Posts Tagged ‘State Farm Holiday Classic’
Panthers complete three-peat by winning another State Farm Holiday Classic championship
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — When Central-Southeastern girls basketball coach Matt Long burned a timeout 2 minutes, 13 seconds into the second half Monday, his players fully understood why. “We had some dumb turnovers and silly decisions,” senior forward Lauren Miller said. A 14-point halftime advantage had been sliced in half as Bloomington Central Catholic opened the…
Read MoreCSE one victory from third straight title, but Long hopes more difficult schedule has team ready for postseason
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Sure, winning a third consecutive championship at the State Farm Holiday Classic would be nice. The top-seeded Central-Southeastern girls basketball team received celebratory hugs and pats on the back after Saturday night’s 56-42 victory over Paris in the semifinals of the small school girls bracket. The Panthers earned a spot in Monday’s…
Read MoreAfter winning final game at holiday tourney, Raiders ready for rest to fight off flus and colds
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — When all was said and done, the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball players wanted to go home. “So we kicked it in gear and got home,” Raiders coach Greg Altmix said. The need for rest and recuperation is why. QND finished its stay at the State Farm Holiday Classic with Saturday night’s…
Read MorePinpoint passing leads to sharp shooting as QHS girls wrap up Classic with impressive victory
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The first three quarters of Saturday afternoon’s game at the Shirk Center in the State Farm Holiday Classic showed just how good the Quincy High School girls basketball team can be. One moment halfway through the fourth quarter showed how fragile that success is. The Blue Devils posted a 61-42 victory over…
Read MoreAnother game, another rout for CSE in bid to repeat as State Farm Holiday Classic champs
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The play actually proved to be meaningless … which is why it was emblematic as well. The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team already had built a 30-point lead late in the third quarter Friday night and was on its way to a 56-25 victory over Winnebago in a quarterfinal game in the small…
Read MoreRaiders hang with top-seed Pecatonica until wheels come off in fourth quarter
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — One night after giving up just 24 points in a resounding victory over Aurora Christian, the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team allowed 24 points in the first quarter to Pecatonica. One night after forcing Aurora Christian into 25 turnovers, the Raiders turned it over 23 times themselves. Yet with 6:42 remaining…
Read MoreWolfpack’s perimeter shooting holds Blue Devils at bay in quarterfinal loss in Bloomington
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — No matter what the Quincy High School girls basketball team did, Chicago St. Ignatius always had an answer. Typically, it was in the form of a 3-pointer. Sally Kennedy’s 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer Friday night gave the Wolfpack a four-point halftime edge, while Reganne Reardon bookended a tide-turning 10-2 run in…
Read MoreRaiders unleash 1-2-2 press, force 25 turnovers to overwhelm Aurora Christian by 39 points
NORMAL, Ill. — The first round in the small school boys basketball bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic figured to be chock full of competitive games, with seven of the 16 teams receiving votes in the first AP state polls. Three top seeds narrowly won by a combined nine points, and No. 13 seed…
Read More‘Business trip’ for Central-Southeastern girls off to good start with first-round rout
NORMAL, Ill. — Central-Southeastern girls basketball coach Matt Long calls his team’s annual trip to the State Farm Holiday Classic a “business trip.” “One of the biggest reasons why we come here is we’ve won a lot of big games here over the years,” Long said after his team, the No. 1 seed in the…
Read MoreBlue Devils clamp down defensively in third quarter to separate themselves from Tigers
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — If the State Farm Holiday Classic organizing committee had chosen to incorporate the shot clock for this year’s tournament, the Quincy High School girls basketball team’s nine-point halftime lead Thursday night could have been substantially more. “I bet we force another four or five turnovers,” QHS coach Brad Dance said. “Our defense…
Read More‘I knew we weren’t going to give up’: Central-Southeastern overcomes 16-point deficit to repeat as State Farm Holiday Classic champs
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team is becoming pretty good at playing from behind. Eleven days ago, the Panthers trailed Quincy Notre Dame 27-2 but had two chances to win the game in a 35-31 loss. Twenty-four hours before playing in the small school girls bracket championship at the State Farm Holiday Classic,…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: CSE captures third gold ball in school history
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team rallied from a 16-point first-half deficit to hand Galena its first loss in a 45-40 victory in the championship game in the small school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of the action from the game.
Read MoreBrown’s 31 points help Blue Devils bounce back after late night to take third-place trophy
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — It’s a shame Taylor Fohey and Jada Brown will only get to spend one season together. In their short time together on the Quincy High School girls basketball team, Fohey and Brown have developed into quite an accomplished pair of post players. Two days after Fohey scored 26 points in a 56-40…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: First trip to State Farm Holiday Classic proves to be fruitful for QHS girls
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Quincy High School girls basketball team capped a successful weekend in its debut at the State Farm Holiday Classic by defeating Washington 61-53 in the third-place game in the large school girls bracket at the Shirk Center on the Illinois Wesleyan University campus. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of the…
Read MoreC-SE girls burn most of final five minutes off clock, move into title game at State Farm Holiday Classic
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — High school basketball fans clamoring for a shot clock would not have enjoyed the final five minutes of Central-Southeastern’s 39-25 victory over Kankakee Bishop McNamara in the semifinals of the small school girls bracket in the State Farm Holiday Classic on Friday night at the Shirk Center. Once the Panthers built their…
Read MorePotential game-tying shot doesn’t fall as QHS girls lose in overtime in State Farm Holiday Classic semifinal
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — It was the shot they wanted. Just not the result. Leila Dade’s running one-handed jump shot from 8 feet along the baseline was short with four seconds remaining in overtime, and the Quincy High School girls basketball team suffered a 42-40 loss to Morton in the semifinals of the large school bracket…
Read MoreStrong effort in final tourney game gives QND boys basketball team something to build upon
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — After playing arguably its worst half of the season Friday afternoon, the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team returned three hours later to turn in perhaps its most complete overall performance. Thirteen players scored, with eight sinking at least one 3-pointer, to carry the Raiders to a convincing 78-56 victory over Rockford…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: Central-Southeastern earns chance to defend championship with victory over Bishop McNamara
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team only led 18-17 at halftime but pulled away in the second half to defeat Kankakee Bishop McNamara 39-25 in the semifinals of the small school bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic at the Shirk Center on Friday. CSE will play Galena for the title at 3:30…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: Foul problems hinder Blue Devils in semifinal setback to Morton
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Taylor Fohey, Jada Brown and Myley Longcor all spent significant time on the bench either in foul trouble or nursing an injury during the Quincy High School girls basketball team’s 42-40 overtime loss to Morton during Friday night’s semifinal game in the large school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic…
Read MoreFohey, Brown combine to make all but two of Quincy’s field goals in victory over Peoria Richwoods
NORMAL, Ill. — After one of Taylor Fohey’s seven second-quarter baskets Thursday night, the frustration among the Peoria Richwoods girls basketball players was evident. As Fohey drove to the basket and muscled up two more points, one of the Lady Knights said, “What do you want me to do?” Fohey scored 20 first-half points to…
Read MoreRaiders follow forgettable first half with fabulous second half, rout Stanford Olympia in consolation bracket
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Roller coasters certainly are fun if you ride them during a trip to Six Flags or Disney World, but they’re a little rough if they are used to describe a basketball season. The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team followed a sloppy first half with a snappy second half in Thursday afternoon’s…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Panthers allow just eight points in second half in rout of Stanford Olympia
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team forced 18 second-half turnovers and didn’t allow a field goal for nearly a quarter and a half in a 60-26 victory over Stanford Olympia in the quarterfinals of the small school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic on Thursday afternoon at Bloomington High School. MRN…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: Victory over Richwoods ensures QHS will play two state-ranked teams at State Farm Holiday Classic
NORMAL, Ill. — Quincy High School’s 56-40 victory over Peoria Richwoods on Thursday night assures the team two more games against state-ranked teams in the large school girls bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic. The Blue Devils play Morton in the semifinals on Friday and either Washington or Normal Community on Saturday. MRN Editor…
Read MoreCentral-Southeastern clamps down on Normal U-High in opening-round victory
NORMAL, Ill. — The No. 1 seed played like the No. 1 seed. The Central-Southeastern girls basketball team’s defensive intensity frustrated and stymied Normal U-High from start to finish in Wednesday night’s 67-19 victory in the opening round of the small school bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic at Normal Community High School. It…
Read MoreOffensive struggles send QND boys into consolation round of small school bracket for first time
NORMAL, Ill. — Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer is convinced his team’s record should be much better than what it is. “I told the guys I think that you’re a 10-1 team versus the 6-5 our record says,” Meyer said after the Raiders lost 55-50 to Pecatonica Wednesday night at Normal West…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: QHS girls place three in double figures in State Farm Holiday Classic debut
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Jada Brown scored 16 points, Taylor Fohey scored 14 and Myley Longcor added 11 in the Quincy High School girls basketball team’s 58-38 victory over Springfield in the first round of the large school bracket at the State Farm Holiday Classic at Bloomington High School. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of…
Read MorePhoto Gallery: Raiders stay close with once-beaten Pecatonica but can’t regain lead
NORMAL, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team never trailed by more than six points but failed to regain the lead in the final 12 minutes of Wednesday night’s 55-50 loss to Pecatonica in the first round of the small school boys bracket during the State Farm Holiday Classic at Normal West High…
Read MoreCentral-Southeastern slays another monster in winning State Farm Holiday Classic championship
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Central-Southeastern girls basketball coach Matt Long referred to top-seeded Paris as “a monster.” Consider his squad the beast slayers then. The Panthers completed a remarkable run to the State Farm Holiday Classic championship Friday afternoon, making 5 of 6 free throws in the final 18.2 seconds to hand the Tigers their first…
Read MoreRaiders enjoy sweet rewards after capping State Farm Holiday Classic with back-to-back wins
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Christina Meyer made a promise the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball players intended her to keep. So after beating Kankakee Bishop McNamara 53-46 in Thursday night’s fifth-place game of the State Farm Holiday Classic, the Raiders reminded Meyer’s husband — QND coach Kevin Meyer — she said she’d buy the team milkshakes…
Read MoreLockdown defense carries Central-Southeastern into State Farm Holiday Classic title tilt
NORMAL, Ill. — Because of the widespread success of the Central-Southeastern girls basketball players across all sports, it’s easy to forget how youthful the Panthers are. “I know,” C-SE coach Matt Long said. Still, a majority of the time, C-SE has three sophomores, sometimes four, on the floor. That makes this week’s run to the…
Read MoreC-SE knocks off SHG with dynamic defensive effort in second half of tourney quarterfinal
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Matt Long made it sound so simple. “In the second half, I thought we had a lot of energy and effort and it turned the game for us,” the veteran Central-Southeastern girls basketball coach said. The tenaciousness defensively brought about by playing with more energy and effort certainly did that. A five-point…
Read MoreTurnovers, miscues leave QND boys basketball team with empty feeling after quarterfinal loss
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — A game of chase morphed into a game of giveaway Wednesday night. After opening the State Farm Holiday Classic with an aggressive, transition-based effort offensively that led to its highest scoring game of the season, the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team allowed two many empty possessions to derail it in a…
Read MorePanthers lock down in closing stretch to quell Fightin’ Irish comeback
NORMAL, Ill. — Having watched a nine-point advantage dwindle to three, the Central-Southeastern girls basketball players simply refused to let Kankakee Bishop McNamara draw any closer. The Panthers made their free throws, too. Central-Southeastern outscored Bishop McNamara 8-2 over the final 2 minutes, 40 seconds of regulation Tuesday night and earned a 36-27 victory in…
Read MoreCatch me if you can: Raiders accept challenge to chase down point guard, thrive in transition
NORMAL, Ill. — Fully aware his team’s offense needed to ratchet everything up a notch or two, Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer presented the Raiders with a challenge heading into the State Farm Holiday Classic. Catch Jake. Meyer told his point guard — senior Jake Hoyt — to push the pace at…
Read MoreRaiders show growth, see potential for more after splitting final two games in Bloomington
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball coach Kevin Meyer never saw the absence of two starters as a ready-made excuse for any setback. He viewed it more as a chance to grow. Having split two games Wednesday in the small-school bracket of the State Farm Holiday Classic, the Raiders showed considerable growth and…
Read MoreAfter St. Joseph-Ogden star gets loose in third quarter, Raiders miss chance to complete comeback victory
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — It might not look like it in the scorebook, but Quincy Notre Dame actually did a good job keeping St. Joseph-Ogden star Ty Pence in check. Well, except for the final three minutes of the third quarter. Pence, a 6-foot-6 junior, scored 11 of his 26 points during that time frame, turning…
Read MoreAfter loss in State Farm quarterfinals, Central-Southeastern coach questions if Winnebago is top Class 2A team in state
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Central-Southeastern coach Matt Long has a pretty good idea of what a good Class 2A girls basketball looks like. He guided the Panthers to third-place and fourth-place finishes at the state tournament in 2016 and 2017. So after his team lost 33-21 to Winnebago, ranked No. 1 in the latest Class 2A…
Read MoreAfter forcing 29 turnovers in victory over Stanford Olympia, C-SE girls earn shot at No. 1-ranked Winnebago
NORMAL, Ill. — Central-Southeastern gets a crack on Tuesday against Winnebago, the No. 1 seed in the small-school girls bracket at the State Farm Holiday Classic and the No. 1-ranked team in the Class 2A state poll. Don’t be surprised if the Panthers throw a scare at the undefeated Indians. C-SE forced 29 turnovers in…
Read MoreHoliday tournament guide: State Farm Holiday Classic small-school boys
QUINCY — Anyone associated with the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball program understands how on-point a team is going to have to be to win the State Farm Holiday Classic small-school bracket. The Raiders have seen the top-seeded team at its best. QND lost to Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin 66-42 at the Pit on December 3…
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