Titans unable to get to heart of the matter until it was too late in title game loss to Rockets

West Hancock sophomore guard Hunter Froman drives to the basket during Saturday's Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament championship game against Rockridge in Macomb, Ill. | Shane Hulsey photo

MACOMB, Ill. — The West Hancock boys basketball team took Rockridge’s punches. The Titans’ counterpunches came too late. The Titans could not crawl out of a 20-point deficit, and the Rockets won their second consecutive Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament title by defeating the Titans 66-59 on Saturday night at Western Hall. “We woke up a little…

Read More

‘That was a blast’: Hornets win third straight game at Macomb, take home consolation title

Brown County sophomore forward Jackson McNeff goes in for a contested layup during Saturday's consolation championship game against Canton (Ill.) in the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament in Macomb, Ill. | Shane Hulsey photo

MACOMB, Ill. — The Brown County boys basketball team got accustomed to the early wakeup call. It resulted in the Hornets bringing home some hardware. After playing at 9 a.m. all three days of the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament, the Hornets finally got to play an afternoon game Saturday, winning the consolation championship by defeating defeating…

Read More

Holthaus, Bombers finish hometown tournament on strong note, win third-place game

Macomb senior guard Braden Holthaus goes in for a layup during the third place game of the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament against Peoria Christian in Macomb, Ill. | Shane Hulsey photo

MACOMB, Ill. — Macomb senior guard Braden Holthaus was unusually tired after the first quarter of Saturday’s Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament third place game against No. 2 seed Peoria Christian. “I was exhausted,” Holthaus said. “That usually doesn’t happen.” The fourth-seeded Bombers playing their fourth game in 48 hours likely had something to do with that…

Read More

Carlisle’s buzzer-beater gives Chargers chance to secure fifth place at Macomb-Western tourney

Illini West's Ethan Carlisle (left) and Wesley Robertson react to Carlisle's game-tying 3-pointer at the fourth quarter buzzer during Saturday's fifth place game against Eureka in the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament in Macomb, Ill. | Shane Hulsey photo

MACOMB, Ill. — It was only fitting that Ethan Carlisle stepped to the free-throw line in the final seconds of overtime and put the finishing touches on a fifth-place finish for the Illini West boys basketball team at the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament. His heroics at the end of regulation were the reason the Chargers were…

Read More

Titans put ‘stagnant’ start behind them, roll into semifinals for rematch with Bombers

West Hancock sophomore guard Hunter Froman drives to the basket during Friday's game against Eureka in the second round of the Macomb-Western Shootout in Macomb, Ill. | Shane Hulsey photo

MACOMB, Ill. — West Hancock boys basketball coach Jeff Dahl barely recognized his team over the first quarter and change of Friday’s Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament quarterfinal game against Eureka. “It looked like we were disinterested, and I don’t know why because we have to win this to go on,” Dahl said. “It was really irritating.”…

Read More

Bombers’ defense quiets Golden Eagles’ shooters, leads to spot in Macomb-Western semifinals

Macomb junior forward Nolan Hoge makes a layup during Friday's game against Mercer County in the second round of the Macomb-Western Shootout in Macomb, Ill. | Shane Hulsey photo

MACOMB, Ill. — Locked in. Those were the first words Macomb boys basketball coach Jeremy Anderson used to describe his team’s defensive performance against Mercer County in Friday’s Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament quarterfinal game at Western Hall. “I thought the effort defensively was outstanding,” Anderson said. After Mercer County shot 72.7 percent from the field in…

Read More

Rockets’ blistering shooting too much for Chargers to overcome in tourney loss

Illini West junior forward Wesley Robertson attempts to beat the shot clock buzzer during Friday's game against Rockridge in the second round of the Macomb-Western Shootout in Macomb, Ill. | Shane Hulsey photo

MACOMB, Ill. — As the shots kept falling, all Tre Niederman could do was tip his cap. “There’s really nothing you can do when they don’t miss,” said Niederman, a senior guard on the Illini West boys basketball team. Rockridge put on a shooting clinic in the third quarter of Friday’s second round matchup with…

Read More

Titans deliver emphatic point they deserve No. 1 seed, blow out Spartans to open holiday tourney

West Hancock junior forward Cooper Knowles pokes the ball away from Bushnell-Prairie City's Ethan McKim during the Titans' 63-26 victory over the Spartans in the first round of the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament in Macomb, Ill. | Shane Hulsey photo

MACOMB, Ill. — West Hancock sophomore guard Hunter Froman brimmed with confidence when asked about the Titans solidifying their position as the No. 1 seed in the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament. “I’ve heard people talking about how there’s no real difference between the top four seeds, but I think that’s wrong,” Froman said. “I think we’re…

Read More

Defense, offensive rebounding allow Bombers to put finishing touches on opening-round victory

Macomb senior guard Braden Holthaus drives to the basket during the Bombers' 46-32 win over Canton in the first round of the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament in Macomb, Ill. | Shane Hulsey photo

MACOMB, Ill. — The Macomb boys basketball team imposed its will when it mattered most. By doing so, the Bombers created the separation they needed to advance to the second round of the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament. The Bombers trailed Canton (Ill.) 28-26 with 35 seconds left in the third quarter and took a 30-28 lead…

Read More

Titans’ Siegfried bringing success and passion for basketball full circle for his family

West Hancock senior guard Lewis Siegfried, here sizing up his options in a game against top-ranked Peoria Manual, has led the Titans to a No. 8 ranking in the Class 2A state poll. | Shane Hulsey photo

NAUVOO, Ill. — When Doug Siegfried watches his nephew Lewis Siegfried play for the West Hancock boys basketball team, it’s almost as if he’s stepped into a time machine. He cannot help but feel like he is watching his brother — Lewis’ father Mike Siegfried — play for Nauvoo-Colusa in the 1990s. “He reminds me…

Read More

Bombers battle to erase deficit, come up short in Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament title game

MACOMB, Ill. — Two of the best defensive teams in the field squared off in the championship game of the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament. As expected, it was a grind-it-out affair. Third-seeded Rockridge built a 10-point halftime cushion despite leading scorer Landon Bull spending the final 6:35 on the bench with two personal fouls and held…

Read More

Panthers head to Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament yet to allow any opponent 40 points

Camp Point Central guard Drew Paben has been part of a stout defense that is allowing just 28 points per game. | Matt Schuckman photo

CAMP POINT, Ill. — Defense is top priority at Camp Point Central, no matter the sport. “We preach it. It’s not just me preaching it,” said James Barnett, the boys basketball coach whose team enters the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament this week not having allowed an opponent to score 40 points in a game yet this…

Read More

Central bounces back from last-second loss to defeat Southeastern for third place at Macomb

MACOMB, Ill. — The Central boys basketball team rebounded from a crushing last-second loss in Friday afternoon’s semifinals and defeated Southeastern 51-43 in the third-place game at the 76th annual Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament. Breyhar Wiskirchen led the Panthers (10-3) with 18 points.  Isaac Genenbacher scored 12 for Central, and Drew Paben added 10. Danny Stephens scored 30…

Read More

Patience on offense, suffocating defense serving Southeastern well at Macomb

Southeastern's Danny Stephens prepares to make a move to the basket while being guarded by Macomb's Langdon Allen during Wednesday night's quarterfinal game at the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament in Western Hall. | David Adam

MACOMB, Ill. — Al Davis would have been proud. Most of the players on the Southeastern boys basketball team likely have never heard of the former owner of the NFL’s Oakland/Los Angeles (now Las Vegas) Raiders, but their “Just win, baby” mentality showed Wednesday night in a 30-27 victory over Macomb in the quarterfinals of…

Read More

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…

Read More

Dear Diary: Spending a tournament day in Macomb for first time in more than 25 years

Southeastern's Danny Stephens tries to maneuver through a maze of Abingdon defenders during Tuesday's first-round game at the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament. | David Adam

MACOMB, Ill. — The last time I spent an entire day at the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament was in 1996 when a talented Stephen Decatur squad, led by Tarise Bryson, claimed the title by defeating Warsaw in the title game. That was so long ago that now Stephen Decatur doesn’t even exist. But when Muddy River…

Read More

Illini West gives third-seeded Eureka scare, but top seeds prevail in first day at Macomb

Illini West's Gannon Bergmann flips a shot toward the rim while defended by Eureka's Tyler Heffren during Tuesday's first-round game at the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament at Western Hall in Macomb. | David Adam

MACOMB, Ill. — The top seeds held serve in each of the eight first-round games Tuesday in the 76th annual Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament. The Illini West boys basketball team had the best shot at pulling off an upset. The Chargers led No. 3 seed Eureka 15-4 after one quarter and by as many as 14 points…

Read More

Photo gallery: Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament

Central's Isaac Genenbacher goes up for a shot during Tuesday's first-round game in the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament. | David Adam

MACOMB, Ill. — Muddy River News Editor David Adam provides photos from six games during the first round of the 76th annual Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament. Illini West vs. Eureka West Hancock vs. Canton (Ill.) Pittsfield vs. Macomb Southeastern vs. Abingdon Central vs. Lewistown Brown County vs. Farmington

Read More

Holiday Tournament Roundup: Eagles finish fourth at Macomb after tough semifinal loss

The Liberty boys basketball team suffered a 54-38 loss to Macomb in the third-place game of the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament on Wednesday night at Western Hall. Photo courtesy Scott Holland, McDonough County Voice

MACOMB, Ill. — The Liberty boys basketball team nearly toppled one Class 2A program. The Eagles didn’t have enough in the tank to generate a second opportunity. Wednesday afternoon, in the semifinals of the 75th Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament, Farmington went on a 7-0 run over a 90-second span in the final two minutes of regulation…

Read More

Holiday Tournament Roundup: Eagles outlast Panthers in overtime, reach semifinals in Macomb

Pittsfield's Bobby Stout, left, looks to make a pass against Macomb during Tuesday's quarterfinal game at Western Hall. Photo courtesy Scott Holland, McDonough County Voice

MACOMB, Ill. — An ankle injury put Logan Robbins on the sideline for the final 90 seconds of overtime Tuesday night in the quarterfinals of the 75th Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament. By that point, though, he had left his mark. Robbins’ dunk with two minutes remaining gave the Liberty boys basketball team a two-point lead over…

Read More

Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament roundup: Saukees return from lengthy break, celebrate coach’s birthday with victory

MACOMB, Ill. — Brad Tomhave’s birthday wish was quite simple. All he wanted was a victory. Five minutes into Monday’s first-round game of the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament against Monmouth-Roseville, the Pittsfield boys basketball team didn’t look like it had anything gift-wrapped for the veteran coach. The Saukees allowed the Titans to score the game’s first…

Read More