‘Everything was big in that fourth quarter’: Blue Devils rally to keep season alive with regional championship

Quincy High School senior point guard Ralph Wires, right, accepts the Class 4A Edwardsville Regional championship plaque following Friday night's 49-42 victory over O'Fallon at Edwardsville, Ill. | Photo courtesy Matt Kamp

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. —  A hand injury has limited Ralph Wires’ ability to shoot the ball, but that didn’t stop the Quincy High School point guard from producing two of the biggest baskets Friday night. Wires made a pair of slashing drives to the lane on back-to-back possessions to ignite a game-closing 14-3 run for the…

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Opportunity to stay with defending state champs eludes Blue Devils in regional championship loss

Quincy High School freshman forward Jada Brown, left, gets in position for a rebound during Thursday's Class 4A regional championship against O'Fallon in O'Fallon, Ill. | Photo courtesy Paul Baillargeon, Archview Photos

O’FALLON, Ill. — Brad Dance could feel how much the missed opportunities hurt. The Quincy High School girls basketball team trailed defending state champion O’Fallon 15-10 in the first quarter of Thursday night’s Class 4A regional championship, but had it not been for squandering a couple of offensive chances, the Blue Devils could have been…

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Photo gallery: QHS girls see 25-win season come to end in regional title loss to O’Fallon

Quincy High School guard Leila Dade, left, wipes her eyes after the Blue Devils suffered a 55-40 loss to O'Fallon in Thursday night's Class 4A regional champiosnhip game in O'Fallon, Ill. | Photo courtesy Paul Baillargeon, Archview Photos

O’FALLON, Ill. — The Class 4A sub-sectional the Quincy High School girls basketball team was assigned proved to be as challening as expected. The third-seeded Blue Devils suffered a 55-40 loss to second-seeded O’Fallon in Thursday night’s regional championship, ending Quincy’s season with a 25-7 record. Freelance photographer Paul Baillargeon put together this photo gallery…

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Timeout turns tide as Blue Devils rally in third quarter, fight way into title game at Collinsville

Quincy High School guards Kamren Wires, left, and Dom Clay double-team O’Fallon guard Armon Smith during Thursday night’s semifinal game in the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic at Vergil Fletcher Gym in Collinsville, Ill. | Photo courtesy Tim Vizer Photography

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Andy Douglas hasn’t found a need to burn many timeouts this season. “A majority of games we’re walking away with six timeouts left,” the Quincy High School boys basketball coach said. “I just don’t call a ton.” Even in tight, tense situations, he allows the veteran lineup to navigate its own way. …

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Photo gallery: Blue Devils use second-half surge to power past Panthers

Quincy High School forward Keshaun Thomas grabs for the ball as OFallon guard Rini Harris brings into the frontcourt during Thursday’s semifinal matchup in the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic at Vergil Fletcher Gym in Collinsville, Ill. | Photo courtesy Tim Vizer Photography

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Two minutes into the second half Thursday night, the Quincy High School boys basketball team found itself trailing O’Fallon by eight points and riding the wrong end of a seven-point scoring binge. Less than 90 seconds later, the game was tied and the tide had completely turned. The Blue Devils used an…

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Blue Devils unable to muster fight needed to rally, bow out with sectional semifinal loss

Quincy High School guard Bradley Longcor III, left, dribbles around O’Fallon guard Jalen Smith during the Class 4A Moline Sectional semifinal played at Alton High School on Tuesday night in Alton, Ill. | Photo courtesy Tim Vizer Photography

ALTON, Ill. — Camden Brown quickly pinpointed the issue. “We didn’t have any fight in us,” he said. Forced into a corner, the Quincy High School boys basketball team could not withstand O’Fallon’s constant surges. The Blue Devils did not convert shots, did not rebound and did not consistently get defensive stops, resulting in a…

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Blue Devils toughen up in second half, rally to knock off Panthers for Class 4A regional crown

The Quincy High School boys basketball team celebrates winning the Class 4A Alton Regional championship Friday night with a 56-49 victory over O'Fallon. Photo courtesy Paul Baillargeon, Archview Photo

ALTON, Ill. — Quincy High School senior Jeremiah Talton identified the problem in a first half that saw the Blue Devils heavily outrebounded and settling for outside shots.  “We were playing soft,” Talton said. “We weren’t playing our brand of basketball.” Talton put Quincy back on brand, scoring 13 of his 18 points in the…

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