Sweet to Elite: Blue Devils upend third-ranked Ironmen for first sectional title since 2000

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — Quincy High School boys basketball coach Andy Douglas’ heart nearly sank.

Fortunately for Douglas and the Blue Devils, Normal Community’s Zach Cleveland’s potential game-tying 3-pointer with three seconds left didn’t fall either.

“It did everything but go in. It hit the backboard then rimmed out. It takes a little bit of luck when you are playing this far into the postseason,” Douglas said.

Quincy built a 22-point lead with six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter before withstanding a furious rally from Normal Community that ended when Cleveland’s shot did everything but fall through the net. It enabled the Blue Devils to hold on for a 56-51 vicotry in the Class 4A Collinsville Sectional championship game.

It is the first sectional title for the Blue Devils since the 1999-2000 season. It is the state-leading 31st in program history.

“This is unbelievable. I just want to continue playing with these guys because they are such great kids,” Douglas said. “They are great on the floor and even better off. Anytime you can get one more game with kids like this it is a blessing.”

Quincy (28-5) advances to face Bolingbrook (27-6) in the Illinois State Super-Sectional at 7 p.m. Monday inside Redbird Arena on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal.

Bolingbrook defeated ninth-ranked Oswego East 52-51 in double overtime to win the Oswego Sectional.

The Blue Devils, winners of nine straight, are one win away from earning their first state trophy since taking third in 1997-98.

“To be one of the last teams standing, this means a lot,” said Quincy senior Jeremiah Talton, who hit two free throws with 1.8 seconds remaining to seal the win.

Talton finished with a team-high 19 points. Joining him in double figures were Bradley Longcor with 16 points and Keshaun Thomas with 13 points and 12 rebounds.

The state’s third-ranked Ironmen end their season at 34-1.

“I don’t think anybody was giving us a chance,” Douglas said. “To see our guys fight through it is impressive.”

Normal Community rolled out a lineup that included Cleveland, a 6-8 senior forward headed to Liberty, as well as Division I prospects in senior guard Trey Redd and 6-9 sophomore center Jaheem Webber. Cleveland scored 18 points but Redd and Webber were held to a combined eight points.

The Ironmen had their 26-game winning streak snapped, which started after a 61-59 loss to Champaign Centennial on December 10.

On Tuesday, the Blue Devils ended the Collinsville Kahoks’ 18-game winning streak. On Friday, Quincy led from start to finish and it enjoyed its biggest lead of the game at 45-23 after a 3-pointer from Longcor with 5:57 left in the regulation. It capped a 9-3 run to start the fourth.

After being limited to just eight field goals through the game’s first 26 minutes against Quincy’s match-up zone defense, Normal Community started to find its footing.

The Ironmen hit five of their next seven shots, including back-to-back 3-pointers from Robbie Brent and Crofton Perry and a traditional three-point play from Cleveland to cut the deficit to 47-39 with 3:02 to play.

Brent’s 3-pointer was the team’s first of the night after they missed its first 15 from long range.

A 3-pointer from Cleveland had Normal Community within 49-42 with 2:21 to go.

With the Blues Devils splitting their two free throws on four trips to the line, the Ironmen continued to pull closer and made it 54-51 after Brent scored on a lay-in with 33 seconds left following a turnover in the backcourt.

Two missed free throws from Quincy gave Normal Community a chance to tie, but Cleveland’s contested 3-pointer hit the backboard and went around the rim before falling out into the hands of Talton.

Talton knocked down both free throws with 1.8 seconds left to make it 56-51 and secure Quincy’s spot among the last eight teams standing.

“This means a lot,” Talton said. “We worked very had for this, each and everyone of us. It was a battle. We came out as the underdogs. People doubted us, but we were able to get the win.”

It was a furious rally from Normal Community, which made 10 of 15 shots over the final six minutes. It was 8 of 32 before that.

Quincy missed three of four shots, went 7 for 14 from the free-throw line and turned the ball over five times in the last six minutes.

“We had to stay composed and not get too sped up. There were a couple of times where we made some risky passes, but we were able to pull it out and get the win,” Talton said.

The start was much prettier for the Blue Devils, who jumped ahead 5-0 behind a 3-pointer from Talton and basket from Thomas.

A 6-5 freshman, Thomas played a physical role in limiting Webber to four points.

“Keshaun was a monster inside. For a freshman to go up against 6-9 like that and not have fear is impressive,” Douglas said.

Quincy led 11-6 after the first behind seven points from Talton.

“We wanted to come out and be the aggressor and we were,” Talton said.

The Blue Devils and Ironmen split the 18 points scored in the second, with Quincy taking a 20-15 lead into halftime.

After a free throw from Cleveland cut Quincy’s lead to 20-16 with 7:11 to go in the third, the Blue Devils went on a 14-0 run to take control of the game. Talton had six points in the run, including a 3-pointer, and Thomas added back-to-back baskets underneath, for the 34-16 lead.

“We executed offensively. That was probably the best we have executed offensively. The guys played with a lot of poise. We needed to make plays and random guys did,” Douglas said.

Normal Community missed 11 straight shots before Famious French ended the drought and made it 34-18 with 57 seconds left in the third.

The Blue Devils built their lead behind a match-up zone defense.

“We started the zone in Collinsville on this floor. Up until that point, we weren’t playing a match-up. We had to make some adjustments with 6-8 and 6-9 guys out there, but they found a way to compete,” Douglas said. “These guys bought in and they continue to buy in. When you can guard like these guys guard and have the heart and grit they have, you can compete with anybody.”

Normal Community finished the game 18 of 47 (38.3 percent) from the field. Quincy finished 15 of 32 (46.9 percent) from the field. It was 21 of 33 from the free-throw line.