Muddy River Showcase: Illinois boys make late defensive stand to hold off Missouri’s push

QUINCY — The Missouri boys were a half away from the Show-Me State’s first win in the short history of the Muddy River Showcase, but a third-quarter surge from Illinois and a defensive stand down the stretch Saturday netted an 89-82 for the Prairie State at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center.

Missouri led 46-40 at halftime, but Illinois outscored Missouri 31-15 to take a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter. Missouri trimmed the deficit to 82-80 with 1:47 left, but a Lewis Siegfried 3-pointer with 1:26 left made it a five-point game, and Missouri never got closer than three points the rest of the way.

Here are some takeaways from the game:

Thomas, Lagemann earn MVP plaudits

Quincy High School’s Keshaun Thomas was named the most valuable player for the winning side. The Drury University commit led all players with 24 points, corralled 12 rebounds and dished out six assists.

He broke the Showcase rebound record of 11, set in 2024 by Highland’s Brady Campen, and tied the assist record set by Quincy Notre Dame’s Jackson Stratton in 2023.

“I felt like I shot my shot well,” Thomas said. “I drove and kicked for others. We came back, got the lead and then kept it.”

Thomas also got to share the floor one last time with former QHS teammates Kamren Wires, who will begin his college career at Culver-Stockton College this winter.

“That’s my brother,” said Thomas, who is headed to play at Drury University. “We were born around each other, grew up together, so playing with him one more time before we go off to college was great.”

A fourth-quarter scoring barrage by Marion County’s Joey Lagemann helped him earn MVP honors for the Missouri side. Lagemann scored 11 of his team-high 21 points in the final frame, went 9 of 22 from the field and had five steals.

“I was just trying to help the team back,” Lagemann said. “We hadn’t won in a long time, so I was just trying to get the dub.”

Preston Brewer, a recent Canton graduate and Quincy University commit, finished with a double-double for Missouri with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

“I thought Preston was going to get (the MVP), to be honest,” Lagemann said.

Brewer, Thomas engage in first of future battles

The showcase will more than likely not be the last time Brewer and Thomas go head-to-head on the basketball floor. At Quincy and Drury, respectively, the two premier area post talents will face each other in the future in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

“I’m really looking forward to these next four years battling down low, outside, wherever with him,” Brewer said.

Thomas is eager to square off with Brewer at the college level.

“He’s a great competitor,” Thomas said. “We’re both in the same conference, so I’ll see him again this year. We’re going to have some more interactions, and we’ll see how it goes.”

The two big men combined for 45 points and 23 rebounds in their first and final clash before their collegiate careers begin.

“It’s going to be great to be able to come back home once or twice a year and play at QU, play in front of the family. It’s just amazing,” Thomas said.

While he performed well, Brewer said his first basketball game in more than three months gave him a bit of a wake-up call.

“I’ve got to get in shape,” Brewer said.

Genenbacher does double duty

Elijah Genenbacher was not going to let his older brother, Isaac, have the bragging rights.

On Saturday, Elijah participated in the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association’s 51st annual Shrine Game, which began at 10 a.m. at Illinois Wesleyan’s Tucci Stadium in Bloomington.

“We did really well,” Genenbacher said. “We won 29-7. I played inside linebacker and had eight or 10 tackles. I played fullback for a jumbo set and had three pancakes, so it was really fun.”

The kickoff time gave Genenbacher just enough time to make it back to Quincy in time to play in the Muddy River Showcase. He arrived at the Student Activity Center late in the first quarter and played 15 minutes, scoring two points and grabbing seven rebounds.

“I was going ‘the speed limit’ most of the time, but yeah, I had to rush back,” Genenbacher said.

In doing so, Elijah pulled off the double dip, just as Isaac did in 2023.

“I was like, ‘I have to do it. I can’t not do it,’” Elijah Genenbacher said.

Elijah entered the game with 6:19 left in the second quarter and immediately announced his presence. On Illinois’ first possession, Genenbacher rebounded a missed 3-pointer by Thomas and converted the putback.

“It was very neat,” Genenbacher said. “I got the ball, and I was like, ‘Well, might as well score it.’”

Genenbacher said it was worth it to book back to Quincy to play in two all-star games in one day.

“Both things are super special to be in,” Genenbacher said. “To have the opportunity to do them both, I’m extremely honored.”