Crim: Centralia’s Bennett maintains focus on what’s next for Orphans after milestone victory

By Don Crim, Senior Columnist | March 3, 2025
Centralia boys basketball coach Lee Bennett, a Pittsfield native, poses with a group of students after the Orphans won their semifinal in the Class 3A Effingham Regional, giving Bennett his 700th career victory. | Photo courtesy Toby Gullion

QUINCY — Lee Bennett took a moment to pose for a photograph with a group of Centralia High School students acknowledging his 700th career coaching victory last Wednesday night after the Orphans demolished Charleston in the semifinals of the Class 3A Effingham boys basketball regional. The celebration was short. “There’s a lot of people who…

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50 After 50: Before becoming one of Illinois’ most successful prep coaches, Bennett says injured foot was costly for No. 44 Saukees

By David Adam, MRN Editor | December 27, 2021
Front row: Chris Miller, Marcus Zumwalt, Steve Personett, Todd Cawthon, Louis Koncor, John Hill, Bo Baer, Craig Riley, Steve Whewell, David Bess. Back row: Coach Bruce Everetts, Coach Jerry O’Brien, manager Bobby Scranton, Jeff Rupert, Troy Fischer, Brian Daniel, David McCartney, Lee Bennett, Jerome Heavner, Scot Moore, Brandon Moore, Coach Dave Bennett. | Photo courtesy of Dave Bennett

The Illinois High School Association created a second class for boys basketball for the 1971-72 school year. The 2020-21 season would have been the 50th year of the boys basketball small-school tournament. Muddy River Sports is celebrating 50 years of small-school boys basketball by ranking the 50 best teams in Adams, Brown, Pike and Hancock…

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