Crim: Britton turns high school hoops passion into information superhighway for fans

This is Aaron Britton's most recent Class 4A state poll, which he compiles using a mathematical formula that involves winning percentages, quality of wins and losses and strength of schedule.

QUINCY — Aaron Britton fell in love with basketball growing up on a dairy farm in southern Illinois. He remembers watching tape-delayed television broadcasts of University of Kentucky games in the 1990s when Rick Pitino and Tubby Smith were guiding the Wildcats to national championships. He was a member of the Mounds Meridian High School…

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Hawks show grit, moxie in exhibition loss to Illini

Quincy University guard Jamaurie Coakley, left, puts up a shot against Illinois forward Matthew Mayer during Friday night's exhibition game at State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill. | Photo courtesy Robin Scholz, Champaign News-Gazette

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Steve Hawkins wasn’t shy about what he hoped to accomplish by traveling to State Farm Center for an exhibition game against the No. 23 University of Illinois men’s basketball team. “A lot,” said Hawkins, embarking on his second stint as the head coach at Quincy University. “It’s going to be beneficial on…

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Muddy River Showcase: Illini West girls’ record-setting season comes complete with all-stars

Illini West girls basketball coach Grant Surprenant, squatting, will lead the Illinois all-stars in the inaugural Muddy River Showcase. Matt Schuckman photo

The inaugural Muddy River Showcase is taking place June 18 at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. The Illinois vs. Missouri format for senior prep basketball players will feature a girls game at 3 p.m. with the boys game to follow at 5 p.m. Admission is $10 at the door and all seating is general…

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Muddy River Showcase: Players with postseason pedigree dot Illinois boys all-star roster

Four of the members of the Liberty state runner-up boys basketball team, including on the right Logan Robbins and Devin Klauser, will represent Illinois in the inaugural Muddy River Showcase. Photo courtesy Clark Brooks, PhotoNews Media

The inaugural Muddy River Showcase is taking place June 18 at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center. The Illinois vs. Missouri format for senior prep basketball players will feature a girls game at 3 p.m. with the boys game to follow at 5 p.m. Admission is $10 at the door and all seating is general…

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Muddy River Showcase to bring back Illinois vs. Missouri all-star basketball games

QUINCY — Brad Hoyt remembers fondly going head-to-head with players from the opposite side of the Mississippi River in a summer all-star basketball game while creating long-lasting relationships with rivals he played against during the regular season. “There are stories from that game that we still share,” Hoyt said. And it’s been almost 30 years…

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Illinois boys basketball state rankings: Liberty is lone area team in top 10

Logan Robbins and the Liberty boys basketball team are ranked seventh in the first Class 1A state poll of 2022. Matt Schuckman photo

Here are the state rankings of Illinois high school boys basketball teams in each class for Jan. 5, 2022, according to an Associated Press panel of sportswriters. Class 4A School W-L Pts Prv 1. Glen Ellyn Glenbard West (10) 14-0 100 1 2. Chicago Kenwood 12-2 87 3 3. Glenview Glenbrook South 13-1 72 T4…

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