to a 21-11 record in his first season at the helm. | David Adam photo

QUINCY — Questions and observations as the march toward high school state basketball tournaments continues in both Illinois and Missouri, with some college teams harboring postseason aspirations in the waning days of February: First-year Illini West boys coach Blaize Kimmel stood outside his team’s locker room giving fist-bumps and hugs while offering words of encouragement…

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Tune doesn’t change for Panthers as defense leads to success, this time in district title game

The Palmyra boys basketball team improved to 26-1 by beating South Shelby for the Class 3 District 6 championship Saturday in Palmyra, Mo. | Submitted photo

PALMYRA, Mo. — Different day, same approach. And more importantly, the same result. Just ask Jeremiah Edwards. “Defense is always our top priority,” Edwards said. “We know our offense will always pick up.” Edwards, a 6-foot-1 block-of-granite power forward for the Palmyra boys basketball team, was one of several Panthers extolling the virtues of their…

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Alspaw, Brewer give Tigers edge in district championship victory over Rams

The Canton boys basketball team celebrates its Class 2 District 6 championship after beating Schuyler County 65-46 on Saturday in Queen City, Mo. | Submitted photo

QUEEN CITY, Mo. — Preston Brewer’s 6-foot-7 presence in the lane becomes a focal point for every opponent the Canton boys basketball team faces. Chris Alspaw’s job is to alleviate some of that pressure and force teams to extend their defense. Saturday, Alspaw and Brewer did their duties to perfection. Alspaw softened Schuyler County’s defense…

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‘Everything was big in that fourth quarter’: Blue Devils rally to keep season alive with regional championship

Quincy High School senior point guard Ralph Wires, right, accepts the Class 4A Edwardsville Regional championship plaque following Friday night's 49-42 victory over O'Fallon at Edwardsville, Ill. | Photo courtesy Matt Kamp

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. —  A hand injury has limited Ralph Wires’ ability to shoot the ball, but that didn’t stop the Quincy High School point guard from producing two of the biggest baskets Friday night. Wires made a pair of slashing drives to the lane on back-to-back possessions to ignite a game-closing 14-3 run for the…

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Central uses right reaction to challenge to fuel charge that ends with regional championship

The Camp Point Central boys basketball team poses with its Class 1A regional championship plaque after defeating Delavan 46-32 in Friday night's title game at Augusta, Ill. | Ben Marth photo

AUGUSTA, Ill. — With missed shots piling up and the loss of a halftime lead, the Camp Point Central boys basketball team needed to hit the reset button. Midway through the third quarter, Central coach James Barnett called a timeout and didn’t use the friendliest voice his team has heard this season in delivering his…

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Down nine with 56 seconds to play, West Hancock throws scare at Pleasant Plains before losing in regional final

West Hancock's Gavin Grothaus dribbles along the baseline while guarded by Pleasant Plains' Grady Grisham during Friday night's Class 2A regional boys basketball championship game at Warsaw High School. In the background is West Hancock's Nolan Hurt, who caught a pass from Grothaus on the play and took a 3-point shot that would have tied the game but missed. | David Adam photo

WARSAW, Ill. — The West Hancock boys basketball team was facing near-certain defeat when it trailed by nine points with 56 seconds remaining. Thirty-six seconds later, the Titans had a chance at a miracle. Pleasant Plains’ Owen Johnson missed two free throws with 33.8 seconds, and the Wildcats had the ball trailing 60-57. Gavin Grothaus…

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Poise and precision allow Bombers to go on second-half run, capture regional crown

The Macomb boys basketball team celebrates its first regional championship since 2015 following Friday night's 51-32 victory over Sherrard in the Class 2A Farmington Regional championship in Farmington, Ill. | Submitted photo

FARMINGTON, Ill. — A three-point halftime deficit wasn’t cause for alarm, but Macomb boys basketball coach Jeremy Anderson knew everyone needed to take a deep breath. The first half of Friday night’s Class 2A Farmington Regional championship against Sherrard had been too frantic. “The first thing we had to do was be poised and be…

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Postseason scoreboard: Illinois boys regional championships, Missouri girls district titles decided

QUINCY — Here are the results of the Illinois boys regional championship and Missouri girls district championships and the sectional matchups from both sides of the Mississippi River. The Missouri boys district championships will be decided Saturday. Illinois girls Class 3A Decatur MacArthur Sectional Tuesday, February 20 Game 1 — Quincy Notre Dame 63, Mahomet-Seymour…

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Photo Gallery: Three-point shooting woes prove costly for Titans in championship game

West Hancock's Nolan Gooding stands dejectedly on the floor while members of the Pleasant Plains boys basketball team celebrate after Friday night's Class 2A regional championship game at Warsaw High School. | David Adam photo

WARSAW, Ill. — After racing to an 11-3 lead in the first quarter, the West Hancock boys basketball team missed 11 straight 3-pointers to fall behind by as many as 15 points. A late comeback failed in a 64-60 loss to Pleasant Plains in the Class 2A regional championship game Friday night at Warsaw High…

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Blue Devils’ Longcor is named WB6 MVP, Thomas joins him on all-conference first team

Quincy High School junior guard Bradley Longcor III was named the Western Big 6 Conference MVP by the league's coaches after leading the Blue Devils to the conference crown. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Bradley Longcor III’s performance in the final two games of the Western Big 6 Conference boys basketball title chase elevated Quincy High School to its 25th league crown and pushed the junior guard to the forefront as the league’s top player. Thursday, the WB6 coaches confirmed that. Longcor was named the conference MVP…

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Improvisational skills: Wires sets up Thomas for game-winning basket on busted play as Blue Devils find way to survive

Quincy High School's Ralph Wires holds onto the basketball after making a steal with 25 seconds remaining in regulation against Alton in Wednesday night’s Class 4A Edwardsville Regional semifinal inside Lucco-Jackson Gymnasium in Edwardsville, Ill. | Photo courtesy Matt Kamp, Edwardsville Intelligencer

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. — It wasn’t exactly how the Quincy High School boys basketball team drew up the final seconds of the Class 4A Edwardsville Regional semifinal against Alton, but it worked. Ralph Wires found a wide-open Keshaun Thomas in the post for the go-ahead basket with 1.8 seconds remaining in regulation to send the second-seeded…

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West Hancock turns to defense to grind out victory over Illini West in regional semifinals

Illini West's Colby Robertson tries a scoop shot under the outstretched arm of West Hancock's Cooper Knowlers during a semifinal game in the Class 2A regional at Warsaw High School on Wednesday night. | David Adam photo

WARSAW, Ill. — The West Hancock boys basketball team could never quite find its shooting touch from the perimeter in the season’s rubber match against Illini West. Fortunately, its defense showed up when it mattered most. Hunter Froman’s steal and layup with five minutes remaining gave the Titans their first lead since late in the…

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Five-minute drought in second quarter too much for Pittsfield to overcome in Class 2A regional setback

Pittsfield's Brennan Tomhave dribbles to the basket while being guarded by Pleasant Plains' Michael Carter during a Class 2A regional semifinal game at Warsaw High School on Wednesday night. | David Adam photo

WARSAW, Ill. — Too many empty possessions. It was a recurring theme for the Pittsfield boys basketball team this season. The Saukees failed to score during the final five minutes of the first half and were unable to keep pace with Pleasant Plains after closing within four points early in the fourth quarter Wednesday night…

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Photo Gallery: West Hancock gains edge in county rivalry by knocking Illini West out in postseason

West Hancock's Gage Scott pulls up for a shot while Illini West's Wesley Robertson defends during the semifinals of the Class 2A regional at Warsaw High School on Wednesday night. | David Adam photo

WARSAW, Ill. — A pair of Hancock County rivals made their third meeting of the season a memorable one. The West Hancock boys basketball team outlasted Illini West 44-39 in the semifinals of the Class 2A Warsaw Regional on Wednesday night. It gave the Titans a 2-1 edge in the season series. MRN Editor David…

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Offensive drought in first half of regional semifinal loss to Williamsville ends QND’s season

ATHENS, Ill. — The snowball effect turned into a full-blown avalanche. It carried the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team right out of the postseason. Trailing Williamsville 10-0 less than four minutes into Wednesday night’s Class 2A Athens Regional semifinal, Raiders coach Kevin Meyer burned a timeout in hopes of settling down his time and…

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Regional roundup: Tornadoes fall in triple overtime, while Panthers, Bombers advance to title games

NEW BERLIN, Ill. — The Griggsville-Perry boys basketball team had opportunities to avoid a second and a third overtime. Jacksonville Routt made sure there wasn’t a fourth. The sixth-seeded Rockets took the lead for good with two minutes remaining in the third overtime and finished off a 55-53 victory over the second-seeded Tornadoes in the…

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Blue Devils head into postseason facing gauntlet of formidable foes

The Quincy High School boys basketball team opens postseason play at 6 p.m. Wednesday against sixth-seeded Alton in the Class 4A Edwardsville Regional. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Let the gauntlet commence. Wednesday night, regional play begins in the Class 4A Pekin Sectional, which is arguably one of the toughest boys basketball postseason paths from top to bottom. Of the 16 teams split into two sub-sectionals, 14 have winning records and every team has at least 11 victories. There are seven…

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Palmyra boys put cap on CCC championship, turn sights to postseason success

The Palmyra boys basketball team celebrates its perfect run through the Clarence Cannon Conference, which the Panthers capped Saturday with a 54-30 victory over Highland in Palmyra, Mo. | Photo courtesy Beau Hicks

PALMYRA, Mo. — Now the real fun begins. The Palmyra boys basketball team capped a perfect run through the Clarence Cannon Conference on Saturday afternoon en route to securing its 19th straight victory — a 54-30 vanquishing of Highland. Next on the Panthers’ to-do list is to make a strong run in the Class 3…

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Chiefs’ size tips scale in fourth quarter as Raiders close regular season with loss at home

Quincy Notre Dame's Noah Lunt, left, tries to defend Keokuk's Jaxson Clark during the second half of Friday night's game at The Pit. | Ron Kinscherf photo

QUINCY — Kevin Meyer felt the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team was about to turn the “juice” loose. Alas, there was no juice. Only squeezing. And it was the Raiders who wound up getting squeezed over the final eight minutes Friday night in a 55-45 loss to Keokuk in front of a Senior Night…

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Brown County eighth graders continue lockdown defense, win IESA Class 2A state championship

The Brown County eighth-grade boys basketball team celebrates winning the Illinois Elementary School Association Class 2A state championship with Thursday's victory over Assumption Central A&M in Kankakee, Ill. | Submitted photo

KANKAKEE, Ill. — The trend continued and it led to a championship. The Brown County eighth-grade boys basketball team put the clamps on each of its opponents in the first quarter of each Illinois Elementary School Association Class 2A state tournament game, including Thursday night’s title tilt against Assumption Central A&M. The Hornets allowed just…

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‘I think it came down to toughness’: Blue Devils’ strong second half carries them to WB6 crown

Quincy High School senior Tyler Sprick, left, and junior Keshaun Thomas helped the Blue Devils beat Rock Island 48-46 Thursday night in Rock Island, Ill., to capture the Western Big 6 Conference championship. | Muddy River Sports file photo

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Nobody can say Quincy High School didn’t earn the 2023-24 Western Big 6 Conference boys basketball championship. The state’s Class 4A fifth-ranked Blue Devils beat Rock Island for the second time in three days on Thursday evening, using a similar script to Tuesday’s home victory. Getting enough offense at the right…

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Quincy Catholic eighth-grade team throws scare at defending champs before losing IESA title game

Front row from left, Kyle Thompson, Brennan Venvertloh, Jake Pyatt, Kage Cook and Josh Brenner. Back row from left, Reece Schertel, Carson Reyburn, Tripp Flesch, Rowan Stegeman, Kaden Marth, T.J. Togarepi and Deacon Bliefnick. Missing from the photo is Austin Genenbacher. | Photo courtesy of Ben Marth

TOLONO, Ill. — When it fell behind 17-2 in the first quarter of Thursday night’s championship game in the Illinois Elementary School Association Class 8-3A state tournament, the Quincy Catholic eighth-grade boys basketball team could have easily folded. After all, Metamora won the Class 7-3A state title last year and has gone 68-1 since the…

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Blue Devils clamp down on high-scoring Rocks, force winner-take-all WB6 championship game on Thursday

The defensive presence of Quincy High School junior forward Keshaun Thomas helped the Blue Devils dispatch Rock Island 58-49 on Tuesday night at Blue Devil Gym. | Muddy River Sports file photo

QUINCY — To take advantage of the switching man-to-man defense used by the Quincy High School boys basketball team, Rock Island tried to isolate K.J. Lamonte, its top scorer, on Keshaun Thomas, the Blue Devils’ 6-foot-5 junior forward. Every time Lamonte tried to slash to the basket in the first half, Thomas forced him to…

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Allensworth’s career night carries Raiders past Titans, forges ties for WCC championship

Quincy Notre Dame sophomore guard Jace Allensworth scored a career-high 30 points in Tuesday night's 68-64 victory over West Hancock at Warsaw, Ill. | Muddy River Sports file photo

WARSAW, Ill. — Fittingly, it was Jace Allensworth who sealed the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team’s 68-64 victory Tuesday night over West Hancock. Allensworth, a 6-foot sophomore guard, swished a pair of free throws with 11 seconds remaining to cap a brilliant offensive night for himself and punctuate an impressive turnaround for the Raiders.…

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Photo gallery: Palmyra sweeps doubleheader from Hannibal at Korf Gym

Palmyra's Clare Williams goes to block a shot during Tuesday night's game against Hannibal at Korf Gym in Hannibal, Mo. | Photo courtesy Alicia Deming

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Palmyra boys and girls basketball teams, both ranked in Class 3 in the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association polls, continued to show Tuesday night why they are considered among the state’s elite. The Palmyra girls used a fourth-quarter surge to put away Hannibal 51-36 at Korf Gym. The Panthers, ranked seventh, limited…

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Blue Devils shoot plenty of layups while sharing ball in commanding road victory over Jacksonville

Quincy High School guard Kamren Wires helped the Blue Devils rebound from Friday's loss at Moline with a 27-point victory at Jacksonville on Saturday night. | Photo courtesy Tim Vizer Photography

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — How easy was it for the Quincy High School boys basketball team to score against a porous Jacksonville defense on Saturday night? One play in the second quarter provided a perfect example. Blue Devils guard Kamren Wires was about to be trapped by two Jacksonville defenders in front of the Quincy bench,…

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Raiders set up showdown with Titans for WCC supremacy by finishing off Rockets

Quincy Notre Dame senior guard Aden Genenbacher scored 12 points in Saturday night's victory over Rushville-Industry at The Pit. | Muddy River Sports file photo

QUINCY — The game featured all the ingredients of a blowout. The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team used full-court defensive pressure to hold Rushville-Industry without a field goal attempt during the opening four minutes Saturday night and created more turnovers (11) than points allowed (10) in the first half. The Raiders stretched their 21-point…

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Marooned in Moline: Blue Devils fall out of first place in WB6 with loss at Wharton Field House

Quincy High School junior guard Bradley Longcor III scored 19 points in Friday night's 42-41 loss to Moline at Wharton Field House in Moline, Ill. | Photo courtesy Tim Vizer Photography

MOLINE, Ill. — How a game of such magnitude elicited such minimal energy from his players left Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas as dumbfounded as it did irritated. “There was just a different look on their face than we’ve seen out of the group,” he said. It wasn’t a good look. Facing…

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Toughness and defense: Griggsville-Perry gets back to basics in practice, then routs Payson Seymour

Griggsville-Perry's Michael Myers pulls down a rebound in front of Payson Seymour's Nolan Sparks during Friday night's high school boys basketball game in Payson. | David Adam

PAYSON, Ill. — The last two days of practice for the Griggsville-Perry boys basketball team were not much fun. Tornadoes coach Garrett White thought his team needed a lesson on toughness after it suffered a 54-50 loss on Tuesday to South County, snapping an eight-game winning streak. It was only the fourth time this season…

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Photo Gallery: Tornadoes blow away Indians with 10 3-pointers

Griggsville-Perry's Wyatt Lipcaman drives to the basket while Payson Seymour's Brody Dieker defends during Friday night's high school boys basketball game at Payson. | David Adam

PAYSON, Ill. — Michael Myers made four 3-pointers and finished with 19 points to lead Griggsville-Perry to a 60-32 victory over Payson Seymour on Friday night. The Tornadoes made 10 3-pointers in 17 attempts, while the Indians missed on 14 of their 16 3-point tries. MRN Editor David Adam took photos of some of the…

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Connoyer calms down after technical foul, scores game-high 17 points to lead QND boys past Liberty

Quincy Notre Dame's Aiden Klauser | MRN File photo by Samantha Carmean

LIBERTY, Ill. – Quincy Notre Dame forward Jackson Connoyer had to refocus after receiving a technical foul following a scramble for a rebound under his own basket midway through the second quarter Friday night. His actions resulted in two free throws that gave Liberty a seven-point lead. “I said things I shouldn’t have said,” Connoyer…

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Right on the money: Bock, state-ranked Panthers make right plays in capturing 16th straight victory

Palmyra guard Ryan McKinney looks to make a move toward the basket during Thursday night's game against Bowling Green in Palmyra, Mo. | Photo courtesy Alicia Deming

PALMYRA, Mo. — Bear Bock found himself with what looked to be a breakaway layup in the second half, only to eventually run into some Bowling Green defenders blocking his path to the basket. No problem. Bock fired a behind-the-back pass to trailing teammate Luke Sheppard, who secured the toss and cashed in a layup.…

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Illinois boys basketball state rankings: Blue Devils move back to No. 3 in Class 4A

The Quincy High School boys basketball team moved back to No. 3 in the Class 4A state poll with a 25-2 record. | Matt Schuckman photo

CHICAGO — Here are the Illinois boys prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, total points, and previous ranking. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Homewood-Flossmoor (9) 25-3 132 1 2. Curie (4) 25-2 130 2 3. Quincy 25-2 108 4 4. Downers North 22-4 73 6 5. Bolingbrook 21-4 67 8…

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Blue Devils’ chase of WB6 crown comes down to three-game gauntlet after dispatching Pioneers

Quincy High School junior guard Dom Clay throws down a dunk in the first half of Tuesday night's game against Rock Island Alleman at Blue Devil Gym. | David Adam photo

QUINCY — A slight rewrite to the lyrics of Elvis Presley’s “Blue Suede Shoes” might be apropos for the Quincy High School boys basketball team heading into the homestretch of the Western Big 6 Conference season. “Well, it’s one for the chance, two for the show, Three for the glory, now go, Devils, go.“ Tuesday…

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Photo Gallery: QHS stays perfect at Blue Devil Gym with victory over Alleman

Quincy High School guard Bradley Longcor III drives to the basket during Tuesday night's game against Rock Island Alleman at Blue Devil Gym. | David Adam photo

QUINCY — A perfect season at home is one victory away. The Quincy High School boys basketball team improved to 12-0 at Blue Devil Gym this season with Tuesday night’s 78-33 victory over Rock Island Alleman in Western Big 6 Conference play. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of the action.

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Palmyra boys vow to keep focus after knocking off arch-rival Monroe City for 15th straight victory

Palmyra's Bear Bock dribbles to the basket past Monroe City's Trey Smyser during Tuesday night's high school boys basketball game at Monroe City High School. | Photo courtesy of Alicia Deming

MONROE CITY, Mo. — Palmyra took another huge step toward the Clarence Cannon Conference boys basketball championship Tuesday night. The storyline was a familiar one. “Defense,” Palmyra coach Brian Rea said. “It’s always defense.” There’s absolutely no arguing that point. The 48-25 victory over arch-rival Monroe City — which, like Palmyra, entered the game unbeaten…

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QND, Unity boys each dominate a half, but Raiders come out on top 78-66

Quincy Notre Dame's Jackson Connoyer drives to the basket for a layup during Tuesday night's high school boys basketball game at the Pit in Quincy. Unity's Melvin McMillen defends on the play. | David Adam

QUINCY — Charles Dickens famously opened his historic novel, “A Tale of Two Cities,” with the line, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”  During the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team’s 78-66 victory over Unity Tuesday night, both coaches felt those emotions — in the opposite order. In the…

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Photo Gallery: Sophomores Connoyer, Allensworth lead Notre Dame boys to 14th victory

Quincy Notre Dame's Aden Genenbacher goes up for a shot over two Unity defenders during Tuesday night's boys basketball game at the Pit. | David Adam

QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team improved to 14-9 with a 78-66 victory over Unity on Tuesday night at the Pit. The Raiders were paced by sophomores Jackson Connoyer with a career-high 16 points and Jace Allensworth with 14 points. Unity (13-12) placed three players in double figures — Melvin McMillen with…

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Winchester West Central escapes ‘dogfight’ at the Pit, snaps four-game winning streak for QND boys

Winchester West Central's Mason Berry dribbles while Quincy Notre Dame's Connor Young defends during Saturday night's high school boys basketball game in the KHQA Superfan Shootout at the Pit. | Photo courtesy of Mary-Ann Ervin

QUINCY — As he lowered his MVP trophy to the ground and attempted to find one more ounce of energy before loading the bus back to Winchester, Zack Evans tried to put into words what the previous 90 minutes felt like. “Anytime you come to QND, it’s going to be a dogfight,” Evans said. “That’s…

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Central boys bounce back from losses to Unity, Griggsville-Perry to win twice in 24 hours

Camp Point Central's Drew Paben drives to the basket while Van-Far's Gage Gibson defends during Saturday afternoon's high school boys basketball game at the Pit in Quincy during the KHQA Superfan Shootout. | Photo courtesy of Mike Pritchard

QUINCY — The week ended much better than it began for the Camp Point Central boys basketball team. After suffering back-to-back upset losses to Mendon Unity and Griggsville-Perry, the Panthers whipped Rushville-Industry Friday night and then pulled away in the second half Saturday afternoon for a 59-46 victory over Van-Far (Mo.) in the American Family…

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Thomas’ toughness on full display as Blue Devils ground Flyers in Shootout victory

Quincy High School junior forward Keshaun Thomas scores two of his game-high 28 points during Saturday's victory over East St. Louis in the Midwest Crossroads Shootout at Normal West High School in Normal, Ill. | Samantha Carmean photo

NORMAL, Ill. — Nothing is going to keep Keshaun Thomas down. With 1 minute, 55 seconds remaining in the first half of Saturday’s game against East St. Louis in the Midwest Crossroads Shootout, the Quincy High School boys basketball team’s junior forward was knocked to the floor, forcing a pause in the action and the…

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‘We just do what we do’: Palmyra boys hold 14th opponent below 40 points, improve to 19-1

Palmyra's Bear Bock uses a screen from Jonathan Edwards and drives to the basket during Friday night's boys basketball game against South Shelby in Palmyra, Mo. | Photo courtesy of Alicia Deming

PALMYRA, Mo. — Brian Rea offered a hint late Friday night as to why the Palmyra boys basketball team enjoys playing defense so much. “It’s a mindset, and it’s a testament to our guys who have totally bought into it,” said Rea, the second-year coach whose club is now 19-1 following a 47-25 Clarence Cannon…

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Defensive dominance in first quarter allows Blue Devils to keep pace with Rock Island in WB6

Quincy High School's Tyler Sprick defends United Township's Caeden Terrell during the first half of Friday night's boys basketball game at Blue Devil Gym in Quincy. | David Adam

QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball team forced United Township to burn nearly a minute off the clock on its opening possession Friday night before finally yielding a pull-up jumper from the left baseline by Dominic Rhoden. It was a harbinger of things to come. Quincy’s suffocating defense forced six turnovers and seven…

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Lunt helps Raiders overcome sickly week, scores 16 points in hard-fought victory over Madison

Quincy Notre Dame's Noah Lunt shoots over Madison's Alex Kennedy during Friday night's high school boys basketball game in the KHQA Superfan Shootout on Friday night in the Pit. | David Adam

QUINCY — Kevin Meyer wasn’t sure what to expect from his Quincy Notre Dame basketball team on the opening night of the KHQA-American Family Insurance Superfan Shootout. “We were kind of a walking Infirmary for part of the week,” Meyer said of the Raiders’ battle with sickness that spread through the squad. What Meyer discovered…

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Siegfried’s driving basket with two seconds left caps West Hancock comeback at KHQA Superfan Shootout

KIPP Academy's Carl Johnson gets his hand on the ball as West Hancock's Lewis Siegfried drives to the basket during Friday night's high school boys basketball game in the KHQA Superfan Shootout at the Pit. | David Adam

QUINCY — The final play was designed to go to Gage Scott, but when the ball eventually went into the hands of Lewis Siegfried, West Hancock coach Jeff Dahl knew his team was in good hands. Siegfried scored on a driving layup with two seconds to play, giving the Titans a 58-56 victory over the…

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Photo Gallery: Winning streak for QND boys reaches four, and guys join girls on dance floor

Quincy Notre Dame's Beau Eftink drives to the basket while Madison's Darrius Williams closes in during Friday night's high school boys basketball game in the KHQA Superfan Shootout at the Pit. | David Adam

The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team held an explosive Madison (11-10) squad well below its season-average point total in a 54-47 victory on Friday night at the Pit. The Raiders kept the Trojans’ leading scorer Elijah Williams relatively in check. Williams averages 22 points a game and was limited to 13. QND has won…

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Photo Gallery: Sophomore Knowles difference maker in Titans’ second-half comeback

West Hancock's Nolan Gooding, middle, is tied up by two players from KIPP Academy from St. Louis during Friday night's high school boys basketball game in the KHQA Superfan Shootout at the Pit. | David Adam

West Hancock’s comeback 58-56 victory over KIPP Academy of St. Louis on Friday night at the Pit was led by 6-foot-6 sophomore Cooper Knowles. He scored four points during a 12-4 run that got West Hancock within 44-42 at the end of the quarter, then scored the first three baskets in the fourth quarter —…

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Phpto Gallery: Longcor leads QHS boys with 17, Kamren Wires provides spark in reserve role

Bradley Longcor III weaves his way through traffic during Quincy High School's boys basketball game on Friday night against United Township in Blue Devil Gym. | David Adam

Bradley Longcor III scored 17 points to lead the Quincy high School boys basketball team to a 65-32 Western Big 6 Conference victory over United Township on Friday night. Junior guard Kamren Wires came off the bench in the second quarter to provide an offensive spark. He tipped in a missed shot, drilled a 3-pointer…

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QHS boys at No. 4 in Associated Press Class 4A state poll; Central slides in at No. 10 in Class 1A

Keshaun Thomas goes up for a shot during Quincy High School's boys basketball game against Batavia on Saturday, Jan. 27, in Blue Devil Gym. | Contributed photo

Here are the Associated Press boys prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, total points, and previous ranking. Class 4ASchoolW-LPtsPrv1. Homewood-Flossmoor (10)22-211722. Curie (1)23-210913. Waubonsie Valley (1)22-09144. Quincy22-27735. Lisle (Benet Academy)20-36576. Downers North20-44887. Normal Community22-44458. Bolingbrook18-33899. Collinsville23-330610. Gurnee Warren22-413NR Others receiving votes: Kenwood 9. Glenbrook North 8. Moline 5. New Trier 3. Rock…

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Victory over defending state champs moves QHS boys into first-place tie in Western Big Six

Quincy High School's Camden Brown goes past Moline's Trey Taylor, left, and Vinablo Adjahoungbeta during Tuesday night's boys basketball game at Blue Devil Gym. | David Adam

QUINCY – A couple of explosive offensive spurts and a lockdown defense proved to be a winning formula. Three consecutive 3-pointers by Bradley Longcor III that created separation in the second quarter, and nine straight points in 92 seconds in the third period, were enough to carry the Quincy High School boys basketball team to…

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Photo Gallery: Longcor’s marksmanship in second quarter propels Blue Devils to home-court victory

Quincy High School's Bradley Longcor shoots a 3-pointer during the second half of Tuesday night's basketball game in Blue Devil Gym. | David Adam

Three consecutive 3-pointers by Bradley Longcor III created separation in the second quarter, giving the Quincy High School boys basketball team at 24-9 lead in its way to a 54-37 victory over Moline Tuesday night in Blue Devil Gym. Longcor finished with 19 points. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of the action from the…

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Blue Devils bounce back from road loss, blanket Batavia defensively to stay unbeaten at home

Quincy High School's Bradley Longcor splits Batavia defenders on his way to two of his 18 points during Saturday night's victory at Blue Devil Gym. | Contributed photo

QUINCY — The longest road trip in the Western Big Six Conference seemed to last forever Friday night after a surprising loss to Sterling. “Man, that hurt,” Quincy High School junior Dom Clay said. “It was really quiet (on the bus).” The Blue Devils lost for only the second time in 22 games on a…

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Last-place Southwest Baptist rallies to defeat QU men, now tied for seventh in GLVC

Isaiah Foster scored 13 points for Quincy University on Saturday. | MRN File Photo

BOLIVAR, Mo. — The Quincy University men’s basketball team led by as many as 11 points in the first half and held the lead for the first 31 minutes of Saturday’s game. Once the Hawks lost the lead, they never got it back. Drew McMillin made a 3-pointer with 9:10 remaining in the game to…

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Sterling provides wake-up call as Klaver’s game-winning 3-pointer knocks Blue Devils from top of WB6

Quincy's Keshaun Thomas, right, rips a rebound away from Sterling's Andre Klaver during Friday night's high school boys basketball game at Homer Musgrove Fieldhouse in Sterling. | Photo courtesy of Alex Paschal, Shaw Media

STERLING, Ill. – The Western Big Six Conference race just got a little tighter. Sterling guard Andre Klaver buried a contested 3-pointer from deep on the left wing with 5.6 seconds remaining Friday night to stun third-ranked Quincy High School 65-62 in Homer Musgrove Fieldhouse. The Blue Devils, who beat the Golden Warriors 66-41 at…

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Moore-to-Blewett basket late in game propels Central boys past West Hancock

Central's Gavin Blewett pulls up for a shot over two West Hancock defenders during Friday night's boys basketball game in Warsaw. | Photo courtesy of Keith Yex

WARSAW, Ill. — Camp Point Central guard Nick Moore launched a seeing-eye pass from the top left corner of the key, aimed directly at Gavin Blewett, who was wide open about five feet to the right of the basket. Blewett reeled in the laser-like toss, took one step toward the hoop and calmly banked in…

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Blistering beginning puts Hawks in command as they climb back to .500 mark in GLVC

Drury's Logan Applegate, who scored 22 points, pulls up for a jump shot during Thursday night's men's college basketball game against Quincy University at the O'Reilly Family Event Center in Springfield, Mo. QU's Isaiah Foster is in the background. | Photo courtesy of Payton Hannah, Drury University

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – There are fast starts, and then there is what the Quincy University men’s basketball team did Thursday night. The Hawks blitzed Drury by sinking their first nine shots, six of them from 3-point range, to take a 27-13 lead just six minutes into the contest. They held on for an 83-78 victory…

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Strong finish to second quarter propels Quincy Notre Dame boys to easy victory at home

Junior guard Alex Dance was one of five Quincy Notre Dame players to score at least nine points in Thursday night's victory over Western. | MRN File Photo

QUINCY — The lead was in double digits ,but as the second quarter neared an end in Thursday night’s home tilt with Western, Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer wasn’t exactly comfortable. “We had to challenge them a little bit during one of (Western’s) timeouts and tell them, ‘You’ve got to match their…

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QHS boys stay at No. 3 in Class 4A, but three of top six teams in poll suffered losses Tuesday night

From left, Camden Brown, Bradley Longcor, Ralph Wires and Tyler Sprick | Muddy River News file photo by Matt Schuckman

The Quincy High School boys basketball team remains at No. 3 in the Associated Press Class 4A basketball poll. The top two teams in the poll lost on Tuesday — Homewood-Flossmoor was beaten 65-61 by Bradley-Bourbonnais, and Curie lost 73-66 to Lindblom. No. 6 Collinsville also lost 62-57 to Highland in overtime. However, voters turned…

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Blue Devils create energy level necessary to maintain momentum against Silver Streaks

Quincy High School guard Ralph Wires runs the offense during Tuesday night's Western Big 6 Conference game against Galesburg at Blue Devil Gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Challenge accepted and met. Coming off Saturday’s high-octane, high-profile victory over Imhotep Charter of Philadelphia in the marquee game of the Quincy Shootout, the Quincy High School boys basketball team was tasked with rekindling that energy Tuesday to face Galesburg, which it beat by 52 points in early December. “Our pregame speech tonight…

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Photo gallery: QHS boys basketball team easily dispatches Galesburg in WB6 battle

Quincy High School's Bradley Longcor III pressures Galesburg's Jackson Crock Sibbing during Tuesday night's Western Big 6 Conference game at Blue Devil Gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Galesburg boys basketball team scored the first five points of Tuesday night’s Western Big 6 Conference game at Blue Devil Gym. Quincy High School did the rest, rolling to a 77-35 victory to improve to 20-1 overall. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman sat courtside and put together this photo gallery:

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Raiders flourish in fourth quarter, show signs of starting late-season push

Quincy Notre Dame senior guard Aden Genenbacher led the Raiders with 14 points in Tuesday night's 51-41 victory over Illini West in Carthage, Ill. | Muddy River Sports file photo

CARTHAGE, Ill. — In the eyes of Aden Genenbacher and Noah Lunt, it’s time to start focusing on the postseason. Following the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team’s 51-41 victory Tuesday night over Illini West, both Genenbacher and Lunt were looking into the not-too-distant future. “We’d like to put together a run before the postseason…

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Schuckman: Quincy Shootout provides moments easily considered best of the best

Wasatch Academy point guard John Mobley Jr., left, put up a double-double in both of the Tigers' games in the Quincy Shootout. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Over the span of 32 hours and 13 games, the players, teams and coaches who participated in the sixth Quincy Shootout put on quite a show in Blue Devil Gym. Here are some of the best things I witnessed: Best player: Wasatch Academy point guard John Mobley Jr. has signed with Ohio State…

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Photo gallery: Scenes from the Quincy Shootout

Blue Devil mascot Nate Hetzler stands on the court as the Quincy High School boys basketball team's starting lineup is introduced. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — A gym full of basketball junkies enjoyed being treated to top-level talent during the sixth Quincy Shootout, which took place Friday and Saturday at Blue Devil Gym. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent all 13 games courtside and put together this photo gallery of scenes from the shootout:

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Crim: Britton turns high school hoops passion into information superhighway for fans

This is Aaron Britton's most recent Class 4A state poll, which he compiles using a mathematical formula that involves winning percentages, quality of wins and losses and strength of schedule.

QUINCY — Aaron Britton fell in love with basketball growing up on a dairy farm in southern Illinois. He remembers watching tape-delayed television broadcasts of University of Kentucky games in the 1990s when Rick Pitino and Tubby Smith were guiding the Wildcats to national championships. He was a member of the Mounds Meridian High School…

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Photo gallery: Marquee game brings out marquee performance in QHS boys basketball team

The Quincy High School boys basketball team runs a baseline inbounds play during Saturday night's game against Imhotep Charter in the Quincy Shootout at Blue Devil Gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball team used the spotlight brought on by the nationally respected field assembled for the Quincy Shootout to showcase just how skilled it is. Saturday night’s 74-62 victory over Imhotep Charter certainly did that. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent the game courtside in Blue Devil Gym…

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Chartering a new course: Victory over nationally respected Imhotep could vault QHS to No. 1 in state poll

Quincy High School guard Bradley Longcor III reacts to scoring while being fouled during the first half of Saturday night's game against Imhotep Charter in the Quincy Shootout in Blue Devil Gym. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The loudest statement in front of the loudest crowd could have the loudest impact. The Quincy High School boys basketball team may find itself as the No. 1-ranked team in Illinois this coming week. Toppling a team with a nationally respected resume like Imhotep Charter Prep could do that. Playing with the most…

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