Posts Tagged ‘Girls basketball’
Schuck 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 MoreGirls Basketball Player of the Year: Instincts, intangibles set Central-Southeastern’s Miller apart more than numbers, accolades
CAMP POINT, Ill. — As good as Lauren Miller’s statistical resume is, the numbers alone don’t set her apart. Nor do the postseason accolades, which proved be across-the-board impressive when you realize the Central-Southeastern junior forward was considered one of the 10 best Class 2A girls basketball players in the state by two different organizations.…
Read More2023-24 Girls basketball all-area team: Freshmen emerge, juniors rise to occasion, seniors shine
QUINCY — From freshmen making an immediate impact to seniors leaving a lasting legacy, the area girls basketball scene featured remarkable individual performances that led to widespread team success. Eleven players earned all-state honors while six teams won at least 20 games with two regional titles, one district championship and two sectional crowns. It made…
Read MorePalmyra’s King, South Shelby’s McWilliams earn Class 3 all-state recognition
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A pair of area Clarence Cannon Conference standouts received all-state honors from the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association. Palmyra senior Candra King and South Shelby junior Callie McWilliams were named to the 20-player Class 3 team. Also receiving all-state nods from the CCC were the Centralia duo of Braylin Brunkhorst and Ryenn…
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 MoreCSE’s Miller leads brigade of area girls players receiving all-state honors from IBCA
QUINCY — Lauren Miller’s ability to create scoring opportunities for herself and her Central-Southeastern girls basketball teammates elevated her game to that of a first-team all-stater. The 5-foot-10 junior forward was named to the Class 2A all-state first team by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association, one of three CSE players to be honored by the…
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 MoreCSE’s Miller receives second-team all-state honors, three others earn honorable mention
QUINCY — Lauren Miller’s game is drawing interest from NCAA Division I and II women’s basketball coaches throughout the Midwest. For good reason. The Central-Southeastern junior forward was named a Class 2A second-team all-stater this week by the Illinois Media. She is the only area girls player to be named all-state in any of the…
Read MoreNashville Blues: Hornettes’ defensive length overwhelms Central-Southeastern in super-sectional
VANDALIA, Ill. — The southern half of the state already has learned. The rest of the state will find out this weekend. The Nashville girls basketball team is exceptionally good and a state championship threat — now and for the next three years. The Hornettes, ranked No. 3 in the Class 2A state poll, field…
Read MoreLady Birds show depth, tenacity in second half to knock out Indians and reach state quarterfinals
SHELBINA, Mo. — Belle Roush didn’t come out of the locker room at the start of the second half Monday night. Her teammates didn’t let it faze them. The South Shelby girls basketball team’s all-conference junior forward scored 12 points in the first half to stake the Lady Birds to a 27-21 lead over Elsberry…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: Panthers get within four points but fail to score from field in fourth quarter
VANDALIA, Ill. — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team trailed for all but the opening minutes in Monday night’s 41-32 loss to Nashville in the Class 2A super-sectional at Vandalia High School. CSE got within 36-32 with 3:51 to play but didn’t score again, making just three free throws in the final eight minutes. Lauren Miller…
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 MoreLady Birds continue postseason mastery of Panthers by winning another district crown
PALMYRA, Mo. — While the regular season matchups belonged to Palmyra, the South Shelby girls basketball team still owns the postseason. The second-seeded Lady Birds outscored the top-seeded Panthers 21-2 during a 6 1/2-minute stretch beginning late in the third quarter Friday night to erase a six-point deficit and pull away for a 63-50 victory…
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 MoreTrusting process carries Central-Southeastern past Pleasant Plains and to sectional title
BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — There were quite a few blue T-shirts with white lettering scattered across the Central-Southeastern stands Thursday night. The message the shirts carried was a simple one: “Trust the Process.” CSE girls basketball coach Matt Long’s explanation of that phrase was not particularly complicated, but still rather poignant — even more so following…
Read More‘I feel heartbreak for the kids’: Bid for sectional title falls one point short for Notre Dame girls
DECATUR, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team couldn’t have asked for a better player to step to the free-throw line. Sophomore Ari Buehler, who had scored eight points in the fourth quarter and expertly handled Chatham Glenwood’s unrelenting defensive pressure to keep the Raiders close, was fouled near mid-court with eight-tenths of…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Central-Southeastern shows resiliency in winning sectional championship
BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball players never lost faith in each other or the belief the sectional championship would be theirs, fending off Pleasant Plains 43-37 to win the Class 2A Beardstown Sectional on Thursday night. Photographer Mike Pritchard shared this photo gallery of the Panthers’ victory:
Read MorePhoto Gallery: Buehler, Durst spark comeback for Raiders after trailing by 10 points in first half
DECATUR, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team didn’t score a field goal in the first quarter and trailed by as many as 10 points in the first half, but it rallied to take the lead in the third quarter and several times in the fourth quarter in a 44-43 loss to Chatham…
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 MorePanthers, Lady Birds to collide in district championship game
PALMYRA, Mo. — Sydney Compton and Clare Williams each scored five first-quarter points as the Palmyra girls basketball team built a 10-point advantage and rolled to a 49-38 victory over Macon in Wednesday night’s Class 3 District 6 semifinals. The Tigerettes scored 15 second-quarter points to trim the deficit to six at halftime, but 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 MoreRaiders shake off first-quarter slumber, advance to third straight sectional championship game
DECATUR, Ill. — Survive and advance. That’s all. “It was not our best game obviously,” Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne said after the Raiders eliminated Mahomet-Seymour with Tuesday night’s 63-46 victory in the semifinals of the Class 3A Decatur MacArthur Sectional. “But you know at this time of year, you got to…
Read MorePeters’ free throws help CSE hold off Staunton’s fourth-quarter surge and reach sectional title game
BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — Lauren Miller’s assessment was spot on. “We have to do better Thursday,” the Central-Southeastern junior forward said. The CSE girls basketball team escaped Tuesday night’s Class 2 sectional semifinal game with a hard-earned 56-50 victory over Staunton in front of about 600 fans at Beardstown High School. Central-Southeastern (28-2) advances to face…
Read MorePhoto gallery: CSE advances to sectional championship game by beating Staunton
BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — The fourth quarter may have gotten a little too close for comfort, but the Central-Southeastern girls basketball team withstood Staunton’s late surge to secure a 56-50 victory in the semifinals of the Class 2A Beardstown Sectional on Tuesday night. Photographer Mike Pritchard shared this photo gallery from the game:
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 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 MoreHighland’s second-half surge leads to knocking off Palmyra, building postseason momentum
PALMYRA, Mo. — The Highland girls basketball team’s play in the second half Saturday afternoon bordered on the inexplicable. The Cougars, who at one point in the first quarter appeared to be on life support, completely overwhelmed Palmyra over the closing two periods to take a 47-38 Clarence Cannon Conference victory in the regular-season finale.…
Read MoreStratton clamps down on another top scorer, leads QND girls to 31st regional title in school history
JERSEYVILLE, Ill. — When Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne walked into the gym for practice on Tuesday afternoon, he noticed junior guard Sage Stratton was already shooting around. When Orne made eye contact with Stratton, he flashed the number two with his hand twice. Stratton quietly nodded and said, “I know.” Stratton…
Read MoreLantz’s free throws enable Central-Southeastern to fend off SHG for Class 2A regional title
CAMP POINT, Ill. — Karly Peters’ response was both euphoric and prophetic. “This feeling is amazing, and we’re not done yet,” said Peters, a 5-foot-9 junior forward for Central-Southeastern’s No. 6-ranked Class 2A girls basketball team. Peters was one of several Panthers who figured prominently in the CSE’s 44-41 victory over Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin during…
Read MoreOpportunity to stay with defending state champs eludes Blue Devils in regional championship loss
O’FALLON, Ill. — Brad Dance could feel how much the missed opportunities hurt. The Quincy High School girls basketball team trailed defending state champion O’Fallon 15-10 in the first quarter of Thursday night’s Class 4A regional championship, but had it not been for squandering a couple of offensive chances, the Blue Devils could have been…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Central-Southeastern wins regional championship clash with SHG
CAMP POINT, Ill. — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team took advantage of the friendly confines of its home gym Thursday night, earning a 44-41 victory over Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin in the Class 2A regional championship in front of a standing room-only crowd. The Panthers went 14-0 at home this season while advancing to the Beardstown…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: Barrage of 3-pointers in second quarter fuels Raiders’ victory at Jerseyville
JERSEYVILLE, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team went a 19-2 run, punctuated by four 3-pointers, in the second quarter and went on to win 49-30 over Jerseyville on Thursday night in the Class 3A regional championship game. Tristan Pieper and Marie Eversman had one 3-pointer in the run and Sage Stratton made two…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QHS girls see 25-win season come to end in regional title loss to O’Fallon
O’FALLON, Ill. — The Class 4A sub-sectional the Quincy High School girls basketball team was assigned proved to be as challening as expected. The third-seeded Blue Devils suffered a 55-40 loss to second-seeded O’Fallon in Thursday night’s regional championship, ending Quincy’s season with a 25-7 record. Freelance photographer Paul Baillargeon put together this photo gallery…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Palmyra sweeps doubleheader from Hannibal at Korf Gym
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…
Read MoreStrong start propels Blue Devils into rematch with Panthers for regional championship
O’FALLON, Ill. — The Quincy High School girls basketball players didn’t get caught up in the scouting report or overly concern themselves with how Belleville East would attack. “They just want to go out and play and do what’s expected of them,” Quincy coach Brad Dance said. And they expected to earn a spot in…
Read MoreRaiders settle in defensively, pull away from Crimsons to earn spot in Class 3A regional title tilt
JERSEYVILLE, Ill. — A minute into Monday night’s Class 3A Jerseyville Regional semifinal, Jacksonville led the top-seeded Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team 4-2 and maybe saw a glimmer of hope it could pull off an upset. That faded fast. The Raiders went on a 9-0 run to take the lead and then held the…
Read MorePostseason scoreboard: Girls regional championship matchups set
QUINCY — Here are the pairings for the Illinois girls basketball postseason tournaments: Class 1A Mendon Regional Saturday, February 10 Game 1 — Rushville-Industry 51, Payson Seymour 38 Game 2 — Liberty 58, West Prairie 7 Monday, February 12 Game 3 — Illini Bluffs 60, Rushville-Industry 25 Game 4 — Mendon Unity 48, Liberty 30…
Read MorePanthers see room for improvement before Thursday’s regional championship game
CAMP POINT, Ill. — From Matt Long’s perspective, Monday night was a borderline disappointment — except for the final score. From the way Lauren Miller saw things, there’s room for improvement but a win’s still a win. The bottom line? The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team’s 18th straight victory was a little rough around the edges,…
Read MoreSHG clamps down defensively after first quarter, knocks West Hancock out of postseason
CAMP POINT, Ill. — The West Hancock girls basketball team opened Monday night’s Class 2A regional semifinal game with an impressive 16-point first quarter against Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin. Unfortunately, the Titans only scored 16 more points the rest of the game. Sacred Heart-Griffin’s defense and a ball-control offense in the fourth quarter combined to eliminate…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QHS girls blitz Belleville East to reach regional title game
O’FALLON, Ill. — The Quincy High School girls basketball team scored the game’s first 17 points and rolled to a 68-30 victory over Belleville East in Monday night’s semifinals of the Class 4A O’Fallon Regional. The Blue Devils (25-6) will face O’Fallon at 7 p.m. Thursday for the regional championship. Photographer Paul Baillargeon of Archview…
Read MorePhoto gallery: CSE, SHG pick up Class 2A regional semifinal victories
CAMP POINT, Ill. — The top-seeded Central-Southeastern girls basketball team and fourth-seeded Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin remained on a collision course as both won Class 2A regional semifinals Monday night at Central High School. The Panthers beat Pittsfield 51-28 and the Cyclones upended West Hancock 42-32. Freelance photographer Mike Pritchard shared this photo gallery from semifinal…
Read MoreIn their own words: Players sum up CSE coach Matt Long’s impact after he reaches 600-victory plateau during regular season
CAMP POINT, Ill. — During the 25-2 regular-season record the state-ranked Central-Southeastern girls basketball team compiled, a milestone moment occurred that allowed current and former Panthers to celebrate the impact of their coach. Matt Long, who has been at the helm since the 1993-94 season, won the 600th game of his career, becoming just the…
Read MorePostseason scoreboard: Illinois girls basketball regional pairings
QUINCY — Here are the pairings for the Illinois girls basketball postseason tournaments: Class 1A Mendon Regional Saturday, February 10 Game 1 — Rushville-Industry 51, Payson Seymour 38 Game 2 — Liberty 58, West Prairie 7 Monday, February 12 Game 3 — No. 1 Illini Bluffs vs. No. 9 Rushville-Industry, 6 p.m. Game 4 —…
Read MoreState-ranked Palmyra girls shake off sluggish start to power past Bowling Green
PALMYRA, Mo. — Enough was enough. About halfway through the first quarter Thursday night, Palmyra girls basketball coach Kelsey Stuart had witnessed her club commit too many turnovers, miss way too many free throws and play a generally ineffective brand of basketball. She called for a timeout. What was actually said during that break in…
Read MoreVictory enables QHS girls to finish regular season with one of best records in program history
MOLINE, Ill. — The Quincy High School girls basketball team put a cap on one of the best regular seasons in program history. The Blue Devils limited Moline to 10 first-half points Thursday night and rolled to a 56-33 victory in Western Big 6 Conference play at Wharton Field House. Coupled with Rock Island Alleman’s…
Read MoreBack home again: Quincy girls start fast en route to 58-28 thumping of Hannibal
QUINCY — Leah Chevalier’s reasoning was understandable. Slightly flawed, maybe, but completely understandable. “This win allowed us to finish unbeaten at home,” said the Quincy High School girls basketball team’s senior point guard following Wednesday night’s 58-28 victory over Hannibal in front of a crowd of about 550 at the QHS gym. But … ummm…
Read MoreIllinois girls basketball state rankings: QND, Central-Southeastern hold steady
CHICAGO — Here are the Illinois girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, total points, and previous ranking. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (7) 31-0 79 1 2. Alton 27-2 65 2 3. Bolingbrook (1) 23-3 63 3 4. Maine South 27-1 48 5 (tie) Nazareth 24-3 48 4…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Blue Devils celebrate Senior Night by finishing 9-0 in QHS gym
QUINCY — The Quincy High School girls basketball team led 21-3 after the opening eight minutes and went on to defeat Hannibal 56-26 at the QHS gymnasium. The game had a celebratory feel to it, despite the Blue Devils (23-6) coming off a loss on Saturday in Blue Devil Gym to United Township. QHS coach…
Read More‘Unfinished business’: Palmyra girls gain revenge for earlier loss to Monroe City
MONROE CITY, Mo. — Palmyra girls basketball coach Kelsey Stuart referred to the rather one-sided 50-28 victory over rival Monroe City as “unfinished business.” There might have been a wink in her eye when she said that. At the very least, there was the distinct hint of a wry smile. Palmyra made no secret of…
Read MoreQND girls dominate final three quarters 43-9 to blow out defending Class 1A state champions
QUINCY — No rest for the weary? Well, there is a bit of a respite now for the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team. The Raiders completed a grueling five-games-in-five days sojourn with a dominating 52-25 victory Saturday night at The Pit over defending Class 1A state champ Okawville during the American Family Insurance-KHQA Superfan Shootout.…
Read MoreC-SE girls race to 17-point halftime lead, force 26 Palmyra turnovers to win 15th consecutive game
QUINCY – About 20 hours after rallying late to beat South Shelby in a Clarence Cannon Conference game at home, the Palmyra girls basketball team discovered Central-Southeastern doesn’t give up leads so easily. Lauren Miller scored 10 of her game-high 20 points in the first quarter and C-SE grabbed a 17-point halftime lead Saturday afternoon…
Read MoreQuincy girls held to lowest point total since 2017, lose WB6 showdown with United Township
QUINCY — The knockout punch came early, and it was impressive. Unlike recent United Township victories over the Quincy High School girls basketball team, when the outcome was in doubt until the final seconds, Saturday’s verdict was never in question from about midway through the second quarter. With 6-foot-5 Lorena Awou — a North Carolina…
Read MoreFast finish in fourth fuels furious Palmyra girls’ comeback in victory over South Shelby
PALMYRA, Mo. — When asked if she had been worried at any point, Palmyra junior point guard Clare Williams responded matter-of-factly, “I knew we’d eventually have a run.” Palmyra did just that Friday night, rattling off 12 straight points in the fourth quarter on the way to a 50-44 Clarence Cannon Conference girls basketball victory…
Read MoreSweet Sixteen: Pieper turns in 19-point performance on birthday as QND girls edge Clopton
QUINCY — There are not many better ways for a 16-year-old to celebrate her birthday than to spend it with her friends. Tristan Pieper’s friends took care of her Friday night. Pieper, a sophomore, led all scorers with 19 points as the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team fought off Clopton 44-37 at the American…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: With defending champions on tap for Saturday, Raiders hold off late Clopton rally
Eight straight points, capped off by two 3-pointers, pulled Clopton within 40-37 with 6:40 to play in the game, but a driving layup by Raiders guard Ari Buehler broke Clopton’s momentum, and the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team held on for 44-37 victory on Friday night at the Pit. Junior Sage Stratton and sophomore…
Read MoreQHS girls climb one spot in Associated Press Class 4A poll; C-SE rises one spot in 2A, QND drops one spot in 3A
Here are the Associated Press girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, total points, and previous ranking. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (4) 29-0 66 1 2. Alton (3) 25-1 64 2 3. Bolingbrook 21-2 55 3 4. Nazareth 21-3 38 5 5. Maine South 25-1 37 4 6.…
Read MoreStratton reaches 1,000 career points as Notre Dame girls rebound after rare loss
QUINCY — When Sage Stratton dropped through a second-quarter field goal Wednesday night, the game came to an immediate halt. Public address announcer Frank Cash then informed the crowd at The Pit that Stratton, a junior guard for the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team, had become the 17th player in the long and storied…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: Raiders bounce back after loss to QHS by overwhelming Pittsfield
The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team earned a much-needed victory Wednesday night with a 55-37 decision over Pittsfield at the Pit. The Raiders rebounded 24 hours after getting thumped by crosstown rival Quincy High School 47-24. Notre Dame led 34-10 halftime and 43-19 after three quarters. Pittsfield (10-11) rebounded with a strong fourth quarter,…
Read MoreOne off the checklist: Blue Devils lead wire to wire in victory over cross-town rival Raiders
QUINCY — How well is the Quincy High School girls basketball team playing at the moment? “I think we’re probably playing the best ball we have all season right now,” senior center Taylor Fohey said following Tuesday night’s 47-24 victory over rival Quincy Notre Dame at The Pit. It would be difficult to dispute Fohey’s…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: Fohey, Brown combine for 31 points, 17 rebounds for QHS girls
The Quincy High School girls basketball team, ranked No. 8 in Class 4A, led wire-to-wire in a 47-24 victory on Tuesday night at the Pit. The Blue Devils held Quincy Notre Dame, ranked No. 3 in Class 3A, to its lowest offensive output in 97 games, dating to late in the 2020-21 season when the…
Read MoreBlass sparks fourth-quarter comeback as QU women erase 10-point deficit to win on road
BOLIVAR, Mo. — Trailing by 10 points entering the fourth quarter, the Quincy University women’s basketball team outscored Southwest Baptist 22-4 during the final 10 minutes and won 72-65 on Saturday afternoon at the Meyer Sports Center in a Great Lakes Valley Conference game. The victory keeps the Hawks (7-12, 6-7 in the GLVC) in…
Read MoreBlue Devils shoot 68 percent from field, win impressively in battle of state-ranked conference foes
QUINCY — It isn’t supposed to look that easy. The inside scoring of Jada Brown … the perimeter shooting of Myley Longcor … the post passing from the perimeter … the defensive pressure on Galesburg’s guards … it all came together on Thursday night in a masterful performance. A game between two state-ranked girls basketball…
Read MorePieper helps QND girls pull away in second half to defeat South Shelby
SHELBINA, Mo. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team held South Shelby to just 16 points in the second half in posting a 53-40 victory on Thursday night. The Raiders led 27-24 at halftime, and they made a concerted effort to get the ball inside to Tristan Pieper. She scored eight of her game-high…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: Freshman Brown contributes 28 points, nine rebounds in victory over Silver Streaks
QUINCY — Freshman Jada Brown scored 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds to help the Quincy High School girls basketball team defeat Galesburg 62-43 in a Western Big Six Conference game Thursday night at the QHS gymnasium. The Silver Streaks led 2-0, and the Blue Devils quickly grabbed the lead and never relinquished it. MRN…
Read MoreQHS girls stay at No. 8 in Class 4A poll, while QND girls move up one spot to No. 3 in Class 3A
Here are the girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, total points, and previous ranking. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (7) 27-0 106 1 2. Alton (3) 24-1 92 T2 3. Bolingbrook (1) 20-2 88 T2 4. Maine South 22-1 75 4 5. Nazareth 18-3 61 5 6. Normal…
Read MoreMonroe City’s turnaround continues with victory over Canton in tourney title game
PALMYRA, Mo. — Maridith Gares knows exactly when the Monroe City girls basketball team’s season did an about-face. “We had just lost by 20 points to Elsberry, and we all knew something had to change,” the 5-foot-7 senior guard said. And it most certainly has. More proof of that tcame Saturday night when Monroe City…
Read MorePanthers pluck Ducks with overwhelming first quarter to win ninth straight game
CAMP POINT, Ill. — Havana girls basketball coach Michelle Brady cut right to the chase. “We got our teeth kicked in,” Brady said without one bit of hesitation at the onset of her postgame assessment. Brady’s remark came moments following state-ranked Central-Southeastern’s 59-40 victory on a Thursday night when the outcome was all but decided…
Read MoreShutting out Chargers in second quarter propels state-ranked Raiders to victory
CARTHAGE, Ill. — A slow start didn’t translate to a sluggish finish for the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team. Defense turned everything around. Trailing Illini West 9-7 at the end of the first quarter Thursday night, the state-ranked Raiders shut out the Chargers in the second quarter, then scored 23 points in the third…
Read MoreFreshmen provide spark as QHS girls roll to another WB6 road victory
GENESEO, Ill. — No Taylor Fohey, no problem. With Fohey, the senior forward, nursing an ankle injury suffered in practice, the Quincy High School girls basketball team relied on its other twin tower to set the stage for a 63-28 Western Big 6 Conference victory over Geneseo on Thursday night. Freshman forward Jada Brown scored…
Read MoreIllinois girls basketball state rankings: QHS up two spots in Class 4A, QND and Central-Southeastern remain in poll
CHICAGO — Here are the Illinois girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record and total points. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (5) 22-0 75 1 2. Alton (2) 21-1 67 3 (tie) Bolingbrook (1) 18-2 67 5 4. Maine South 20-1 42 2 5. Nazareth 15-3 38 6 6.…
Read MoreState-ranked Palmyra girls roll in opening round of Tony Lenzini Tournament
PALMYRA, Mo. — The target on their backs isn’t bothering the Palmyra girls basketball players. Ranked fifth in the latest Class 3 state poll and seeded No. 1 for the 81st Tony Lenzini Tournament, the Panthers outscored Van-Far 24-1 in the second quarter Monday night and cruised to a 69-37 victory in the opening round…
Read MoreQND girls return home for first time in 25 days, recover from slow start to beat Hinsdale South
QUINCY — A week of uncertainty and irregularities ended with what Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne had been craving the last few days. That was a chance to play a game at The Pit. “We want to give these kids an opportunity to play, and that’s why today was so important,” Orne…
Read MoreUnrelenting defensive effort carries QHS girls basketball team to WB6 victory over Rocky
QUINCY — The Quincy High School girls basketball team put a disappointing loss behind it. Another dynamic defensive effort helped do that. Rock Island made just one field goal in the first quarter of Thursday night’s Western Big 6 Conference game at the QHS gym, trailed by as many as 14 points early and couldn’t…
Read MoreLantz, Panthers take control early in dispatching Chargers to finish CSE Classic pool play undefeated
CAMP POINT, Ill. — Brilyn Lantz preferred to look at the big picture following the Central-Southeastern girls basketball team’s 48-38 victory over Illini West. Sure, she posted team highs of 19 points and five rebounds Thursday night during the final game of pool play in the 31st CSE Classic, but she was most concerned with…
Read MorePrairie State Profile: Robinson gives Bombers leadership, confidence heading into new year
MACOMB, Ill. — As challenging as 2023 seemed to be at times for Kylie Robinson and the Macomb girls basketball team, the year ended with the right springboard to brighter days. The Bombers finished fifth in the 41st Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic, winning four of five games over a four-day span the week between Christmas…
Read MoreIllinois girls state basketball rankings: QND slides up to No. 3, QHS and CSE remain in top 10s
CHICAGO — Here are the Illinois girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, and total points. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (2) 18-0 45 1 2. Maine South 20-0 44 3 3. Alton (3) 15-0 40 2 4. Normal Community 18-2 23 4 5. Bolingbrook 14-2 22 5 6.…
Read MoreUnable to score in overtime, Blue Devils suffer loss in Sophie Cunningham Classic
COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Quincy High School girls basketball team had its chances. Forced to go to overtime against Columbia Battle in Sunday’s Sophie Cunningham Classic, the state-ranked Blue Devils failed to score on all five possessions in the extra period and suffered a 42-38 loss at Columbia College’s Southwell Gymnasium. The Spartans outscored the…
Read MoreKoerkenmeier’s last-second field goal gives Mater Dei edge in rematch with QND girls
BREESE, Ill. — On the final possession of regulation in Saturday afternoon’s state tournament rematch, the Breese Mater Dei girls basketball team adapted Wee Willie Keeler’s most famous quote to suit its needs. Instead of “hit ‘em where they ain’t,” as the National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee is credited with saying, the Knights decided…
Read MoreTurnovers, struggles engaging offensively cost Palmyra girls chance to win Highland tourney title
LEWISTOWN, Mo. — The numbers don’t lie. “This was not our best game,” said Palmyra girls basketball coach Kelsey Stuart, shaking her head Saturday evening as she dissected a 48-40 loss to Keokuk in the finals of the 52nd Highland Tournament. The state-ranked Panthers, who saw a four-game win streak come to an end, turned…
Read MoreLocking down defensively allows Blue Devils to kickstart 2024 with WB6 victory
QUINCY — Taylor Fohey’s reaction spoke volumes. “Really?” she said with wide eyes and an I-didn’t-know-that expression when told the Quincy High School girls basketball team didn’t allow Moline to score a field goal in the first quarter of Thursday night’s Western Big 6 Conference game. “Honestly, I don’t think too much about what we’re…
Read MoreIllinois girls state basketball rankings: QHS, QND, Central-Southeastern all in respective top 10s
CHICAGO — Here are the Associated Press girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record, total points, and previous rank. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Loyola (3) 18-0 62 2 2. Alton (3) 15-0 58 3 3. Maine South (1) 18-0 52 7 4. Normal Community 17-1 42 8 5. Bolingbrook…
Read More‘I knew we weren’t going to give up’: Central-Southeastern overcomes 16-point deficit to repeat as State Farm Holiday Classic champs
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team is becoming pretty good at playing from behind. Eleven days ago, the Panthers trailed Quincy Notre Dame 27-2 but had two chances to win the game in a 35-31 loss. Twenty-four hours before playing in the small school girls bracket championship at the State Farm Holiday Classic,…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: CSE captures third gold ball in school history
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team rallied from a 16-point first-half deficit to hand Galena its first loss in a 45-40 victory in the championship game in the small school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of the action from the game.
Read MoreBrown’s 31 points help Blue Devils bounce back after late night to take third-place trophy
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — It’s a shame Taylor Fohey and Jada Brown will only get to spend one season together. In their short time together on the Quincy High School girls basketball team, Fohey and Brown have developed into quite an accomplished pair of post players. Two days after Fohey scored 26 points in a 56-40…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: First trip to State Farm Holiday Classic proves to be fruitful for QHS girls
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Quincy High School girls basketball team capped a successful weekend in its debut at the State Farm Holiday Classic by defeating Washington 61-53 in the third-place game in the large school girls bracket at the Shirk Center on the Illinois Wesleyan University campus. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of the…
Read MoreC-SE girls burn most of final five minutes off clock, move into title game at State Farm Holiday Classic
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — High school basketball fans clamoring for a shot clock would not have enjoyed the final five minutes of Central-Southeastern’s 39-25 victory over Kankakee Bishop McNamara in the semifinals of the small school girls bracket in the State Farm Holiday Classic on Friday night at the Shirk Center. Once the Panthers built their…
Read MorePotential game-tying shot doesn’t fall as QHS girls lose in overtime in State Farm Holiday Classic semifinal
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — It was the shot they wanted. Just not the result. Leila Dade’s running one-handed jump shot from 8 feet along the baseline was short with four seconds remaining in overtime, and the Quincy High School girls basketball team suffered a 42-40 loss to Morton in the semifinals of the large school bracket…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: Central-Southeastern earns chance to defend championship with victory over Bishop McNamara
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team only led 18-17 at halftime but pulled away in the second half to defeat Kankakee Bishop McNamara 39-25 in the semifinals of the small school bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic at the Shirk Center on Friday. CSE will play Galena for the title at 3:30…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: Foul problems hinder Blue Devils in semifinal setback to Morton
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Taylor Fohey, Jada Brown and Myley Longcor all spent significant time on the bench either in foul trouble or nursing an injury during the Quincy High School girls basketball team’s 42-40 overtime loss to Morton during Friday night’s semifinal game in the large school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic…
Read MoreHoliday tournament central; Friday’s scores, Saturday’s schedule and livestream links
QUINCY — Here is a look at the holiday basketball tournament scores and upcoming schedule: Friday’s games Boys At Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic Collinsville 44, Quincy High School 39 At State Farm Holiday Classic Small School Bracket At Bloomington High School Minonk Fieldcrest 64, Quincy Notre Dame 40 Quincy Notre Dame 78, Rockford Lutheran…
Read More‘We wanted to be ticks on their belly buttons’: CSE dominant defensively in second half of quarterfinal victory
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Central-Southeastern coach Matt Long knew some people might think he was trying to be funny, but when it comes to girls basketball, he’s usually quite serious. “We told (the Panthers) we wanted to be ticks on their belly buttons,” Long said after his team’s 60-26 victory over Stanford Olympia in the quarterfinals…
Read MoreFohey, Brown combine to make all but two of Quincy’s field goals in victory over Peoria Richwoods
NORMAL, Ill. — After one of Taylor Fohey’s seven second-quarter baskets Thursday night, the frustration among the Peoria Richwoods girls basketball players was evident. As Fohey drove to the basket and muscled up two more points, one of the Lady Knights said, “What do you want me to do?” Fohey scored 20 first-half points to…
Read MoreHoliday tournament Central: Thursday’s scores, Friday’s schedule and livestream links
QUINCY — Here is a look at the holiday basketball tournament scores and upcoming schedule: Thursday’s games Boys At Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic Quincy High School 61, Belleville Althoff 48 Quincy High School 57, O’Fallon 46 At State Farm Holiday Classic Small School Bracket At Shirk Center Quincy Notre Dame 60, Stanford Olympia 28…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Panthers allow just eight points in second half in rout of Stanford Olympia
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team forced 18 second-half turnovers and didn’t allow a field goal for nearly a quarter and a half in a 60-26 victory over Stanford Olympia in the quarterfinals of the small school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic on Thursday afternoon at Bloomington High School. MRN…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: Victory over Richwoods ensures QHS will play two state-ranked teams at State Farm Holiday Classic
NORMAL, Ill. — Quincy High School’s 56-40 victory over Peoria Richwoods on Thursday night assures the team two more games against state-ranked teams in the large school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic. The Blue Devils play Morton in the semifinals on Friday and either Washington or Normal Community on Saturday. MRN Editor…
Read MoreFrustrated Fohey finishes with flourish, scores 1,000th career point as QHS girls win State Farm Holiday Classic opener
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Taylor Fohey admitted she was counting down the points. She also admitted that might have been why she wasn’t scoring many on Wednesday night. She started the game 14 points shy of reaching 1,000 for her career. The Quincy High School girls basketball team led Springfield 48-36 midway through the fourth quarter,…
Read MoreHoliday tournament central: Wednesday’s scores, Thursday’s schedule and livestream links
QUINCY — Here is a look at the holiday basketball tournament scores and upcoming schedule: Wednesday’s games Boys At Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic Quincy High School 76, Oakville (Mo.) 38 Click here for complete scores and bracket At State Farm Holiday Classic Pecatonica 55, Quincy Notre Dame 50 Click here for complete scores and…
Read MoreCentral-Southeastern clamps down on Normal U-High in opening-round victory
NORMAL, Ill. — The No. 1 seed played like the No. 1 seed. The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team’s defensive intensity frustrated and stymied Normal U-High from start to finish in Wednesday night’s 67-19 victory in the opening round of the small school bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic at Normal Community High School. It…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: QHS girls place three in double figures in State Farm Holiday Classic debut
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Jada Brown scored 16 points, Taylor Fohey scored 14 and Myley Longcor added 11 in the Quincy High School girls basketball team’s 58-38 victory over Springfield in the first round of the large school bracket at the State Farm Holiday Classic at Bloomington High School. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of…
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