Posts Tagged ‘Girls basketball’
Begeman resigns after highly successful 15-year run as Unity girls basketball coach
MENDON, Ill. — Brad Begeman hit pause before he hit send. At the end of last week, Begeman informed the Unity School District’s administration he planned to resign as the varsity girls basketball coach. Sunday night, following his team’s end-of-the-season banquet, Begeman told his players of his decision. All that was left was to email…
Read MoreSchuck on a Truck: QND girls basketball team celebrates its Class 2A third-place state finish
QUINCY — With spring break taking place on the backend of the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team’s third-place finish at the Class 2A state tournament, the Raiders had to wait an extra week for their fire truck ride and welcome home celebration. The time lapse gave the Raiders time to appreciate all they had…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QND celebrates girls basketball team’s Class 2A third-place state finish
QUINCY — With spring break scheduled immediately after the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team won the third-place trophy at the Class 2A state tournament at Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena, the welcome home celebration had to be put on hold. Tuesday, the Raiders finally were able to enjoy their fire truck ride and the…
Read MoreSchuckman: IHSA fails to meet its mission by forcing basketball teams to play third-place games hours after semifinals
NORMAL, Ill. — Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne listened intently as senior guard Abbey Schreacke discussed how the Raiders needed to regroup following a gut-punch loss Thursday in the Class 2A state semifinals and play the third-place game two hours later. “We’re going to have to find something deeper inside of us…
Read MoreCapping it the right way: QND rebounds from semifinal loss to win third-place game
NORMAL, ill. — Denied their chance at making history, the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball players wouldn’t be denied their shot at redemption. An opportunity to reminisce came with it, too. Forced to play the third-place game of the Class 2A state tournament less than three hours after losing to Breese Mater Dei in the…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QND beats Chicago Butler to finish third at Class 2A state tournament
NORMAL, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team found a way to push their tears and frustration aside following a loss in the semifinals of the Class 2A state tournament and rebounded for a 66-57 victory over Chicago Butler College Prep late Thursday evening at Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena. Muddy River Sports…
Read MoreQND’s dream of back-to-back state titles gets dashed with semifinal loss to Mater Dei
NORMAL, Ill. — The coaching adage “you can’t teach size” needs to come with a addendum. It would read, “You can’t always combat it either.” The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team discovered how true that can be Thursday. Forced to contend with Breese Mater Dei’s Alyssa Koerkenmeier — a 6-foot-5 sophomore forward — and…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QND loses to Breese Mater Dei in Class 2A state semifinals
NORMAL, Ill. — The chance to defend its Class 2A state championship eluded the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team after the Raiders fell 61-54 to Breese Mater Dei in Thursday’s semifinals of the state tournament at Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman put together this gallery of images he…
Read MoreQND’s Schreacke is top vote-getter once again for Associated Press Class 2A all-state team
QUINCY — Only two girls basketball players across Illinois were named first-team all-staters on every ballot submitted by the Associated Press panel of voters. It’s no surprise Abbey Schreacke was one of them. The Quincy Notre Dame senior guard was the leading vote-getter in Class 2A for the second straight year after guiding the top-ranked…
Read MoreReturn to Redbird: Raiders blanket Chiefs with defensive pressure, earn spot in Class 2A final four
MACOMB, Ill. — The realization they’d achieved a significant goal meant a larger one is now within the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball players’ reach. It also means the Raiders must maintain a workmanlike effort with everything they do. They made it abundantly clear that’s how they will approach the Class 2A final four after…
Read MoreRaiders’ balance offensively puts Chiefs’ defense in bind in super-sectional matchup
MACOMB, Ill. — A year ago, Tristan Pieper had to watch somewhat from afar as the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team won the Class 2A state championship. “The very top of the student section,” Pieper said of her seat in Redbird Arena. The view will be quite different this year. “Of course, it will,”…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QND wins Class 2A super-sectional and advances to final four at Redbird Arena
MACOMB, Ill. — A 15-0 run over the final five minutes of the first half put the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team in complete control of its 51-23 victory over Deer Creek-Mackinaw in the Class 2A Macomb Super-Sectional on Monday night at The Hangar, earning the Raiders a spot in the final four. Muddy…
Read MoreBlue Devils’ Longcor, Fohey earn first-team All-Western Big 6 Conference honors
QUINCY — The Quincy High School boys basketball team’s second-place finish in the Western Big 6 Conference led to three players earning all-conference honors. Meanwhile, the QHS girls placed two players on the All-WB6 squad. Sophomore guard Bradley Longcor III garnered first-team plaudits, while sophomore forward Keshaun Thomas was a second-team selection and junior guard…
Read MoreFreshmen don’t wither in spotlight, help QND girls capture sectional title over Central-Southeastern
PLEASANT PLAINS, Ill. — Central-Southeastern girls basketball coach Matt Long was asked any advice he has for the seven teams left in the Class 2A state tournament for how to beat Quincy Notre Dame. “It’s only happened once,” he said succinctly. “Good luck.” The No. 1-ranked Raiders took early command of Thursday night’s sectional championship…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Winning streak for QND girls hits 26 straight after sectional title
PLEASANT PLAINS, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team, the defending Class 2A state champion, won its 26th consecutive game on Thursday night with a 44-29 decision over Central-Southeastern in the sectional championship at Pleasant Plains High School. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of the images from the game.
Read MoreHavana’s physical play slows Brown County in season-ending loss in sectional title game
ABINGDON, Ill. — Dave Phelps tried to highlight the Brown County girls basketball team’s laundry list of accomplishments this season during his postgame speech Thursday night. Those aren’t easy to see through tears. A record-setting 31-win season and the second Sweet 16 appearance in program history came to an end in the Class 1A Abingdon…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Brown County’s historic season ends in sectional championship game
ABINGDON, Ill. — The physical play of the Havana girls basketball team kept Brown County from finding any offensive rhythm Thursday night and resulted in a 40-34 loss in the Class 1A Abingdon Sectional championship game. The Hornets end their historic season with a 31-4 record. Mount Sterling photographer Scott Bemis captured the action in…
Read MoreOne for the Road: QND girls play first game outside Adams County in 45 days, steamroll Hillsboro in sectional semifinal
PLEASANT PLAINS, Ill. — After playing 13 consecutive games in Adams County, Quincy Notre Dame coach Eric Orne thought his team needed to pack its bags and hit the road. The Raiders were 16-0 at The Pit this season, concluding with an emotional and demanding 54-43 victory over Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin in the championship game…
Read MoreCSE notches record-tying 30th victory in 62-26 sectional semifinal blowout of Staunton
PLEASANT PLAINS, Ill. — Well, that didn’t take very long. Central-Southeastern had all but secured a Class 2A girls basketball sectional semifinal victory over Staunton before some patrons had found their seats Tuesday night at Pleasant Plains High School. CSE scored the first 18 points of the game, which quickly turned the contest into a…
Read MoreFlip the switch: Halftime adjustments, resilient attitude carry Hornets into sectional title game
ABINGDON, Ill. — No one actually reached for the panic button. “We kind of hovered over it a little bit,” Brown County girls basketball coach Dave Phelps said. What kept the Hornets from hitting it is what made Tuesday night’s second-half rally possible. They never lost faith in each other. A nine-minute scoring drought in…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QND girls have little trouble with Hillsboro, reach sectional title game
PLEASANT PLAINS, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team went on a 30-6 run in the first half, then opened the second half with a 19-2 run as they had no problem defeating Hillsboro 67-30 in the semifinals of the Class 2A Sectional at Pleasant Plains High School on Tuesday night. MRN Editor…
Read MorePhoto gallery: CSE scores first 18 points, steamrolls Staunton in sectional semifinal
PLEASANT PLAINS, Ill. — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team scored the game’s first 18 points and cruised to a 62-26 victory over Staunton in the Class 2A girls basketball sectional semifinals at Pleasant Plains High School. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of the images from the game.
Read MorePhoto gallery: Brown County advances to Class 1A sectional championship
ABINGDON, Ill. — The Brown County girls basketball team overcome a rough first half offensively by scoring 19 points in the third quarter and pulling away from Elmwood for a 47-35 victory in Tuesday night’s semifinals of the Class 1A Abingdon Sectional. Mount Sterling-based photographer Scott Bemis captured action and shared this photo gallery with…
Read MoreSchuckman: Gem City basketball teams set new standard with all reaching 20-victory plateau
QUINCY — What transpires over the next three weeks will help define how the 2022-23 prep basketball season in the Gem City is remembered. Already it’s been historic. It could become legendary. The Quincy High School and Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball teams open regional play Wednesday, both harboring high hopes while knowing significant hurdles…
Read MoreRecord-breaking basketball season marches into sectional for Brown County girls
MOUNT STERLING, Ill — Brown County’s record-breaking girls basketball season continues. Friday night’s 69-41 victory over Biggsville West Central marked the first time in program history the No. 3-ranked Hornets had won back-to-back Class 1A regional championships. The regional title further accents a season that has produced the most victories — 30 and counting —…
Read MorePittsfield girls can’t overcome disastrous start; Hillsboro earns shot to knock off Quincy Notre Dame
PITTSFIELD, Ill. — A sizeable crowd and a chance to win the first regional since 2009 created an atmosphere of excitement for the Pittsfield girls basketball team. All of that, combined with Hillsboro’s defensive pressure, led to shaky start to Friday night’s Class 2A regional championship game at Voshall Gym. The Saukees turned the ball…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Pittsfield girls lose to Hillsboro in regional championship game on home court
The season for the Pittsfield girls basketball team ended Friday night with a 56-39 loss to Hillsboro. The Hilltoppers (20-11) advance to the sectional at Pleasant Plains and will meet No. 1-ranked Quincy Notre Dame (31-1), the defending Class 2A state champions, at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the semifinals. Pittsfield finishes with an 18-14 record.…
Read MoreEftink’s steal and score provides fourth-quarter spark as QND girls advance to sectional
QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team was in unexpected trouble. The No. 1-ranked team in Class 2A led comfortably 47-31 with about five minutes left in the third quarter of Thursday night’s regional championship game at The Pit. However, Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin went on a 14-2 run, culminated by Caroline Lambert’s backdoor…
Read MoreAdam: ‘I’m going to miss it a lot’; Schreacke, Eftink cherish final game at The Pit
QUINCY — A range of emotions washed over the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team in a matter of moments on Thursday night. First was a sense of relief after the Raiders thwarted an upset bid by Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin, which got as close as four points in the fourth quarter before the hosts won…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QND girls knock off Sacred Heart-Griffin to win regional on home court
The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team posted a 54-43 victory over Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin on Thursday to claim their 30th regional championship in school history. QND (31-1) advances to Tuesday’s 6 p.m. semifinal in the Class 2A sectional at Pleasant Plains. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of the scenes from Thursday.
Read MoreStrong second half helps QHS girls notch 20th victory in regional semifinal over Collinsville
ALTON, Ill. — A little energy can go a long way. The Quincy High School girls basketball team proved that Tuesday night when it rallied in the second half to defeat Collinsville 45-39 in a Class 4A regional tournament semifinal game at Alton High School. Taylor Fohey scored 14 points and Asia Seangmany 11 to…
Read MorePittsfield girls one victory away from first regional championship since 2009
PITTSFIELD, Ill. — A last-second game-tying shot rolled off the rim, allowing the Pittsfield girls basketball team to survive a comeback by North Mac and win 48-46 in the semifinals of the Class 2A regional tournament on Tuesday night at Voshall Gym. The third-seeded Saukees (18-13) advanced to Friday night’s championship game against second-seeded Hillsboro,…
Read MoreTop-ranked Raiders roll to regional victory over West Hancock; Illini West’s upset bid thwarted by No. 7 SHG
QUINCY — One down. Six to go. The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team opened its quest for a second straight state championship with a 79-33 victory over West Hancock in the Class 2A regional semifinals Monday night at The Pit. Granted, QND (30-1) was a heavy favorite, but there was no chance of overconfidence…
Read MoreIllinois Girls Regional Roundup: Unity, Brown County cruise, but CSE needs free throw with 0:00 on clock to survive
Abbey McMillen’s free throw with no time left on the clock gave the Central-Southeastern girls basketball team a 36-35 victory over Pleasant Plains on Monday night in the Class 2A regional semifinal at Petersburg PORTA High School. Pleasant Plains tied the score at 35 when freshman Anna Weber scored from inside the lane with 27.9…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: Scenes from West Hancock vs. QND in Class 2A regional semifinal
The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team opened its quest for a second straight state championship with a 79-33 victory over West Hancock in the Class 2A regional semifinals Monday night at The Pit. MRN Editor David Adam captured images from the game.
Read MorePhoto gallery: Scenes from Illini West vs. Sacred Heart-Griffin in Class 2A girls basketball regional semifinal
An upset bid by Illini West slipped away in the closing four minutes of its 34-26 loss to Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin in the Class 2A regional semifinals Monday night at The Pit. The Chargers had closed within 26-24 but were outscored 8-2 down the stretch. MRN Editor David Adam captured images from the game.
Read MoreCrim: QND’s quest to repeat bookends four decades of championship success that began with 1983 title team
QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team begins its quest this week for a second consecutive Illinois Class 2A state championship and seventh overall in program history. Only Chicago Marshall with eight has captured more titles since the first girls champion was crowned in 1977. Adding to the potential legacy of another first-place…
Read MoreQND girls take down another state-ranked foe as primer for their state championship defense
QUINCY — The physical toll playing a schedule loaded with state-ranked opponents doesn’t seem to have bothered the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team one iota. Some of the Raiders even relish playing — and winning — those rough-and-tumble affairs. “I like physical games,” QND senior guard Blair Eftink said. “I think it gives everyone…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QND girls, boys win Friday night games at The Pit
QUINCY — The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team wrapped up its regular season with a 52-47 victory over Jefferson City (Mo.) Helias on Friday night at The Pit. Shortly thereafter, the QND boys earned a 66-37 West Central Conference victory over Liberty. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman captured the action sitting courtside. Here…
Read MoreIllinois girls basketball state rankings: Four area teams sit in top five in final regular-season poll
Here are the girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record and total points. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Fremd (4) 27-2 65 1 2. Bolingbrook (1) 24-3 62 2 3. Alton (1) 27-1 56 4 4. Geneva (1) 24-3 55 3 5. Kenwood 25-4 39 5 6. O’Fallon 27-4 33…
Read More‘There’s no time to waste’: Schreacke’s quick start, Raiders’ overwhelming effort sends message
QUINCY — It took six seconds to deliver a message every girls basketball team in the Class 2A Pleasant Plains Sectional had to hear. The defending state champion isn’t in the mood to relinquish the throne. Abbey Schreacke won the opening tip, rolled into the frontcourt, took a pass from Quincy Notre Dame teammate Ari…
Read More‘I’m going to have some colorful shoes’: Fohey’s career-best scoring barrage carries QHS to victory, earns her family bragging rights
HANNIBAL, Mo. — Make no mistake, as the game progressed, Taylor Fohey knew how many points she had. And how many she needed. “I was aware,” Fohey said afterward, almost sheepishly. The 5-foot-11 junior forward finished with a career-best 32 points — not to mention 10 rebounds — in leading the Quincy High School girls…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QND girls gain measure of revenge by beating Brimfield
QUINCY — Although it became nothing more than a momentary blip on the way to a state championship, the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball players never forgot what it was like to suffer a 24-point loss at Brimfield late in the regular season in 2022. It made Tuesday night’s 67-37 victory over the Indians, the…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Scenes from Saturday’s Superfan Shootout at The Pit
QUINCY — Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman spent Saturday inside Quincy Notre Dame’s The Pit watching the KHQA-American Family Insurance Superfan Shootout unfold. Here are some of the images he captured throughout the day:
Read MoreHammer time: QND girls use 3-point barrage in first three minutes to put South Shelby on its heels
QUINCY — Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball Eric Orne left Abbey Schreacke with something to think about. “He told me before the game to just drop the hammer,” Schreacke said. When the Raiders won the opening tip against South Shelby in Saturday’s marquee matchup of the KHQA-American Family Insurance Superfan Shootout at The Pit, the…
Read MoreCentral-Southeastern showcases growth and potential in lopsided Shootout victory
QUINCY — Matt Long is quick to point out his Central-Southeastern girls basketball team is still quite young with two sophomores and a junior in the starting lineup. “They haven’t been in the big wars,” he said. “Even if they were last year as freshmen, they don’t really understand what the big game is.” Still,…
Read MoreUnity pulls away in second half of Shootout victory behind senior guard’s Barry good performance
QUINCY — Unity girls basketball coach Brad Begeman was paying senior Kylee Barry a compliment. Honest, he was. “I like to call her our Rodman, after Dennis Rodman,” Begeman said. Rodman was the controversial, but oh-so-effective part of three NBA championship teams with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s. Barry is hardly a controversial figure…
Read MoreGem City dandy: Raiders’ Schreacke becomes top-scoring player at either Quincy high school
QUINCY — For Abbey Schreacke, the distractions tied to individual accomplishments have officially been laid to rest. She now can fully concentrate on trying to help the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team win a second straight Class 2A state championship. The 6-foot-1 wunderkind scored 22 points Friday night to lead the Raiders to an…
Read MoreIllinois girls basketball state rankings: QND, CSE, Brown County, Unity all remain in polls
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. Fremd (3) 24-2 55 2 2. Bolingbrook (2) 22-3 51 4 3. Geneva (1) 21-3 50 3 4. Alton 25-1 48 1 5. Kenwood 23-4 33 8 6. O’Fallon…
Read MoreRetribution is hers: Schreacke leads Raiders to victory in final crosstown showdown appearance
QUINCY — What took place once wasn’t going to happen twice. Abbey Schreacke made that abundantly clear. By scoring six of the game’s first 12 points Tuesday night and showcasing the variety of skills that make her the best player on the floor, the all-state senior guard put the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QHS, QND girls basketball teams square off at Blue Devil Gym
QUINCY — The crosstown showdown between the Quincy High School and Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball teams returned to Blue Devil Gym on Tuesday night, and arguably one of the best players in Gem City history added to her legacy. The Raiders’ Abbey Schreacke scored 26 points to lead QND to a 57-35 victory. Muddy…
Read MorePalmyra girls use lopsided CCC victory to focus on continuing to improve
PALMYRA, Mo. — Sydney Compton insisted the game served a purpose, despite such a lopsided final score. “At times, it was more like a practice out there, but we kept concentrating, kept working on specific things,” the Palmyra sophomore said. Why such a determined attitude in a game that was decided by some point early…
Read MoreShow-Me Spotlight: Canton’s Clay finds college fit that makes her feel right at home
CANTON, Mo. — Nariah Clay admits the college recruiting wasn’t going the way she had envisioned. Then Morton College came along. Playing with the Cross Over Hoops AAU basketball program last summer, the Canton senior three-sport standout was introduced to Morton College women’s basketball coach Jason Nichols and assistant coach Kevin McManaman during a tournament…
Read MoreSchuckman: QHS girls basketball players share opinions on gym space, upgrades and ceremonies
QUINCY — Mike Dade’s passionate plea to the Quincy School board last week asking for equal treatment for the boys and girls basketball programs succeeded in one important regard. It created conversation, opinion and debate. His speech also missed the mark in one very important aspect. He wasn’t a true voice for the players themselves.…
Read MoreBlue Devils push back after ragged start, earn WB6 road victory
STERLING, Ill. — Finally, the Quincy High School girls basketball players said enough was enough. Following Thursday night’s loss at Galesburg that dropped the Blue Devils a game out of first place in the Western Big 6 Conference standings, they allowed Sterling to open Saturday’s league game at Musgrove Fieldhouse on a 16-4 run. “They…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Girls win, boys stumble as Hannibal celebrated homecoming court
HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Hannibal girls basketball team set the right mood for a homecoming celebration, scoring the first 15 points of Friday night’s 49-31 North Central Missouri Conference victory over Kirksville at Korf Gym. The Hannibal boys weren’t able to seize on the momentum the girls created, falling 60-45 to the Tigers. Zaria Reese,…
Read MoreThe Scoreboard: Friday, January 27
Boys basketball Quincy High School 57, Sterling 45 Central 61, West Hancock 48 Southeastern 60, Payson Seymour 51 Brown County 56, Liberty 40 Macomb 59, Havana 24 Griggsville-Perry 54, Beardstown 39 Pleasant Hill 60, Western 39 Kirksville 60, Hannibal 45 Macon 65, Palmyra 54 Mark Twain 60, Marion County 41 Girls basketball Hannibal 49, Kirksville…
Read MoreIllinois girls state basketball rankings: Brown County, Unity sit back-to-back at Nos. 4 and 5
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. Alton (7) 24-0 79 2 2. Fremd 22-2 69 3 3. Geneva (1) 19-3 59 4 4. Bolingbrook 21-3 58 1 5. Normal Community 23-2 37 6 6. Whitney Young…
Read MoreThe Scoreboard: Tuesday, January 24
Boys basketball Quincy High School 80, Rock Island Alleman 35 Quincy Notre Dame 58, Illini West 44 Brown County 65, Payson Seymour 64 (OT) Central 48, Pittsfield 29 Macomb 71, Bushnell-Prairie City 41 Jacksonville Routt 49, Liberty 18 Palmyra 65, Brookfield 28 Highland 57, Monroe City 51 Canton 68, Mark Twain 66 Atlanta 69, Marion…
Read MoreQND underclassmen seize opportunity for playing time, develop some long-term confidence
QUINCY — The day is coming, and the underclassmen on the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team are keenly aware of it. Abbey Schreacke, Blair Eftink and the rest of the seniors who have engineered a remarkable run of success for Class 2A’s defending state champion and current No. 1-ranked team will graduate. That’s when…
Read MoreRaiders win 15th straight game as Schreacke is ‘just a force we never stopped’
QUINCY — For the second game in a row, the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team raced out to a 20-point lead. And for the second game in a row, a lack of focus set in. The lead never dipped below double digits as the Raiders knocked off Bloomington Central Catholic 67-51 Saturday afternoon at…
Read MoreDon’t call it an upset: Canton defends Lenzini Tournament title, beats top-seeded Palmyra
PALMYRA, Mo. — An upset? “I guess it depends who you talk to,” Canton girls basketball coach Danielle Baker said. Canton successfully defended its Tony Lenzini Tournament championship Saturday night with a surprisingly easy 74-61 victory over top-seeded Palmyra. Canton had been seeded second going into the week-long, eight-school hoopfest. The Tigers (12-6) controlled the…
Read MoreBig leads force top-ranked Raiders to dig deep to stay focused and energetic
QUINCY — Maybe this was inevitable. Coming off a 53-point victory and riding the momentum of a double-digit win streak, the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team built a 21-point halftime lead Thursday night against Illini West. That’s when it happened. Complacency set in. The Raiders, ranked No. 1 in Class 2A, were never in…
Read MoreOvertime victory moves QHS girls basketball team into logjam atop WB6 standings
QUINCY — When asked if Quincy might just be the team of destiny in this season’s Western Big 6 Conference girls basketball championship pursuit, Taylor Fohey thought long and hard before answering. Then she smiled. “I feel it coming,” said the 6-foot junior who dropped through the game-winning basket in the Blue Devils’ 31-29 overtime…
Read MoreThe Scoreboard: Thursday, January 19
Boys basketball Unity 53, Rushville-Industry 46 Louisiana 64, Pittsfield 54 Tony Lenzini Tournament Van-Far 40, Monroe City 38 Hannibal 45, Clark County 35 Girls basketball Quincy Notre Dame 44, Illini West 24 Quincy High School 31, Rock Island Alleman 29 Havana 37, Central-Southeastern 25 Louisiana 49, Pittsfield 44 La Plata 33, Marion County 25 Tony…
Read MoreBalance offensively helps carry Palmyra girls into Tony Lenzini Tournament title game
PALMYRA, Mo. — Tim Southers demonstrated he knows how — and more importantly, when — to delegate authority. The Palmyra girls basketball coach opted to let his players on the floor run the early part of the fourth quarter. They called the plays on offense and the adjustments on defense. “I just sat back and…
Read MoreThe Scoreboard: Tuesday, January 17
Boys basketball Central 63, Payson Seymour 53 Illini West 42, Southeastern 41 Brown County 56, Triopia 47 Auburn 60, Pittsfield 52 (OT) West Hancock 87, Unity 36 80th annual Tony Lenzini Tournament Monroe City 42, Hannibal 41 Van-Far 49, Clark County 43 Girls basketball Quincy High School 56, Springfield 47 Unity 59, Pittsfield 27 North…
Read MoreThe Scoreboard: Monday, January 16
Boys basketball MLK Shootout at Bloomington Central Catholic Bloomington Central Catholic 79, Quincy Notre Dame 71 Eastbay Shootout Macomb 47, Rockridge 39 80th annual Tony Lenzini Tournament Palmyra 79, Highland 34 Canton 67, Mark Twain 47 Girls basketball Pittsfield 31, Beardstown 14 Jerry Logan Shootout Quincy High School 53, Abingdon-Avon 27 Unity 58, Macomb 26…
Read MoreFrantic finish boosts Central-Southeastern to championship of Lady Panther Classic
CAMP POINT, Ill. — It’s never over til it’s over. Somehow, the Central-Southeastern girls basketball team emerged Saturday night with the championship of the 30th Lady Panther Classic. CSE’s 36-32 victory over Brown County was fueled by a frantic final 1 minute, 47 seconds that saw the Panthers score 10 of the game’s closing 13…
Read MoreQND girls click on all cylinders, completely dismantle Rock Island to reach 20-victory plateau
QUINCY — Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne felt it was only a matter of time before an opponent witnessed the best his team had to offer. Rock Island can testify to how good that can be. The top-ranked team in Class 2A pitched a first-quarter shutout on its way to a one-sided…
Read MoreMustangs get back on track by overwhelming Chargers in third-place game of Lady Panther Classic
CAMP POINT, Ill. — Ashlynn Arnsmann felt Saturday night’s mission was simple. “We knew we had to bounce back,” the Unity senior center said. And bounce back the Mustangs did. Rather impressively, too. Arnsmann scored 17 points, reeled in seven rebounds and blocked two shots to help power the Unity girls basketball team to an…
Read MoreAll eyes on them: Top-ranked Raiders match hype of return home with balanced scoring in victory
QUINCY — After seeing the volleyball team’s creative use of The Pit’s videoboards, which were installed last spring, the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball players wanted to have their turn implementing hype videos. Initially, Raiders coach Eric Orne hedged. “He told us we had to earn it with the December stretch that we had and…
Read MoreHornets end frustrating skid against Mustangs, earn spot in Lady Panther Classic title game
CAMP POINT, Ill. — Similar script, different ending. Much, much different. The Brown County girls basketball team put the brakes on a five-game losing streak to Unity when the Hornets pulled off a surprising 47-43 come-from-behind victory Thursday night in the semifinals of the 30th Lady Panther Classic at Central High School. Brown County, ranked…
Read MorePace no issue for Central-Southeastern as Panthers charge past Illini West in semifinals
CAMP POINT, Ill. — If given an option, Central-Southeastern girls basketball coach Matt Long likes his team to get up and down the floor as quickly as possible. But that personal preference is not any sort of prerequisite for the Panthers to win. Case in point: CSE’s 37-26 victory over Illini West in Thursday night’s…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Semifinals of CSE Lady Panther Classic set up epic championship game
CAMP POINT, Ill. — The Brown County girls basketball team handed Unity consecutive losses for the first time this season, while Central-Southeastern continued its winning ways as both teams battled their way into the championship game of the CSE Lady Panther Classic. Brown County, ranked fifth in Class 1A, knocked off second-ranked Unity 47-43 in…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QND girls basketball team returns to The Pit against Rochester
QUINCY — Playing its first game on its home floor in more than a month gave the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team the chance to re-engage with its home crowd and showcase the kind of balanced scoring needed to succeed in the postseason. The Raiders accomplished that with a 51-41 victory over Rochester. Muddy…
Read MoreThe Scoreboard: Thursday, January 12
Boys basketball Pittsfield 54, Rushville-Industry 51 Marion County 58, Madison 25 Winchester Invitational Tournament Jacksonville Routt 47, Central 43 Liberty 44, Calhoun 38 Girls basketball Quincy Notre Dame 51, Rochester 41 Marion County 48, Madison 22 CSE Lady Panther Classic Brown County 47, Unity 43 Central-Southeastern 37, Illini West 26 North Greene Lady Spartan Classic…
Read MoreDefensive plays in overtime turn tide in QHS’s favor in knocking off state-ranked Geneseo
GENESEO, Ill. — The energy expended defensively finally paid off. Neither the Quincy High School girls basketball team nor Geneseo scored in the first 2 ½ minutes of overtime Wednesday night, but Leah Chevalier’s steal that led to a layin with 1 minute, 24 seconds to play changed everything. The Blue Devils scored on back-to-back…
Read MoreIllinois girls basketball state rankings: QND stays atop Class 2A, Unity and Brown County in top five
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. Geneva (5) 14-2 72 2 2. Fremd (2) 17-1 67 1 3. Bolingbrook (1) 14-1 62 4 4. Alton 17-0 61 6 5. Normal Community 18-0 38 5 6. Maine South…
Read MoreThe Scoreboard: Wednesday, January 11
Boys basketball Hancock County Tournament Southeastern 48, Unity 43 West Hancock 59, Illini West 38 Winchester Invitational Tournament Griggsville-Perry 52, Winchester West Central 49 Liberty 49, Carlinville 34 Girls basketball Quincy High School 46, Geneseo 44 (OT) CSE Lady Panther Classic South Fulton 48, Liberty 33 Lewistown 57, Rushville-Industry 23 Men’s basketball John Wood Community…
Read MoreCentral-Southeastern’s closing kick cements victory over Unity in Lady Panther Classic pool play
CAMP POINT, Ill — Lauren Miller never broke a sweat, let alone panicked. “We knew it was going to be a long game,” the Central-Southeastern sophomore said. Long and grueling. Miller and her CSE girls basketball teammates were not rattled when Unity bolted to a sizable advantage in the first quarter of Tuesday night’s showdown…
Read MoreThe Scoreboard: Tuesday, January 10
Boys basketball Quincy High School 71, Geneseo 26 Canton 72, Highland 51 Kirksville 49, Palmyra 37 Monroe City 50, Hannibal 39 Marion County 47, Bucklin 32 Winchester Invitational Tournament Carrollton 53, Western 45 Triopia 65, Pleasant Hill 38 Girls basketball Palmyra 48, Kirksville 41 Canton 56, Highland 30 Bucklin 36, Marion County 34 Keokuk 48,…
Read MoreThe Scoreboard: Monday, January 9
Boys basketball Marion County 58, Wellsville-Middletown 53 Hancock County Tournament Southeastern 55, Illini West 37 West Hancock 72, Unity 50 Winchester Invitational Tournament Jacksonville Routt 76, Payson Seymour 70 (OT) Central 49, Brown County 40 Girls basketball Macomb 46, North Fulton 31 Centralia 62, Hannibal 37 Wellsville-Middletown 52, Marion County 42 CSE Classic Lewistown 44,…
Read MoreCrim: Spending time with Tommy Joe is treasure that lasts forever
MACON, Mo. — My cellphone rang the day after Christmas. I looked at the screen to see it was Tom Sneed, or Tommy Joe as he was called growing up, a moniker some of us in the family still use. He’s a second cousin on my mother’s side. It had been a while since we…
Read MoreSchreacke, Raiders return to action with vengeance, topple another state-ranked foe
BREESE, Ill. — Rebounding for his all-state guard while she shot around at The Pit on Friday, Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball coach Eric Orne noticed something a little different. Abbey Schreacke got her groove back. Not that she ever truly lost it, but playing 14 games in the first 21 days of December had…
Read MoreCanton girls see Highland Tournament championship as step in right direction
LEWISTOWN, Mo. — The Canton girls basketball team entered the 51st Highland Tournament as the third seed and with a losing record. “I call it the state softball championship hangover,” Canton coach Danielle Baker, referencing the Tigers’ Class 1 state title from last October. “It took us a little while to get going.” This week,…
Read MoreIllinois girls basketball state rankings: Unity climbs to No. 2 in Class 1A, QND stays atop Class 2A poll
Here are the girls prep basketball polls with rank, team, first-place votes, record and total points. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Fremd (1) 15-1 91 3 2. Geneva (5) 12-2 89 10 3. Hersey 15-3 78 1 4. Bolingbrook (2) 13-1 77 4 5. Normal Community (2) 16-0 54 8 6. Alton (1)…
Read MoreCentral-Southeastern slays another monster in winning State Farm Holiday Classic championship
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Central-Southeastern girls basketball coach Matt Long referred to top-seeded Paris as “a monster.” Consider his squad the beast slayers then. The Panthers completed a remarkable run to the State Farm Holiday Classic championship Friday afternoon, making 5 of 6 free throws in the final 18.2 seconds to hand the Tigers their first…
Read MoreLockdown defense carries Central-Southeastern into State Farm Holiday Classic title tilt
NORMAL, Ill. — Because of the widespread success of the Central-Southeastern girls basketball players across all sports, it’s easy to forget how youthful the Panthers are. “I know,” C-SE coach Matt Long said. Still, a majority of the time, C-SE has three sophomores, sometimes four, on the floor. That makes this week’s run to the…
Read MoreCall it payback: Unity buries Illini West in fourth quarter, will play for tourney title at Beardstown
BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — This time, the roles were reversed. When the Unity girls basketball team defeated Illini West 50-35 in Wednesday night’s semifinals of the 40th Lady Tiger Classic at Beardstown High School, the victory helped exorcise at least some of the memories from a year ago. “(Illini West) beat us three times last season,…
Read MoreC-SE knocks off SHG with dynamic defensive effort in second half of tourney quarterfinal
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Matt Long made it sound so simple. “In the second half, I thought we had a lot of energy and effort and it turned the game for us,” the veteran Central-Southeastern girls basketball coach said. The tenaciousness defensively brought about by playing with more energy and effort certainly did that. A five-point…
Read MorePlucking the Ducks: Brown County overwhelms Havana to earn spot in Beardstown title game
BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — Obviously, the victory itself was important for the Brown County girls basketball team. The 50-29 win Wednesday night over Havana moved the Hornets into the finals of the 40th Lady Tiger Classic at Beardstown High School while improving their record to 14-1. But of equal significance was how Brown County’s victory materialized.…
Read MorePanthers lock down in closing stretch to quell Fightin’ Irish comeback
NORMAL, Ill. — Having watched a nine-point advantage dwindle to three, the Central-Southeastern girls basketball players simply refused to let Kankakee Bishop McNamara draw any closer. The Panthers made their free throws, too. Central-Southeastern outscored Bishop McNamara 8-2 over the final 2 minutes, 40 seconds of regulation Tuesday night and earned a 36-27 victory in…
Read MoreHoliday Tournament roundup: Chargers, Mustangs, Hornets reach semis at Beardstown
BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — A dynamic defensive effort pushed the Illini West girls basketball team back to the semifinals of the 40th Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic. The fifth-seeded Chargers held fourth-seeded Lewistown to two points in the second quarter and 10 points overall in the first half Tuesday, winning the quarterfinal matchup 42-26. Illini West (11-4)…
Read MoreHoliday Tournament Scoreboard: Tuesday’s results, Wednesday’s schedule
Tuesday’s Games Boys State Farm Holiday Classic At Normal West A Gym, Normal, Ill. No. 8 El Paso-Gridley 55, No. 9 East Dubuque 41 No. 1 St. Joseph-Ogden 78, No. 16 Annawan 28 No. 4 Rockford Lutheran 78, No. 13 Stanford Olympia 46 No. 5 Quincy Notre Dame 73, No. 12 Providence St. Mel 42…
Read MoreQHS girls split first two games at Dixon tourney
DIXON, Ill. — The strong decision-making, aggressiveness and confidence Quincy High School girls basketball coach Brad Dance enjoyed seeing from the Blue Devils on Tuesday morning dissipated to a more stagnant effort in the afternoon. It’s why QHS split its first two games in the Dixon KSB Holiday Classic. The Blue Devils opened with a…
Read MoreHoliday Tournament Scoreboard: Monday’s results, Tuesday’s schedule
Monday’s games Boys MVIT At Mendon, Ill. Unity 63, Bushnell-Prairie City 40 Payson Seymour 53, Rushville-Industry 33 Girls Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic At Beardstown, Ill. Unity 59, Beardstown 27 Beardstown 48, South Fulton 41 Jacksonville Routt 55, North Greene 19 Macomb 63, Jacksonville Routt 56 Lewistown 62, West Hancock 40 West Hancock 51, Liberty 25…
Read More2022 Holiday Tournament brackets
Here is a look at the brackets for the high school basketball holiday tournaments involving area teams: Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic State Farm Holiday Classic — Small School Boys Bracket Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament US Bank Holiday Tournament Dixon-KSB Holiday Classic Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic State Farm Holiday Classic — Small School Girls Bracket
Read MoreSchuckman: Highly successful Rumble on the River could benefit from participation from QHS, QND boys teams
QUINCY — Chris Duesdieker earned the right to sit and smile. As the 16th and final game of the 15th annual Rumble on the River headed to the fourth quarter Wednesday night with a pair of state-ranked teams — Southeastern, No. 1 in Illinois Class 1A, and Bunker, No. 3 in Missouri Class 1 —…
Read MoreDecember to remember: Raiders cap hectic three-week schedule with another grind-it-out victory
QUINCY — Eric Orne wants the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball players to relish a well-earned holiday reprieve. “They get to rest,” the veteran coach said, “and they get to enjoy some family time.” The Raiders get to do so as far away from the gym as they wish. “He told us to forget about…
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