Photo Gallery |St. Joseph-Ogden overpowers Oakwood at basketball tourney

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph-Ogden's Parker Fitch releases a shot between Carsen Dudley and Alex Wallace in the first quarter of their Toyota of Danville Classic game on Friday. Picking up their third win of the season, the Spartans defeated the Comets 79-46 and advanced to Saturday's championship game against Bishop McNamara. Here are more photos from Friday's pool game.

---

---

More area basketball stories

---

St. Joseph-Ogden's Kaden Wedig goes up to force the ball away from Oakwood's Ben Darling during second half action of their pool game on Friday.

---

---

TAGS: St. Joseph-Ogden basketball, Oakwood Comets basketball, Toyota of Danville Classic basketball tournament, SJO sports, high school basketball

ALAH defeats Watseka 49-44 at Toyota of Danville Classic

ST. JOSEPH - Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond's Will Hilligoss takes the ball down the court during the last ten seconds of his team Toyota of Danville game against Watseka. The Knights advance to Saturday's fifth-place game after pulling out a thrilling 49-44 victory over the Warriors. Hilligoss finished the game with six points behind teammate Kendall Schrock's 18 points and 12 points from Nate Hale. ALAH take on Cissna Park for the fifth-place trophy. In the game scheduled before their 2:30 PM contest, Watseka sqaures off against Oakwood on championship day at the annual early season basketball tournament.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

---

We are looking for awesome photos
Did you take a great photograph at any of these games? We would love to share it with our readers.

Here's how to send it to the Sentinel >>

---

Collin Thomey leads Spartans in win over ALAH at Toyota of Danville Classic

St. Joseph-Ogden's Ryker Lockhart and Tim Blackburn-Kelley try to grab a loose ball during their team's season opener at the Toyota of Danville Classic on Monday.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

---

ST. JOSEPH - St. Joseph-Ogden opened their season in commanding fashion Monday, defeating Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond 77-33 in the Toyota of Danville Classic. Led by senior Collin Thomey’s 20-point performance, SJO utilized decisive scoring runs to overpower the Knights and showcase their explosive offensive сapabilities.

With ALAH's Kendall Schrock guarding him, Spartan Collin Thomey slashes to the basket. The senior led all scorers with 20 points.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

The Spartans (1-0) jumped out to a 9-0 lead before Will Hilligoss put ALAH on the board, setting the tone for the game. A six-point run midway through the first quarter, highlighted by strong interior play from Tanner Siems, pushed the score to 22-11. Another six-point burst in the second quarter stretched the lead from 22-14 to 31-14, creating a cushion that the Knights could not overcome.

SJO’s dominance peaked in the third quarter with an 11-point scoring run out of the halftime break. Siems fueled the charge with back-to-back buckets before Thomey scored three consecutive baskets to put the game out of reach at 53-21.

SJO’s offensive firepower was evident, with four players finishing in double figures. Thomey led all scorers with 20 points, converting six of seven free throws. Siems contributed 13 points, including pivotal moments during the Spartans' runs. Lane McKinney provided a spark off the bench with 11 points in the fourth quarter, while Tim Blackburn-Kelley added 10 points in limited action.

SJO's Tanner Siems swats a shot attempt by ALAH's Will Hilligoss during the second half. The senior finished with 13 points in the team's first game of the season.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

The Spartans’ defense stifled ALAH (0-2), holding the Knights to just five points in the third quarter and forcing numerous turnovers. Nate Hale led ALAH with 11 points, followed by Hilligoss with eight, while Brennon Hutson and Kendall Schrock chipped in four apiece.

SJO faces Watseka tonight at 6:30 PM in the Main Gym after ALAH's 5 PM matchup against Charleston, who also seeks redemption after a 59-44 loss to Triad last week.

---

McNamara Overpowers Oakwood in Toyota of Danville Classic opener

Oakwood's Brandt Hobick tries dribble into the paint past McNamara's Teddy Fogel during their first game in Toyota of Danville Classic at St. Joseph-Ogden High School. Hobick delivered a game-high 11 points for the Comets.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

---

ST. JOSEPH — In a battle of unbeaten teams, Bishop McNamara stormed past the Oakwood, 74-31, in the opening round of the Toyota of Danville Classic on Monday. McNamara's dominant performance highlighted their offensive depth and resilience on defense, while Oakwood’s struggles tarnished their previously unbeaten record.

The Fightin’ Irish (4-0) set the tone early, racing to a 20-point first quarter and maintaining pressure with 23 and 21 points in the second and third quarters, respectively.

Willie Felton led the charge with 17 points, delivering all his scoring by the end of the third quarter. Trey Provost added 12 points, while Coen Demack and Callaghan O’Connor contributed eight apiece. McNamara’s 34 baskets, all but two from inside the arc, showcased efficient ball movement and consistent finishes at the rim.

---

Bishop McNamara's Teddy Fogel tries to block a fourth-quarter shot by Oakwood's Jaethan Perez.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

---

Oakwood (5-1) struggled to match McNamara’s pace, scoring just seven points in the first quarter and eight in the second. Brandt Hobick paced the Comets with 11 points, while Carsen Dudley scored nine and Alex Wallace added six. Despite hitting five three-pointers, Oakwood was unable to find its range at the free-throw line, going 4-for-13 and managing just two points in the final quarter.

The win solidifies McNamara’s place as an early favorite in the tournament. Next, they face Paxton-Buckley-Loda on Wednesday, a team coming off a solid 60-37 win over Cissna Park.

Oakwood looks to regroup quickly for their nightcap matchup against PBL in the round-robin tournament tonight at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

---

---