Fear the mullet: Klingele’s game deserves as much attention as his choice of hairstyles

Liberty's Breiton Klingele goes up for a shot during the first half of Thursday's Class 1A state semifinal against Scales Mound at State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill. Photo courtesy Clark Brooks, PhotoNews Media

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Breiton Klingele’s hairstyle came down to a choice. Not a bet. Not a dare. Not anything other than a conscious decision to let it grow. “I just decided it one day, so I started growing it,” Klingele said. “No other reason. I just wanted a mullet.” The Liberty senior’s long, curly locks…

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Photo gallery: Liberty vs. Southeastern in Class 1A Jacksonville Super-Sectional

Liberty fans react during the Class 1A Jacksonville Super-Sectional on Monday night at the Jacksonville Bowl. Liberty defeated Southeastern 49-42 to advance to the state final four in Champaign. Photo courtesy Steve Davis

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — The fans of the Liberty and Southeastern boys basketball teams filled the Jacksonville Bowl on Monday night for a titanic matchup in the Class 1A Jacksonville Super-Sectional. Photographer Steve Davis captured the moments from start to finish. Below is a gallery of Davis’ images.

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Taste of Champaign: Klauser’s play speaks volumes as Liberty eclipses Southeastern for spot in Class 1A state semifinals

Liberty senior forward Logan Robbins leaps into the air and pumps his fist as time expires on the Eagles' 49-42 victory over Southeastern in Monday night’s Class 1A Jacksonville Super Sectional at the Jacksonville Bowl. Photo courtesy Steve Davis

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Devin Klauser likely has never been in trouble for talking in class at Liberty High School. The senior is a guy of few words. Very, very few words. “He’s kind of shy,” Eagles teammate Cannen Wolf said, with the expected grin. The 6-foot-6 Klauser let his performance on the floor do his…

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Class 1A super-sectional notebook: Stephens’ dominant junior season heightens expectations for senior campaign

Southeastern's Danny Stephens puts up a shot during the Suns' 49-42 loss to Liberty on Monday night in the Class 1A Jacksonville Super-Sectional at the Jacksonville Bowl. Photo courtesy Steve Davis

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Danny Stephens will be back for a curtain call. The 6-foot-7 Stephens’ junior year came to halt Monday night when he and his Southeastern Suns were beaten by a talented — and deep — Liberty team 49-42 in the Class 1A Jacksonville Super-Sectional at the Jacksonville Bowl. The defeat did not diminish…

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Eagles move step closer to fulfilling boyhood dreams, will play for spot in Class 1A final four

The Liberty boys basketball players celebrate their Class 1A sectional championship after beating Jacksonville Routt 39-28 Friday night in White Hall, Ill. Photo courtesy Russ Tate

WHITE HALL, Ill. — Understandably, Breiton Klingele found it difficult to keep his emotions in check. “Ever since I was little, all I have wanted to do was play in the state tournament,” he said. Well, Klingele, a 6-foot-4 senior forward, and his Liberty teammates now find themselves one step away from the Class 1A…

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50 After 50: No. 18 Eagles reset mindset after late-season setbacks, make run to history

Front row, from left to right, manager Joe Dietrich, Blake Geren, Logan Graham, Zach Barker, Dalton Lentz, Levi Obert, Eric Doane and manager Ethan Wolf. Back row, from left to right, assistant coach Jeffrey Obert, assistant coach Dan Sparrow, Reed Wolfmeyer, Evan Graham, Daniel Mast, Cole Wellman, Tayton Roe and coach Greg Altmix. Submitted photo

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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Illinois boys basketball state rankings: Liberty stays in middle of Class 1A’s top 10, QHS still receiving votes

Liberty coach Greg Altmix, right, and the Eagles are the area's only team ranked in the Illinois boys basketball state polls. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The Moline boys basketball team’s victory over Quincy High School last Friday night at Wharton Field House vaulted the Maroons into the Class 4A state rankings, while the Blue Devils remain among the others receiving votes. Liberty is still the only area team ranked, although the Eagles dropped one spot to No. 5…

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SuperFan Shootout: Talton’s field goal gives Panthers final edge in epic state-ranked showdown with Eagles

Monroe City guard Joshua Talton calls timeout before being tied up by Liberty's Breighton Klingele during the second half of Saturday night's game in the SuperFan Shootout at The Pit. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Tied up, off target, then true. Joshua Talton smiled knowing the last one was the only one that mattered. Stymied at the end of regulation when his drive to the basket resulted in a jump ball and foiled at the end of the first overtime when his elbow jumper caromed off the rim,…

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Illinois boys state basketball polls: Liberty receives first-place vote in Class 1A

The Liberty boys basketball team remains the only area school ranked in the state polls, which were released Wednesday. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Respect is growing for the Liberty boys basketball team. The Eagles remained No. 5 in the Class 1A state poll released Wednesday, but they received a first-place vote as the top of the Class 1A poll remains stacked. Four teams received first-place votes with No. 2 Yorkville Christian receiving the most with seven.…

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Quincy Shootout: Eagles’ chemistry creates edge as they pull away from Dukes

The Liberty boys basketball team's bench reacts to Cannen Wolf burying a 3-pointer just before the halftime buzzer Saturday in the Quincy Shootout at Blue Devil Gym. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — The initial reaction was what Greg Altmix expected. Thursday afternoon, the Liberty boys basketball coach informed his players they had added a game to the schedule with an appearance in the fourth Quincy Shootout at Blue Devil Gym. “(The organizers) giving us a chance to come and play in this event really got…

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