Posts Tagged ‘Boys basketball’
Photo 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…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Central’s effort to cut Illini Bluffs down to size falls short in sectional title game
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…
Read MoreGame Night Guide: Quincy High School to face Normal Community for sectional title
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…
Read MoreGame Night Guide: Macomb, Rockridge lock horns once again, this time with sectional title at stake
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…
Read MoreGame Night Guide: Camp Point Central gets sectional title game rematch with Illini Bluffs
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…
Read MoreComeback for the ages: Macomb rallies in fourth quarter to upset title favorite Peoria Manual
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…
Read More‘Phenomenal’ second-quarter blitz helps QHS rout Belleville West to reach sectional championship game
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…
Read MoreWith a wink and a smile: Longcor’s buzzer beater to end first half also shuts up teasing teammate
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…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: Four Blue Devils score in double figures in dominant performance over Belleville West
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…
Read MoreMoore’s late free throws help Central claw way into Class 1A sectional championship game
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…
Read MorePriory’s fourth-quarter defense locks down Palmyra, ends Panthers’ dynamic season
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…
Read MoreHarrisburg’s Combs uses third-quarter scoring spurt to end Canton’s season in sectionals
CANTON, Mo. — As they walked to the locker room at halftime trailing by only two points, the Canton boys basketball team found themselves with a legitimate chance to earn a spot in the Class 2 state quarterfinals. Trace Combs put an end to those hopes. Combs, a junior southpaw guard, scored 12 of his…
Read MoreCrim: Postseason basketball outcomes create intrigue, questions how futures unfold
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…
Read MoreTune doesn’t change for Panthers as defense leads to success, this time in district title game
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…
Read MoreAlspaw, Brewer give Tigers edge in district championship victory over Rams
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…
Read More‘Everything was big in that fourth quarter’: Blue Devils rally to keep season alive with regional championship
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…
Read MoreCentral uses right reaction to challenge to fuel charge that ends with regional championship
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…
Read MoreDown nine with 56 seconds to play, West Hancock throws scare at Pleasant Plains before losing in regional final
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…
Read MorePoise and precision allow Bombers to go on second-half run, capture regional crown
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…
Read MorePostseason 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…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: Three-point shooting woes prove costly for Titans in championship game
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…
Read MorePanthers, Cardinals set up showdown for Class 3 district championship
PALMYRA, Mo. — The state-ranked Palmyra boys basketball team didn’t waste any time living up to the No. 1 district seed. Hudson Bock buried five 3-pointers in the first quarter Thursday night as the Panthers rolled to a 58-25 victory over Clark County in the Class 3 District 6 semifinals. Palmyra (25-1) will face third-seeded…
Read MorePostseason scoreboard: Illinois girls super-sectionals, Missouri district title games set
QUINCY — Here are the updated Illinois and Missouri postseason basketball brackets: Illinois girls Class 3A Decatur MacArthur Sectional Tuesday, February 20 Game 1 — Quincy Notre Dame 63, Mahomet-Seymour 46 Game 2 — Chatham Glenwood 51, Mt. Zion 34 Thursday, February 22 Game 3 — Chatham Glenwood 44, Quincy Notre Dame 43 Effingham Sectional…
Read MoreBlue Devils’ Longcor is named WB6 MVP, Thomas joins him on all-conference first team
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…
Read MoreImprovisational skills: Wires sets up Thomas for game-winning basket on busted play as Blue Devils find way to survive
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…
Read MoreWest Hancock turns to defense to grind out victory over Illini West in regional semifinals
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…
Read MoreFive-minute drought in second quarter too much for Pittsfield to overcome in Class 2A regional setback
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…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: West Hancock gains edge in county rivalry by knocking Illini West out in postseason
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…
Read MoreOffensive 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…
Read MoreRegional 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…
Read MorePostseason scoreboard: Illinois boys regional title game matchups set
QUINCY — Here are the updated brackets for Illinois and Missouri postseason basketball tournaments. Illinois girls Class 3A Decatur MacArthur Sectional Tuesday, February 20 Game 1 — Quincy Notre Dame 63, Mahomet-Seymour 46 Game 2 — Chatham Glenwood 51, Mt. Zion 34 Thursday, February 22 Game 3 — Quincy Notre Dame vs. Chatham Glenwood, 6…
Read MorePostseason scoreboard: Tuesday’s results and Wednesday’s schedule
QUINCY — Here is a look at what transpired Tuesday night with Illinois girls sectionals and Missouri boys districts and a schedule for Wednesday’s action. Illinois girls Class 3A Decatur MacArthur Sectional Tuesday, February 20 Game 1 — Quincy Notre Dame 63, Mahomet-Seymour 46 Game 2 — Chatham Glenwood 51, Mt. Zion 34 Thursday, February…
Read MoreSchuckman: Logic seems flawed with setup of IHSA postseason basketball brackets
QUINCY — Is the Illinois High School Association postseason basketball series flawed? You be the judge. While scouring brackets and planning our coverage of this week’s boys basketball regionals, I ran across a number of scenarios that made me question the equitable nature of the setup. Because the Quincy schools are at the heart of…
Read MoreBlue Devils head into postseason facing gauntlet of formidable foes
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…
Read MorePostseason scoreboard: Illinois boys, Missouri teams join the playoff fray
QUINCY — Here is a look at the scores and schedules for postseason play throughout West Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri: Illinois girls Class 3A Decatur MacArthur Sectional Tuesday, February 20 Game 1 — Quincy Notre Dame vs. Mahomet-Seymour, 6 p.m. Game 2 — Mt. Zion vs. Chatham Glenwood, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, February 22 Game…
Read MorePalmyra boys put cap on CCC championship, turn sights to postseason success
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…
Read MoreChiefs’ size tips scale in fourth quarter as Raiders close regular season with loss at home
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…
Read MoreBrown County eighth graders continue lockdown defense, win IESA Class 2A state championship
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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