SHELBYVILLE - The St. Joseph-Ogden boys' basketball team took a step closer to becoming a Final Four team, defeating Flora in their sectional semifinal game last night, 50-40.
Senior Luke Landrus was on fire, converting 71% on his shot attempts, leading the Spartan scoring effort with 22 points.
Up 21-17 at the half, SJO scored another 29 to advance to Friday's title game against the winner of tonight's contest between Unity and Teutopolis.
Logan Smith, also a senior, finished the night with 16 points and had a pair of steals. Meanwhile, Coy Taylor led the team in rebounds with five and distributed six assists. He and Tanner Jacobs finished with four points each.
Tanner Siems and Collin Thomey rounded the Spartans' offensive effort with two points each in win number 27 of the season.
CHAMPAIGN - As Black History Month comes to a close, a celebration of Black voices will be held at the Douglass Annex in Champaign tonight from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
A celebration and commemoration of global Black literature, the program includes members of the community sharing a favorite speech, poem, novel, or comical musing from Black writers around the world with the audience.
The Douglass Annex is located at 804 North Fifth in Champaign.
"People should attend this program because it commemorates and celebrates global African(a) literature past and present," said event organizer Adéyínká Àlásadé Davis. "They can enjoy good company, good food, and good music."
"It is important to remember the voices that came before us," Davis added.
Headlining the event is Bourema Ouedraogo, a Sahelian/African Blues artist from Burkina Faso. Ouedraogo is a guitarist and lead vocalist who grew up in West Africa. A local performing artist, Ouedraogo is the UPTV Production Coordinator for the City of Urbana. In 2020, he was recognized at the 7th Annual Immigrant Welcome Awards for leadership by the CU Immigration Forum. He regularly shares his music and culture in the Champaign-Urbana community.
Bourema Ouedraogo performs with Jason Finkelman at the 2022 CU Folk & Roots Festival in Urbana.
PONTIAC - People everywhere are conquering their cabin fever and are enjoying the great outdoors after a long, bitter winter. But before you head out for that hike, health care experts remind you to take precautions to avoid tick bites. Read more . . .
I’ve always known my Arab culture is worth celebrating.
I heard it in Syrian tenor Sabah Fakhri’s powerful voice reverberating in my mom’s car on the way to piano lessons and soccer practice during my youth. I smelled it in the za’atar, Aleppo pepper, allspice, and cumin permeating the air in the family kitchen. Read more . . .
CHAMPAIGN - In a show of solidarity against President Donald Trump's trade and immigration policies, which critics say are harming families and retirement savings, more than a thousand protesters gathered Saturday at West Park near downtown Champaign for the Hands-Off! Mobilization rally. Read more . . .
Photo Galleries
A couple of runners found themselves in the wrong race at this year's Illinois Marathon. Over 60 photos from the race that you should see.
SHELBYVILLE - The St. Joseph-Ogden boys' basketball team took a step closer to becoming a Final Four team, defeating Flora in their sectional semifinal game last night, 50-40.
Senior Luke Landrus was on fire, converting 71% on his shot attempts, leading the Spartan scoring effort with 22 points.
Up 21-17 at the half, SJO scored another 29 to advance to Friday's title game against the winner of tonight's contest between Unity and Teutopolis.
Logan Smith, also a senior, finished the night with 16 points and had a pair of steals. Meanwhile, Coy Taylor led the team in rebounds with five and distributed six assists. He and Tanner Jacobs finished with four points each.
Tanner Siems and Collin Thomey rounded the Spartans' offensive effort with two points each in win number 27 of the season.
