Victory of Titan-ic proportions: West Hancock wins West Central Conference title, beats QND at The Pit

West Hancock junior center Cooper Knowles, right, blocks a shot by Quincy Notre Dame's Jace Allensworth during the first half of Tuesday night's West Central Conference game at The Pit. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — As he dribbled from one side of the court to the other, West Hancock senior guard Gavin Grothaus found himself dangerously close to a five-second violation.  A turnover could have changed the outcome of the game. Instead, Grothaus avoided the mishap and made the biggest pass of Tuesday’s showdown with Quincy Notre Dame,…

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Mexico’s blistering shooting continues, while turnovers continue to plague QND

Mexico's Holden Aulbur tries to trach down a ball near midcourt while guarded by Quincy Notre Dame's Jackson Connoyer during Saturday night's game at The Pit. | David Adam photo

QUINCY — Darren Pappas has seen this act before.  The coach of the Mexico (Mo.) boys basketball team has had a front row seat to the Bulldogs’ perimeter prowess. “When we get our feet set, I like our chances,” Pappas said with a grin. Mexico made eight of its first nine shots, had seven first…

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Helias capitalizes on swing moment in fourth quarter, fends off QND’s comeback

Quincy Notre Dame's Jackson Connoyer looks to pass while defended by Jefferson City Helias' Alex Wood, left, and Jordan Sykes during Friday night's game in the KHQA/American Family Insurance Superfan Shootout at The Pit. | David Adam photo

QUINCY — The pass was perfect and the shot was open.  “Everything was right there,” Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Greg Altmix said. Everything except the tide-turning moment it was set up to be. The Raiders had cut an 18-point, second-half deficit to seven in the early stages of the fourth quarter of Friday’s…

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‘We were kind of shocked’: Simeon’s blitz puts QND on its heels, leads to lopsided loss for Raiders

Quincy Notre Dame junior forward Jace Allensworth begins his drive to the basket during Friday's game against Chicago Simeon in the Quincy Shootout at The Pit. | Shane Hulsey photo

QUINCY — The first six minutes the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team played against Chicago Simeon in the Quincy Shootout on Friday were as close to as perfect as Raiders coach Greg Altmix could have asked for. “If we can do that for 32 minutes, there’s no team in Class 2A we can’t play…

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Raiders hang with top-seed Pecatonica until wheels come off in fourth quarter

Quincy Notre Dame's Jace Allensworth goes up for a shot while being defended by Pecatonica's Jaxon Diedrich during Friday night's quarterfinal game in the small school boys basketball bracket at the State Farm Holiday Classic in the Shirk Center. | David Adam photo

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — One night after giving up just 24 points in a resounding victory over Aurora Christian, the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team allowed 24 points in the first quarter to Pecatonica. One night after forcing Aurora Christian into 25 turnovers, the Raiders turned it over 23 times themselves. Yet with 6:42 remaining…

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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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Allensworth’s career night carries Raiders past Titans, forges ties for WCC championship

Quincy Notre Dame sophomore guard Jace Allensworth scored a career-high 30 points in Tuesday night's 68-64 victory over West Hancock at Warsaw, Ill. | Muddy River Sports file photo

WARSAW, Ill. — Fittingly, it was Jace Allensworth who sealed the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team’s 68-64 victory Tuesday night over West Hancock. Allensworth, a 6-foot sophomore guard, swished a pair of free throws with 11 seconds remaining to cap a brilliant offensive night for himself and punctuate an impressive turnaround for the Raiders.…

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Offensive struggles send QND boys into consolation round of small school bracket for first time

Quincy Notre Dame's Jace Allensworth tries to get to the basket while Pecatonica's Brody Black defends him during Wednesday's boys basketball game during the State Farm Holiday Classic at Normal West High School. | David Adam photo

NORMAL, Ill. — Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer is convinced his team’s record should be much better than what it is. “I told the guys I think that you’re a 10-1 team versus the 6-5 our record says,” Meyer said after the Raiders lost 55-50 to Pecatonica Wednesday night at Normal West…

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