Posts Tagged ‘Boys basketball’
Bock, Panthers put themselves in position to win third straight Monroe City Tournament title
MONROE CITY, Mo. — The Palmyra boys basketball team is one victory away from winning a third straight Monroe City Tournament for the first time in more than 20 years. Palmyra, which has won more Monroe City titles than any other school in the 100-year history of the event, moved into the finals via its…
Read MoreArea scoreboard for Thursday, Dec. 12
QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Thursday, Dec. 12: Boys basketball Beardstown 56, Camp Point Central 46 Canton 61, Clark County 43 100th Monroe City Tournament Palmyra 43, South Shelby 35 Mark Twain 51, Highland 40 Girls basketball Quincy Notre Dame 47, Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin 27 Galesburg 44, Quincy High School 41 Central-Southeastern…
Read MoreDefensive dominance earns Panthers right to play for title in centennial celebration of own tourney
MONROE CITY Mo. — Two down, one to go. The Monroe City boys basketball team’s quest is not yet complete, but the second-seeded Panthers earned the right to play for the championship in the 100th Monroe City Basketball Tournament by dispatching Marion County 77-25 in Wednesday’s semifinal. The significance of the Panthers playing for the…
Read MoreIllinois boys basketball state rankings: Blue Devils bump to No. 3, Titans hang in at No. 10
CHICAGO — Here are the latest Associated Press Illinois boys basketball state rankings, as voted on by a panel of sportswriters and sportscasters from throughout the stat. First-place votes are in parenthesis: Class 4A Rank School Total Points Previous 1. Kenwood (4) (5-0) 112 3 2. Homewood-Flossmoor (6) (7-0) 97 2 3. Quincy (6-0) 81…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Monroe City boys, Palmyra girls advance to tourney title games
MONROE CITY, Mo. — The Monroe City boys basketball team and the Palmyra girls will play for championships Saturday night, having navigated Wednesday’s semifinals of the 100th Monroe City Tournament. Monroe City beat Marion County 77-25, while Palmyra held off Highland 48-43. Muddy River Sports Writer Shane Hulsey was in Monroe City and put together…
Read MoreArea scoreboard for Wednesday, Dec. 11
QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Wednesday, Dec. 11: Boys basketball 100th Monroe City Tournament Monroe City 77, Marion County 25 Louisiana 41, Paris 37 Girls basketball Quincy High School 50, Macomb 30 100th Monroe City Tournament Palmyra 48, Highland 43 Paris 56, Mark Twain 45 Men’s basketball Culver-Stockton College 97, Mount Mercy…
Read MoreBlue Devils continue to inch closer to putting together complete ‘A’ effort
QUINCY — If that was the Quincy High School boys basketball team’s B — or even C — game, the rest of the Western Big 6 Conference must be shaking in their boots at the thought of the Blue Devils bringing their A game. The state-ranked Blue Devils led by as many as 50 points…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Blue Devils overwhelm Silver Streaks to improve to 2-0 in WB6 play
QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball team took care of one of its mid-week chores Tuesday night, dispatching Galesburg 82-39 in the first Western Big 6 Conference game at home this season. Muddy River Sports Writer Shane Hulsey was courtside and put together this photo gallery:
Read MoreArea scoreboard for Tuesday, Dec. 10
QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Tuesday, Dec. 10: Boys basketball Quincy High School 82, Galesburg 39 Liberty 75, Southeastern 58 Illini West 51, Mendon Unity 28 Winchester West Central 56, Pittsfield 48 Griggsville-Perry 48, Western 28 Macomb 46, Farmington 33 Fulton 51, Hannibal 39 Canton 86, Clopton 78 100th Monroe City Tournament…
Read MoreArea scoreboard for Monday, Dec. 9
QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Monday, Dec. 9: Boys basketball 100th Monroe City Tournament Marion County 67, Paris 49 Monroe City 59, Louisiana 28 Girls basketball Central-Southeastern 55, Illini West 27 Brown County 69, Carrollton 55 Pittsfield 45, Petersburg PORTA 39 West Hancock 60, Payson Seymour 30 Macomb 61, Bushnell-Prairie City 9…
Read MoreCentury of memories: Monroe City celebrates 100-year milestone for basketball invitational
MONROE CITY, Mo. — The semi-weekly Monroe City News reported in its Tuesday, Feb. 24, 1925, edition that a four-county basketball tournament would be played the following Friday and Saturday at Monroe City High School. Featuring teams from Monroe, Marion, Ralls and Shelby counties, it was billed as “the largest and most interest event in…
Read More‘We weren’t frustrated’: Slow start doesn’t deter Blue Devils from steamrolling another opponent
QUINCY — There were no alarms sounding, no distress flags being raised. The Quincy High School boys basketball team needed a full first quarter Saturday night for its offense to find a comfortable second gear, but once it did, it became obvious — and rather quickly — it was not a matter of if the…
Read More‘Our intensity changed things’: Raiders shut down Bombers in third quarter, finally get offense rolling
QUINCY — It was the worst of offenses, it was the best of offenses. Now, that’s a little overdramatic for what took place Saturday night at The Pit. And Charles Dickens likely would have found something a little less overused and a little more poetic to describe the tale of two halves. Still, it seems…
Read MoreArea scoreboard for Saturday, Dec. 7
QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Saturday, Dec. 7: Boys basketball Quincy High School 55, Deerfield 32 Quincy Notre Dame 46, Macomb 34 West Hancock 63, Payson Seymour 35 Biggsville West Central 55, Southeastern 53 Illini West 50, Farmington 39 Mendon Unity 53, Central Lee (Iowa) 51 West Burlington (Iowa) 76, Canton 59…
Read MorePyatt’s suffocating defense helps QND boys pull away in fourth quarter from pesky Payson Seymour
QUINCY —Jackson Pyatt didn’t flinch when his number was called. After watching Blake Schwartz, Payson Seymour’s top player, torch the Quincy Notre Dame defense for 18 points through the first three quarters, Pyatt had one job in the final eight minutes. “The goal was just make sure (Schwartz) doesn’t score,” Pyatt said. Consider it mission…
Read MoreBlue Devils navigate first road trip with no issues, start WB6 play with lopsided victory
GENESEO, Ill. — Although he has a veteran starting lineup, Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas understood the first road trip for a new varsity roster could present some challenges. “The schedule is just different and you don’t know how guys will react,” Douglas said. The Blue Devils handled it like pros. Quincy…
Read MoreLiberty outlasts Central in fight for consistency, puts game away with fourth-quarter surge
CAMP POINT, Ill. — Chalk it up to inexperience. The Liberty and Camp Point Central boys basketball teams have one senior each on rosters littered with freshmen and sophomores, and both played like it’s early December and they’re trying to find their footing in Friday night’s West Central Conference opener. The teams combined to misfire…
Read MoreMcKinney’s deflection preserves victory after Panthers storm back in fourth quarter
CANTON, Mo. — Ryan McKinney knew what was coming. He just had to stop it. With a second remaining in regulation and the Palmyra boys basketball team leading Canton 64-62, the Tigers were inbounding from under the Panthers’ basket in need of a basket to extend the game. Looming large above the pack in front…
Read MoreHornets optimistic about future despite feeling some growing pains in loss to Cougars
MOUNT STERLING, Ill. — It’s been said that yoga pants and small children do not lie. Neither do scoreboards. Winchester West Central’s 63-39 boys basketball victory over Brown County was every bit as decisive as the final point spread might indicate. So why wasn’t Brown County coach Jeff Bottorff upset? He admitted Friday night he…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: Balanced scoring helps Raiders overcome blistering 3-point shooting from Indians
QUINCY — The Payson Seymour boys basketball team made 11 3-pointers on Friday night at The Pit, but Quincy Notre Dame held on for a 71-62 victory. Jackson Connoyer and Jace Allensworth scored 15 points for the Raiders, while Beau Eftink pitched in 13 points. Blake Schwartz scored 18 points for Payson Seymour, and Lane…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Palmyra sweeps Canton in pair of tight battles on hardwood
CANTON, Mo. — In a pair of games that weren’t deecided until the final minute — the final seconds in one case — the Palmyra boys and girls basketball teams each left Canton with a victory Friday night. The Palmyra girls won 54-49 before the boys sweated out a 64-62 victory. Muddy River Sports Writer…
Read MoreArea scoreboard for Thursday, Dec. 5
QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Thursday, Dec. 5: Boys basketball Liberty 64, Highland 27 Carrollton 47, Griggsville-Perry 31 Marion County 64, Bevier 33 Girls basketball Quincy High School 72, Geneseo 19 Quincy Notre Dame 72, West Hancock 32 Central-Southeastern 56, Macomb 40 Pittsfield 47, Winchester West Central 20 Illini West 48, Rushville-Industry…
Read MoreIllinois boys basketball state rankings: QHS sits at No. 4 in Class 4A, West Hancock No. 8 in Class 2A
CHICAGO — Here is a look at the first Illinois Associated Press boys basketball state rankings, as voted on by a panel of sports writers and sportscasters from throughout the state: Class 4A Rank School Total Points 1. Gurnee Warren (5) (4-0) 76 2. Homewood-Flossmoor (2) (4-0) 67 3. Kenwood (2-0) 63 …
Read MoreAllen’s display of ‘bully ball’ sparks Mustangs’ comeback, carries them to victory over Saukees
MENDON, Ill. — Sawyer Allen will never be labeled as a finesse type of basketball player. Never, ever. The 6-foot junior, who served as the quarterback of the Unity football team, more resembles a bull in a china shop when on a basketball court. A bull with moves, that is. Allen feels he owns the…
Read MoreArea scoreboard for Tuesday, Dec. 3
QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Tuesday, Dec. 3: Boys basketball Griggsville-Perry 61, Brown County (3OT) Mendon Unity 58, Pittsfield 54 Macomb 68, Geneseo 41 North Greene 51, Pleasant Hill 50 Palmyra 79, Mark Twain 38 Louisiana 58, Highland 48 Marion County 57, Community R-VI 36 Girls basketball Hannibal 68, Hazelwood East 25…
Read MoreRatchet up the intensity: Brown County takes control by wearing down Central with defense
MT. STERLING, Ill. — Brown County boys basketball coach Jeff Bottorff feared a championship hangover. The Hornets entered Monday’s game against Camp Point Central fresh off of a Beardstown Tournament championship in which they defeated Winchester West Central — the reigning Class 1A state champion — in Saturday’s title game and won four games in…
Read MoreArea scoreboard for Monday, Dec. 2
QUINCY — Here is the area scoreboard for Monday, Dec. 2: Boys basketball Brown County 62, Camp Point Central 34 Canton 65, Monroe City 42 Girls basketball Quincy Notre Dame 65, Western 24 Central-Southeastern 59, Brown County 26 Illini West 46, West Hancock 42 Macomb 58, Lewistown 25 Monroe City 61, Canton 49 Men’s basketball…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Rivals square off on hardwood as Brown County boys, Central-Southeastern girls win
MT. STERLING, Ill. — The rivalry between Brown County and Camp Point Central took center stage Monday night with the Brown County boys basketball team winning 62-34 and the Central-Southeastern girls winning 59-26 in the head-to-head matchups. Muddy River Sports Writer Shane Hulsey was courtside and put together this photo gallery:
Read MorePittsfield’s Hull to be inducted into IBCA Hall of Fame as part of Class of 2025
QUINCY — Jack Hull has been affiliated with bringing high school sports to Pike County fans over the airwaves for more than three decades, and he’s done so by being relatable, charismatic and honest. Those are the hallmarks of a Hall of Fame broadcaster. Hull, a former play-by-play voice for WBBA radio and one of…
Read More‘We played as one’: Blue Devils feed off each other to win fifth consecutive Thanksgiving title
QUINCY — Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas burned a timeout only 2 minutes, 45 seconds into Saturday night’s championship game of the 53rd QHS Thanksgiving Tournament for two reasons. Stem the tide and send a message. Burbank St. Laurence scored the game’s first seven points and was emotionally gaining steam before the…
Read MoreRaiders putting their unselfishness, ability to make game-to-game improvements on full display
QUINCY — Two games into the high school boys basketball season, and Quincy Notre Dame coach Greg Altmix already likes what he sees. Eleven players entered the scoring column, with four reaching double figures, as the Raiders overcame an early deficit to cruise to a 77-48 victory over Gateway STEM (Mo.) Saturday night in the…
Read MoreHornets make statement with strong fourth quarter against Cougars, win tourney championship
BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — The Brown County boys basketball team made a statement not only Saturday, but throughout Thanksgiving week. The Hornets defeated reigning Class 1A state champion Winchester West Central 55-50 on Saturday to capture the Beardstown Tournament title. “This was an opportunity to gauge where we’re at and get a statement win,” Brown County…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Blue Devils beat Vikings to win 53rd QHS Thanksgiving Tournament
QUINCY — Bradley Longcor III and the rest of the Quincy High School boys basketball players have made it abundantly clear they don’t like to lose at home. The Blue Devils ran their homecourt win streak to 18 straight games with Saturday’s 69-47 victory over Burbank St. Laurence and secured the championship of the 53rd…
Read MoreGet it and go: Raiders employ up-tempo attack to run away from Comets in season opener
QUINCY — Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Greg Altmix hoped his team would be in midseason form in its season opener even if he knew that wasn’t likely. Still, the effort he witnessed from start to finish was the next best thing. “Working hard and hustling can cover up for a lot of mistakes,”…
Read MoreFlip the switch: Thomas, Blue Devils dominate inside to roll past Eagles and into title showdown
QUINCY — As the Quincy High School boys basketball team reviewed the film from Thursday’s season-opening victory, Blue Devils coach Andy Douglas offered a critique that struck a nerve with senior forward Keshaun Thomas. The 6-foot-6 Thomas needed to be more aggressive chasing rebounds. “It turns a switch on for me,” Thomas said. “I have…
Read MoreSaukees rely on defense to carry them to title of their own Thanksgiving tournament
PITTSFIELD, Ill. — Keep shooting. Eventually, the ball goes in. That’s the mentality the Pittsfield boys basketball players needed Friday night. The Saukees missed their first nine 3-point attempts, but once the ball started going through the hoop, everything changed. Taylor Graham hit a 3-pointer as the third quarter ended to give Pittsfield a one-point…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Blue Devils power past Eagles and set up championship matchup at Blue Devil Gym
QUINCY — After watching Burbank St. Laurence stay undefeated after two nights of the 53rd QHS Thanksgiving Tournament, the Quincy High School boys basketball team needed to do the same. The Blue Devils did so emphatically, beating Dunlap 81-33 at Blue Devil Gym. That sets up a winner-take-all championship game between Quincy and St. Laurence…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Raiders sweep first night of QND/Gully Transportation Tip-Off Tourney
QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame boys and girls basketball teams made it a successful home debut Friday night at The Pit. The QND boys beat McCluer (Mo.) 65-40 in Greg Altmix’s first game as head coach, while the QND girls ran away from Calhoun 62-32 in the QND/Gully Transportation Tip-Off Tourney. Muddy River Sports…
Read MoreBlistering start, pedal-to-the-metal finish enable Blue Devils to earn season-opening victory
QUINCY — The beginning and ending of the script the Quincy High School boys basketball team wants to follow played out almost flawlessly Thursday night. It’s the middle part that needs a rewrite. A scintillating start in which Bradley Longcor III scored the game’s first seven points, bookending the flurry with dunks, allowed the Blue…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QHS boys basketball team outlasts Lindblom in tourney opener
QUINCY — Emotion, energy and enthusiasm converged on Blue Devil Gym on Thursday night as the Quincy High School boys basketball team opened its season with a 76-58 victory over Chicago Lindblom in the 53rd QHS Thanksgiving Tournament. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman sat courtside and put together this photo gallery:
Read MoreBlue Devils expect to see different styles, different challenges during 53rd Thanksgiving Tournament
QUINCY — Starting Thursday, there’s no time to dwell on the wouldas, couldas and shouldas. That’s what Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas likes about starting the season with three games in three days, which the Blue Devils will do in the 53rd QHS Thanksgiving Tournament in Blue Devil Gym. Quincy kicks off…
Read MoreArea scoreboard for Wednesday, Nov. 27
QUINCY — Here is a look at the area scoreboard for Wednesday, Nov. 27: Boys basketball Pittsfield Thanksgiving Tournament Pittsfield 55, Camp Point Central 38 Liberty 55, Petersburg PORTA 47 Beardstown Tournament Brown County 77, Griggsville-Perry JV 26 Southeastern 49, Beardstown 45 Spartan Tip-Off Tournament Illini West 39, Bushnell-Prairie City 15 Illini Bluffs 48, Macomb…
Read MoreSchuckman: As curtain rises on QHS basketball season, there’s an angel looking over these Devils
QUINCY — The laughs shared in a calm moment between practice drills Tuesday afternoon were a small sign healing has begun. It may take all season — or longer even — for the Quincy High School boys basketball players and coaches to fully embrace the fact a voice they listened to and cherished hearing has…
Read MoreCountdown to tipoff: Experience will help Blue Devils meet heightened expectations
Coverage of the QHS boys basketball team is brought to you by: QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball players don’t shy away from harboring state championship aspirations. “That’s my goal every time I play,” 6-foot-3 senior guard Bradley Longcor III said. Still, becoming preoccupied with that title pursuit is the last thing the…
Read MoreArea scoreboard for Tuesday, Nov. 26
QUINCY — Here is a look at the area scoreboard for Tuesday, Nov. 26: Boys basketball Bowling Green 61, Hannibal 56 Canton 56, Knox County 26 Monroe City 59, Moberly 45 Mark Twain 49, Paris 46 Kirksville 59, Highland 22 Pittsfield Thanksgiving Tournament Camp Point Central 33, Western 21 Petersburg PORTA 59, Payson Seymour 50…
Read MoreCountdown to tipoff: Raiders put focus on playing physical, earning minutes in Altmix’s first season
Coverage of the QND boys basketball team brought to you by: QUINCY — Greg Altmix has embraced the challenges of fitting the puzzle pieces together. Altmix’s tallest task as the first-year Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach is putting those pieces into the correct places to get the clearest picture possible. “It’s going to be…
Read More‘That hoop looks like an ocean to him’: Liberty’s Sparrow drains seven treys in victory over Payson
PITTSFIELD, Ill. — When Reed Sparrow finds his groove, there is no telling where he will shoot from next. “You kind of question it a little bit with him being so far away, but you also have to give him the green light because sometimes that hoop looks like an ocean to him,” Liberty boys…
Read MoreSecond-half dominance defensively carries Saukees to tourney-opening victory
PITTSFIELD, Ill. — Junior guard Hayden Gratton and his Pittsfield basketball teammates want to instill fear in their opponents with their defense. “We want them to be really scared,” Gratton said. “Get them going fast and turn the ball over.” The Saukees did exactly that on Monday. Pittsfield’s full-court, high-pressure defense forced 15 Western turnovers…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Liberty, Pittsfield win on opening night of Pittsfield Thanksgiving Tournament
PITTSFIELD, Ill. — A 3-point shootout, a lockdown defensive effort and a raucous crowd highlighted the opening night of the Pittsfield Thanksgiving Tournament at Voshall Gym on Monday. The Liberty boys basketball team outlasted Payson Seymour 56-47, while Pittsfield upended Western 49-36. Muddy River Sports Writer Shane Hulsey spent his evening in Pike County and…
Read MoreArea scoreboard for Monday, Nov. 25
QUINCY — Here are the local scores from Monday, November 25: Boys basketball Pittsfield Thanksgiving Tournament Liberty 56, Payson Seymour 47 Pittsfield 49, Western 36 Beardstown Tournament Mendon Unity 76, Hartsburg-Emden 40 Spartan Tip-Off Tournament Illini West 51, West Prairie 22 Macomb 54, Bushnell-Prairie City 23 Girls basketball Hannibal 73, Bowling Green 14 Brown County…
Read MoreArea scoreboard for Saturday, November 23
QUINCY — Here is a look at the area scores from Saturday, November 23: Girls basketball Southern Illinois Shootout Edwardsville 42, Quincy High School 29 Pana Turkey Tournament Central-Southeastern 61, Mattoon 22 Central-Southeastern 76, Pana 35 Brown County Lady Hornet Classic West Hancock 40, Rushville-Industry 37 Brown County 61, Payson Seymour 23 Beardstown 54, Mendon…
Read MoreSplit decision for Palmyra boys and girls basketball teams on opening night
PALMYRA, Mo. — The Palmyra boys basketball team showed its depth and firepower in Friday night’s season-opening 74-58 victory over Clopton. Sophomore guard Hudson Bock scored a game-high 22 points, while senior forward Mason Smith scored 12 of his 16 points in the first half in his Palmyra debut. The Panthers got to the free-throw…
Read MoreSchuckman: Lepper was big man with big heart, big laugh and big personality
QUINCY — When Tom Lepper stepped away from his role as an assistant coach with the Quincy High School boys basketball program two seasons ago due to health concerns, a number of people asked if a story would follow. The only way I’d write one, I continuously reiterated, was if he wanted to talk about…
Read MoreCountdown to tipoff: Hornets intent on raising some hell with their defensive pressure
Coverage of the Brown County boys basketball team brought to you by: MT. STERLING, Ill. — The “40 Minutes of Hell” play style made famous by Nolan Richardson’s men’s basketball teams at the University of Arkansas — which contributed to three Final Fours in six seasons and a 1994 national championship — is seeing a…
Read MoreCountdown to tipoff: Captain Jack ready to lead Liberty boys basketball team to more success
Coverage of the Liberty boys basketball team brought to you by: LIBERTY, Ill. — Even though the first film in the series had already been out for three years and the second was released the year before, Dan Sparrow had not seen any of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies before choosing a name for…
Read MoreCountdown to tipoff: Palmyra heads into season with new-look roster, same all-together mentality
Coverage of the Palmyra boys basketball team brought to you by: PALMYRA, Mo. — The game of hand soccer at the end of the Palmyra boys basketball team’s practice on Tuesday was not just a chance to goof off before going home. It served multiple purposes. The object of the game, which involves two teams…
Read MoreStrong sense of family at Austin Peay leads Blue Devils’ Clay to commit to play for Governors
QUINCY — Dom Clay’s junior season with the Quincy High School boys basketball team ended with a lot of people curious where his natural gifts and improving consistency might take him. They now know. It’s carrying him to the NCAA Division I level. The 6-foot-3 Clay recently committed to Austin Peay State University, making him…
Read MoreChicago Phillips boys basketball coach is told to turn in ‘equipment, keys and fobs’
QUINCY — A boys basketball coach whose team’s state championship season began with a trip to Blue Devil Gym last winter may not be returning to the sideline. Chicago Wendell Phillips coach Paris Martin appears to have been fired. The Chicago Sun-Times reported Martin received an email Tuesday afternoon from Phillips principal Rashad Talley requesting…
Read MoreCalifornia dreamin’: Player development key reason QHS’s Longcor commits to Santa Clara
QUINCY — The map shows Santa Clara, Calif., is nearly 2,000 miles away, but Bradley Longcor III doesn’t see it as being nearly that far. “We realized the plane flight is four hours,” the Quincy High School basketball standout said. “The other schools recruiting me are four hours away, too, except that’s a car ride…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Muddy River Showcase through another lens
QUINCY — The third annual Muddy River Showcase took place Saturday at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center with the Illinois boys and girls sweeping the all-star basketball event. The Illinois girls won 78-43, while the boys earned a 92-70 victory. Addi Zanger, a Quincy Notre Dame graduate and a sophomore at the University…
Read MoreDoyle, Wires spark Illinois’ full-court attack in third straight Muddy River Showcase victory
QUINCY — Dion Doyle decided this was the perfect opportunity to run it back. The Macomb basketball standout was part of a team that included Quincy High School’s Ralph Wires that won back-to-back Gus Macker 3-on-3 championships when the event was a Memorial Day weekend staple in downtown Quincy. Saturday, the duo reunited in the…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Relentless defense propels Land of Lincoln boys to victory in Muddy River Showcase
QUINCY — Despite their struggles offensively in the first 16 minutes of Saturday’s third annual Muddy River Showcase, the Illinois boys all-stars got rolling behind an aggressive defense and parlayed it into a 92-70 victory over Missouri at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent the day on…
Read MoreVideo highlights: Illinois, Missouri boys put athleticism on display in Muddy River Showcase
QUINCY — Muddy River Sports Writer Shane Hulsey put together a highlight package from the Illinois boys’ 92-70 victory over Missouri on Saturday in the third annual Muddy River Showcase at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center.
Read MoreSchuckman: Devilishly good decade coming to end for trio of QHS basketball teammates
QUINCY — Before the Lil’ Devils program brought them together, before they spent 10 consecutive winters running side-by-side, there were games in the YMCA basketball league where Ralph Wires, Tyler Sprick and Cam Brown were on opposite sides. “I tore them apart per usual,” Wires said with a mischievous, sarcastic grin. His ability to dart…
Read MoreFuture JWCC teammates ready to represent on college home floor in Muddy River Showcase
QUINCY — Neither Nick Moore nor Zack Evans is showing outward concern over the uncertainty surrounding John Wood Community College’s search for a men’s basketball coach, which has moved past the eight-week mark. And neither has wavered on their decision to sign with the Trail Blazers. The opportunity to play together is just too enticing.…
Read MoreRosters for Saturday’s Muddy River Showcase
QUINCY — Here are the rosters for Saturday’s third annual Muddy River Showcase pitting the top seniors from Illinois and Missouri in a basketball all-star setting. The girls game begins at 2 p.m. with the boys game to follow at 4 p.m. at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center.
Read MoreHighland’s Campen follows in mother’s footsteps, brings versatility to Muddy River Showcase
LEWISTOWN, Mo. — Brady Campen couldn’t recall the age he began playing basketball. “My mom got me started really young,” Campen said. Not a bad person to learn from. Campen’s mother — Amber Law Campen — starred at Carthage (Ill.) High School, where she averaged 18.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 steals and…
Read MoreHighland’s Logsdon finds calling after injury, returns to floor for Muddy River Showcase
LEWISTOWN, Mo. — Sometimes an injury can be a blessing in disguise. While he couldn’t play the sports he loved, Brayden Logsdon found his calling in coaching. Logsdon tore his right meniscus as he ran a quarterback keeper up the middle during the Highland football team’s Week 5 game against Macon on September 22, 2023.…
Read MoreIHSA alters basketball state tournament schedule, coaches praise change
QUINCY — The experience. Until Monday, this was the main concern surrounding the IHSA state basketball tournament schedule. Now, that concern is a thing of the past. At Monday’s monthly meeting in Bloomington, Ill., the IHSA Board of Directors approved a recommendation for a new state finals schedule that will ensure a two-day experience for…
Read MoreShot clock is coming to Illinois prep basketball in 2026-27 season, but coaches remain divided on its need
QUINCY — The future implementation of the shot clock in Illinois high school basketball has coaches conflicted over how the game will look and operate, especially at different levels of the sport. Monday, the Illinois High School Association Board of Directors approved using a 35-second shot clock for all varsity girls and boys basketball games…
Read MoreLiberty tabs Sparrow to take over reins of boys basketball program
LIBERTY, Ill. — Dan Sparrow first had to address the situation as an athletic director before he could look at it as an interested party. Greg Altmix resigned as the Liberty boys basketball coach in mid-May, forcing the Liberty administration to act with a certain degree of haste in finding his replacement in order to…
Read MoreMuddy River Showcase profile: Hannibal guard Mason Hull carries on all-star tradition
HANNIBAL, Mo. — Although basketball is the tie that binds the Hull family, pickleball is the game of choice these days, especially when Mason Hull and his dad, Marty, go head-to-head. And there isn’t much room for debate on who is better at pickleball. “Me,” Mason said. Would Marty dispute that at all? “No,” Mason…
Read More‘The timing was right’: Bottorff takes over as Brown County boys basketball coach
MT. STERLING, Ill. — Retirement is coming at the perfect time for both Jeff Bottorff and the Brown County boys basketball program. The vice president of quality and training at DOT Foods since 2006, Bottorff will step away as a full-time employee at the end of May. Although he intends to continue serving as a…
Read MoreQuincy Notre Dame tabs Liberty’s Altmix to be next boys basketball coach
QUINCY — Greg Altmix understood the allegiance his great-nephew had when the Liberty and Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball teams crossed paths. As a parochial school student playing for the Crusaders program, he had to root for the Raiders. “It stung a little seeing my great-nephew down there cheering for Notre Dame and rooting against…
Read MoreToughness, physical play part of Missouri roster’s charm for Muddy River Showcase
QUINCY — What do you get when you put arguably the most versatile boys basketball player in Northeast Missouri alongside a top-flight scorer, a couple of lethal jumpers and a backcourt of nose-to-the-grindstone workers? It’s an all-star team capable of challenging Illinois’ best for supremacy. The Missouri roster for the third annual Muddy River Showcase…
Read MoreIllinois boys roster for Muddy River Showcase features champions, top scorers, playmakers
QUINCY — Winners. That’s the best way to describe the Illinois boys roster for the third annual Muddy River Showcase. The 10 players selected to represent the Land of Lincoln helped their teams to a combined .727 winning percentage last winter. One was the leading scorer on a state championship squad. One quarterbacked his football…
Read MoreState Farm Center will continue to host boys basketball state tourney, format still under discussion
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The site won’t change. Will the format? Thursday, the Illinois High School Association Board of Directors announced a five-year contract extension to keep the boys basketball state tournament at State Farm Center on the University of Illinois campus in Champaign-Urbana. The contract runs through the 2028-29 season. The success of the tournament…
Read MoreSchuckman: QND coaching search starts by looking in mirror for blueprint of what works
QUINCY — As Quincy Notre Dame athletic director Bill Connell begins the search for the school’s next boys basketball coach, he first must look in the mirror. That’s where he will see the direction he needs to go. In the fall of 1992, with one season as a collegiate assistant coach under his belt and…
Read More‘I think we had an impact’: Meyer makes difficult decision to resign as QND boys basketball coach after nine seasons at helm
QUINCY — The reaction Kevin Meyer received from the news he had resigned as the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach continually brought him to tears as Friday afternoon slowly rolled into night. “The overwhelming support and the reaching out from my players and coaches across the state has been incredible,” Meyer said. “I felt…
Read MoreMeyer resigns after nine seasons as head coach of QND boys basketball program
QUINCY — Another successful Quincy Notre Dame athletic program is looking for a new leader. Kevin Meyer submitted his resignation Friday, stepping away from the QND boys basketball program after nine seasons at the helm — a span in which his teams won 20 or more games five times and he became the second-winningest coach…
Read MoreSchuck on a Truck: KHQA Sports Director Chris Duerr talks basketball awards, spring sports
QUINCY — The end of the prep basketball season turns into awards season the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association and the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association announcing their all-state honors and local media outlets all-area teams. Or in the case of KHQA Sports Director Chris Duerr, he unveils his All-Do or Die teams. Duerr joined Muddy River…
Read MoreBoys Basketball Player of the Year: Statistics, accolades and stellar play making Longcor one of QHS’s all-time greats
QUINCY — The disappointment on Bradley Longcor III’s face was present, but the determination trumped it all. When the Quincy High School boys basketball players took the court at 5:30 a.m. on the first day of practice, Longcor stayed on the sideline. An offseason knee injury left him working individually with a trainer instead of…
Read More2023-24 Boys basketball all-area team: Seniors create 20-win legacies, juniors ready to carry torch
QUINCY — From victories over nationally ranked foes and upsets of state title favorites to heartbreaking endings, the area boys basketball scene provided all the drama and intrigue hoops fans desired. It was accompanied by some stellar individual efforts as well. With that in mind, here is the 2023-24 boys basketball all-area team with players…
Read MorePickett ready to lead program close to his heart as he takes over as Hannibal boys basketball coach
HANNIBAL, Mo. — Josh Pickett has never forgotten what it felt like to represent Hannibal on the hardwood. “Every time I go into Korf Gym, it brings back memories,” he said. The time has come for Pickett to help the Pirates recreate those moments. Thursday, Pickett was introduced as the new Hannibal boys basketball coach,…
Read MoreSchuckman: IHSA eyeing target date to implement shot clock and other prep basketball notes
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,…
Read MoreTop Missouri players earn all-district honors with four receiving Player of the Year nods
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…
Read MoreCrim: With more than five decades of coaching experience to share, Fray still willing to answer call
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…
Read MoreCentral’s Moore receives second-team all-state honors, five area players earn special mention
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…
Read MoreQHS’s Longcor receives IBCA first-team all-state plaudits, Thomas earns third-team honors
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…
Read MoreBombers’ remarkable postseason run ends with super-sectional loss to Bullets
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…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Macomb, Williamsville engage in defensive battle in super-sectional
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…
Read MorePostseason 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…
Read MoreSchuckman: Strength of character shows in how Wires, Buehler handled adversity
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…
Read MoreGame Night Guide: Bombers look to dodge Bullets in Class 2A super-sectional
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…
Read MoreFrom ecstasy to misery in four seconds: Turnover on inbounds pass leads to bitter season-ending loss for QHS
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…
Read MoreBombs away!: Macomb’s 3-point barrage overwhelms Rockridge, leads to first sectional championship since 2006
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…
Read MorePanthers unable to chop Alvey, Tigers down to size in suffering sectional championship setback
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…
Read MoreBreaking down the final four seconds of the Quincy High School vs. Normal Community Class 4A sectional final
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…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Blue Devils trail by as many as nine in first half before rallying to take lead
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…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Macomb reaches Class 2A elite eight by avenging holiday loss to Rockridge
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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