Countdown to tipoff: Focus switches to hoops at Central with young roster needing to mature

Camp Point Central boys basketball coach James Barnett is used to his team needing most of December to find its rhythm following a successful football season for the Panthers. | Matt Schuckman photo

Coverage of the Camp Point Central boys basketball team is brought to you by: CAMP POINT, Ill. — Camp Point Central boys basketball coach James Barnett has been through this before. Fourteen of the 15 players on the Central basketball roster are football players, which means the Central football team’s trip to the Class 1A…

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Central boys bounce back from losses to Unity, Griggsville-Perry to win twice in 24 hours

Camp Point Central's Drew Paben drives to the basket while Van-Far's Gage Gibson defends during Saturday afternoon's high school boys basketball game at the Pit in Quincy during the KHQA Superfan Shootout. | Photo courtesy of Mike Pritchard

QUINCY — The week ended much better than it began for the Camp Point Central boys basketball team. After suffering back-to-back upset losses to Mendon Unity and Griggsville-Perry, the Panthers whipped Rushville-Industry Friday night and then pulled away in the second half Saturday afternoon for a 59-46 victory over Van-Far (Mo.) in the American Family…

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Moore-to-Blewett basket late in game propels Central boys past West Hancock

Central's Gavin Blewett pulls up for a shot over two West Hancock defenders during Friday night's boys basketball game in Warsaw. | Photo courtesy of Keith Yex

WARSAW, Ill. — Camp Point Central guard Nick Moore launched a seeing-eye pass from the top left corner of the key, aimed directly at Gavin Blewett, who was wide open about five feet to the right of the basket. Blewett reeled in the laser-like toss, took one step toward the hoop and calmly banked in…

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Moore never loses confidence, hits 3-pointer in final minute to help Central reach semifinals at Macomb

Central's Nick Moore drives to the basket while West Hancock's Gavin Grothaus defends in the second half of Wednesday's quarterfinal game in the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament in Western Hall. At left is Central coach James Barnett. | David Adam

MACOMB, Ill. — It’s a good thing Central’s Nick Moore has a short memory. His 3-pointer with 3:10 remaining in the fourth quarter cut West Hancock’s lead to 47-45. Thirty seconds later, Moore launched what could have been the go-ahead shot from the corner. Instead, the ball hit the support behind the backboard. “That wasn’t…

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