Pyatt’s suffocating defense helps QND boys pull away in fourth quarter from pesky Payson Seymour

Quincy Notre Dame's Jackson Pyatt, right, hounds Payson Seymour's Blake Schwartz during Friday night's prep boys basketball game at The Pit. | David Adam

QUINCY —Jackson Pyatt didn’t flinch when his number was called. After watching Blake Schwartz, Payson Seymour’s top player, torch the Quincy Notre Dame defense for 18 points through the first three quarters, Pyatt had one job in the final eight minutes. “The goal was just make sure (Schwartz) doesn’t score,” Pyatt said. Consider it mission…

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Raiders putting their unselfishness, ability to make game-to-game improvements on full display

Quincy Notre Dame senior guard Alex Dance sets himself to shoot a free throw during Saturday's victory over Gateway STEM (Mo.) during the QND/Gully Transportation Tip-Off Tournament at The Pit. | Addi Zanger photo

QUINCY — Two games into the high school boys basketball season, and Quincy Notre Dame coach Greg Altmix already likes what he sees. Eleven players entered the scoring column, with four reaching double figures, as the Raiders overcame an early deficit to cruise to a 77-48 victory over Gateway STEM (Mo.) Saturday night in the…

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Get it and go: Raiders employ up-tempo attack to run away from Comets in season opener

Quincy Notre Dame junior forward Jackson Connoyer leads the break during Friday night's game against McCluer (Mo.) in the QND/Gully Transportation Tip-Off Tournament at The Pit. | Shane Hulsey photo

QUINCY — Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Greg Altmix hoped his team would be in midseason form in its  season opener even if he knew that wasn’t likely.  Still, the effort he witnessed from start to finish was the next best thing. “Working hard and hustling can cover up for a lot of mistakes,”…

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Countdown to tipoff: Raiders put focus on playing physical, earning minutes in Altmix’s first season

Quincy Notre Dame coach Greg Altmix, right, works with the Raiders during a preseason practice at The Pit. | Shane Hulsey photo

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…

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‘I can’t think of a better place to end my career’: Altmix returns to Quincy Notre Dame for one last ride

Greg Altmix speaks at a press conference Tuesday during which he was named the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach. | Shane Hulsey photo

QUINCY — Greg Altmix plans on finishing his coaching career at Quincy Notre Dame. “I plan on being here until I can’t do it anymore,” Altmix said. At 57 years old, the newest QND boys basketball coach has been roaming the sidelines for more than half his life. Even though he has embraced the salt-and-pepper…

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Quincy Notre Dame tabs Liberty’s Altmix to be next boys basketball coach

Greg Altmix, who spent the past 10 seasons coaching boys basketball at Liberty, is taking over as the next head coach at Quincy Notre Dame. | Muddy River Sports file photo

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…

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

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

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

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Boys Basketball Coach of the Year: Liberty’s Altmix helps Eagles soar to new heights

Liberty coach Greg Altmix led the Eagles to the first state championship game appearance in school history. Photo courtesy Steve Davis

LIBERTY, Ill. — For a University of Illinois graduate who has remained loyal to his alma mater and is a basketball junkie through and through, walking out of the tunnel onto the State Farm Center court was like living out a dream. Seeing his players live out their dream of playing for a state championship…

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Schuckman: Eagles stick together to make state championship journey memorable and emotional

Liberty coach Greg Altmix reacts to a play during Thursday’s Class 1A state semifinal against Scales Mound at State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill. Photo courtesy Clark Brooks, PhotoNews Media

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Part of the wisdom Liberty boys basketball coach Greg Altmix has tried to impart on his players from his more than two decades on the bench is to enjoy the journey, not just the end result. So sitting in the lobby of the team hotel Thursday afternoon, while taking time to catch…

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Robbins says Liberty still ‘has memories to make’ following regional championship

Fans and cheerleaders race on to the court to celebrate Liberty's victory over Winchester-Bluffs West Central in Friday night's Class 1A regional championship game in Griggsville. | Photo courtesy of Russ Tate

GRIGGSVILLE, Ill. — Logan Robbins’ right knee is feeling just fine, thank you. So is that troublesome left ankle. Finally able to showcase his overall talent that had been hampered much of the season because of injuries, Robbins helped power Liberty to a 59-39 victory over Winchester-Bluffs West Central in Friday’s Class 1A regional championship…

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No. 4-ranked Liberty pulls away late against feisty Griggsville-Perry to reach regional final

Liberty's Logan Robbins dunks the ball in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's regional semifinal basketball game at Griggsville-Perry High School. | Photo courtesy of Russ Tate

GRIGGSVILLE, Ill. — Better late than never. Liberty withstood Griggsville-Perry’s upset bid Wednesday night in a Class 1A regional semifinal game, eventually pulling away in the final quarter to secure a 61-47 victory. The top-seeded Eagles (25-5) entered the game a huge favorite but were unable to turn back Griggsville-Perry (15-17) — a team they…

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Liberty tunes up for possible state tournament run with impressive Senior Night victory over QND

Logan Robbins soars in for a dunk for the first basket of the game in Liberty's 57-43 victory over Quincy Notre Dame on Friday night. Robbins had 15 points for the Eagles. | Photo courtesy of Russ Tate

QUINCY — Logan Robbins is growing a little weary of his dad’s stories. “I’ve heard them all,” the Liberty senior said with a roll of the eyes. His father, Don, was a starter on the 1990 Unity basketball team that won its first 30 games before losing to Pittsfield in the super-sectional.  “The stories are…

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