SJO Hosts Toyota of Danville Classic, McNamara returns to defend title

The Toyota of Danville Classic returns to St. Joseph-Ogden next week where basketball fans can enjoy the mix of high-energy basketball, strategy, and fast breaks.


Ryker Lockhart fights for an SJO rebound under the basket

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

St. Joseph-Ogden's Ryker Lockhart fights to snag a rebound with McNamara's Callaghan O'Connor under the rim during the Toyota of Danville Classic championship match in 2024. The Fightin' Irish defeated the 2023 champion Spartans in a fierce battle 57-48. O'Conner finished with seven points, while Lockhart led SJO with 12 points. The two juniors and their teams are projected to square off again in the title game on December 6.
ST. JOSEPH - St. Joseph-Ogden High School will welcome some of the region’s top teams next week for the annual Toyota of Danville Classic, an early-season basketball tournament that promises five days of fast-paced action and intense competition. Known as The Leader Classic for nearly three decades before being renamed in 2018, this year’s tournament runs Tuesday, Dec. 2, through Saturday, Dec. 6.

Last year’s champion, Bishop McNamara, who edged St. Joseph-Ogden 57-48 in the title game, returns along with all seven teams from the previous field. Pool A features Cissna Park, Charleston, PBL, and Bishop McNamara, while Pool B includes Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond, Oakwood, host St. Joseph-Ogden, and Watseka.

Fans can look forward to 16 games over the course of the tournament, highlighted by the 35-second shot clock and the usual mix of high-energy play and early-season matchups. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students per night, covering all three games scheduled each evening. Tournament play opens Tuesday at 5 p.m., kicking off what promises to be another memorable edition of the Classic.

2025 Toyota of Danville Classic Schedule

Pool A:
Cissna Park
Charleston
PBL
Kankakee Bishop McNamara

Pool B:
Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond
Oakwood
St. Joseph-Ogden
Watseka


Tuesday, 12/2/25:

5:00 PM: Kankakee Bishop McNamara vs. Charleston
6:30 PM: ALAH vs. St. Joseph-Ogden
8:00 PM: Cissna Park vs. PBL

Wednesday, 12/3/25:

5:00 PM: Watseka vs. Oakwood
6:30 PM: PBL vs. Kankakee Bishop McNamara
8:00 PM: Charleston vs. Cissna Park

Thursday, 12/4/25:

5:00 PM: Oakwood vs. ALAH
6:30 PM: Watseka vs. St. Joseph-Ogden
8:00 PM: Charleston vs. PBL

Friday, 12/5/25:

5:00 PM: Cissna Park vs. Kankakee Bishop McNamara
6:30 PM: ALAH vs. Watseka
8:00 PM: Oakwood vs. St. Joseph-Ogden

Saturday, 12/6/25:

1:00 PM: 7th Place Game
2:30 PM: 5th Place Game
4:00 PM: 3rd Place Game
5:30 PM: 1st Place Game


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TAGS: Toyota of Danville Classic 2025, St. Joseph-Ogden basketball tournament schedule, Bishop McNamara high school basketball, IHSA early-season basketball games, high school basketball 35-second shot clock, St. Joseph-Ogden basketball tickets, Charleston vs Cissna Park game, Oakwood vs ALAH matchup, Watseka vs St. Joseph-Ogden, PBL vs Bishop McNamara

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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.

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St. Joseph-Ogden, Bishop McNamara rematch set for Toyota of Danville Classic title showdown

Oakwood's Xander Wilson tries to dribble around SJO's Tyler Hess
St. Joseph-Ogden and Bishop McNamara each swept their pool play games to reach the Toyota of Danville Classic championship. The full day of basketball begins with the seventh-place game between Cissna Park and Watseka. The night concludes with awards, including tournament MVP recognition.


Oakwood's Xander Wilson tries to dribble around SJO's Tyler Hess

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Oakwood's Xander Wilson tries to dribble around the defensive efforts of St. Joseph-Ogden's Tyler Hess in the final pool play game at the Toyota of Danville Classic basketball tournament at St. Joseph-Ogden High School on Friday. The Spartans defeated the Comets 79-46, improving to 3-0 on the season and securing their spot in today's championship game, a rematch against Kankakee's Bishop McNamara. Wilson and the Comets will play the third-place game agaisnt Paxton-Buckley-Loda. Hess led the Spartan offensive effort with 17 points.

ST. JOSEPH - Host St. Joseph-Ogden (3-0) and Bishop McNamara won all three of their pool play games, earning the right to meet in this year's Toyota of Danville Classic championship. The Fightin’ Irish, last year’s champions, are 6-0 heading into the title match between the tournament heavyweights.

Seven hours of non-stop basketball action begins at 1 p.m. at St. Joseph-Ogden High School with the seventh-place game between Cissna Park and Watseka. Cissna Park struggled this week, dropping all three pool play games. The Timberwolves look to get back on track against conference foe Watseka, which finished with one win in Pool B behind Payton Schaumburg’s 30-point performance in a one-point victory.

At approximately 2:30 p.m., the only two teams in the annual tournament located south of Illinois Route 150 square off in the fifth-place game. Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond faces Charleston. The Trojans and Knights, both of whom defeated one of the teams playing for seventh place, lost two games in their respective pools.

The third-place game features an Illini Prairie vs. Vermilion Valley matchup between Oakwood and Paxton-Buckley-Loda in a contest that may be decided in the final quarter. PBL earned wins over Charleston and Cissna Park in pool play. Oakwood dropped a one-point heartbreaker to Watseka and fell to the red-hot Spartans by 33 points on Friday night.

The main event between the Spartans and the defending champion Fightin’ Irish will be an early season battle between two teams expected to make deep postseason runs. There is a sense of revenge for SJO, which, after winning three consecutive tournament titles since the pandemic, lost last year's championship to B-Mac in a physical 57-48 showdown.

After the championship game, the tournament director will present runner-up and championship awards and announce the Toyota of Danville Classic All-Tournament Team. A tournament MVP and the free throw percentage champion will also be recognized.

Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students, covering all four games scheduled today.


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TAGS: Toyota of Danville Classic championship game preview, St. Joseph-Ogden vs Bishop McNamara basketball matchup, Illinois high school holiday basketball tournament schedule, Oakwood and Paxton-Buckley-Loda third place game analysis, Cissna Park vs Watseka placement game breakdown
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Teams and schedule set for the 2024 Toyota of Danville Classic

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
St. Joseph-Ogden's Coy Taylor tries to force a turnover while playing defense on Oakwood's Brody Taflinger in the 2023 Toyota of Danville Classic championship game. SJO beat the Comets, the number one team from Pool A, 74-42.
ST. JOSEPH - Months away, the eight-team lineup for this year's Toyota of Danville Basketball Classic was released earlier this week. The annual early season hoops tournament opens at St. Joseph-Ogden High School on December 2, and the championship games will take place five days later on December 7.

New to the tournament this year, Kankakee Bishop McNamara will join Cissna Park, Oakwood, and Paxton-Buckley-Loda in Pool A.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Charleston's Mikey Myers and ALAH's Colin Smith go up for a rebound at last year's pool play. The Trojans defeated the Knights, 59-26.
Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond, Charleston, and Watseka return to Pool B with last year's champions St. Joseph-Ogden. The Spartans defeated Oakwood in the title game in the high school's main gym, 74-42.

Once again, spectators and basketball fans can expect 16 exciting, fast-paced games with the return of the 35-second shot clock.

Admission fees for this year's tournament are $5 for adults and $3 for students. Tickets will be available at the ticket booth at the main entrance before each game.


2024
Toyota of Danville Classic Schedule

Pool A:
Cissna Park
Oakwood
PBL
Kankakee Bishop McNamara

Pool B:
Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond
Charleston
St. Joseph-Ogden
Watseka

Monday, 12/2/24:
5:00 PM: Kankakee Bishop McNamara vs. Oakwood
6:30 PM: ALAH vs. St. Joseph-Ogden
8:00 PM: Cissna Park vs. PBL

Tuesday, 12/3/24:
5:00 PM: Charleston vs. ALAH
6:30 PM: Watseka vs. St. Joseph-Ogden
8:00 PM: Oakwood vs. PBL

Wednesday, 12/4/24:
5:00 PM: Watseka vs. Charleston
6:30 PM: PBL vs. Kankakee Bishop McNamara
8:00 PM: Oakwood vs. Cissna Park

Friday, 12/6/24:
5:00 PM: Cissna Park vs. Kankakee Bishop McNamara
6:30 PM: ALAH vs. Watseka
8:00 PM: Charleston vs. St. Joseph-Ogden

Saturday, 12/7/24:
1:00 PM: 7 th Place Game
2:30 PM: 5 th Place Game
4:00 PM: 3 rd Place Game
5:30 PM: 1 st Place Game

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Schaumburg scores 30 in Watseka comeback, Toyota of Danville Classic recap and more

St. Joseph-Ogden built a 31-point halftime lead and defeated ALAH 66-30 in its season opener.


Oakley leads Trojans in five point win over Cissna Park

ST. JOSEPH - Tyler Oakley scored 18 points in Charleston’s 56-51 win over Cissna Park in Day 2 action at the Toyota of Danville Classic at St. Joseph-Ogden High School on Wednesday. Teammates Braxton Hanner and Quinn Taylor added nine points each. Russell Applegate contributed six more to give the Trojans their first win of the season and a 1-1 tournament record.

After pouring in a game-high 28 points against Paxton-Buckley-Loda on Tuesday, Cissna Park’s Dierks Neukomm led all scorers again with 25 points. Teammate Seth Walder finished with 21 in a strong display of high school shot-making. Despite another standout effort, the Timberwolves fell to 0-2 in the tournament and 0-3 overall.

Cissna Park returns to action Friday at 5 p.m. against Bishop McNamara (5-0). Charleston moves on to face Paxton-Buckley-Loda in its next pool game tonight at 8 p.m.


Bishop McNamara stays undefeated declawing Panthers

B-Mac’s Richie Darr scored 12 points in the first half and finished with 14 to help keep the Fightin’ Irish unbeaten at 5-0. Holding Paxton-Buckley-Loda to just 12 first-half points — the same number the Panthers scored in the first quarter — Bishop McNamara cruised to a 51-38 win.

Ethan Williams led PBL with 16 points, including 14 in an outstanding second-half effort. Tyler Cole, who had 18 points in the tournament opener against Cissna Park, added eight points and went 2-for-3 from the free-throw line.

Darr’s performance was supported by nine points from Karter Krutsinger and eight from Callaghan O’Connor, tallied over the first three quarters. Bishop McNamara is off Thursday before a long bus ride from Kankakee on Friday to face Cissna Park at 5 p.m.

PBL (1-2) faces Charleston (0-3) tonight at 8 p.m.


Schaumburg goes supernova in fourth quarter

Payton Schaumburg scored 14 points in the fourth quarter of Watseka’s pool game against Oakwood in an unbelievable comeback performance. Down by 11 at the end of the third quarter, Schaumburg single-handedly erased the deficit — and then some — to give the Warriors their first win of the season. Tyler Waugh carried the game the first three quarter with 17 points, while Jack Hutchinson added six points on two first-half 3-pointers, and Austin Morris completed Watseka’s scoring with a third-quarter field goal.

Schaumburg finished with a game-high 30 points, the top performance of the tournament so far.

Oakwood, an impressive 18-for-21 from the free-throw line, trailed by six after the first quarter and fought back to lead by five at halftime. The Comets held the advantage until the fourth quarter, when Schaumburg took over.

Alex Wallace and Carsen Dudley scored 14 and 12 points, respectively, for Oakwood. Collin Furry added nine, and Jaethan Perez contributed eight, five of which came at the line. Wallace made seven of his eight free throws, while Dudley posted a perfect 5-for-5 night for the Comets.

Oakwood returns to the floor at St. Joseph-Ogden to face Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond at 5 p.m. Watseka plays host St. Joseph-Ogden at 6:30.



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TAGS: St. Joseph-Ogden's Toyota of Danville Classic, Central Illinois basketball tournament, Kankakee Bishop McNamara, Watseka Warriors amazing comeback win, Toyota of Danville Classic basketball scores
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2024 Toyota of Danville Classic starts next Monday

ST. JOSEPH - Next week, the St. Joseph-Ogden boys basketball team will attempt to repeat as tournament champions at the Toyota of Danville Classic. The Spartans were crowned champions in the previous installment after beating the Oakwood Comets, 74-42.

SJO and the Comets also squared off in the 2022 championship game.

St. Joseph-Ogden's Kendrick Johnson falls to the floor with Watseka's Myles Lynch while going for a loose ball. SJO won the pool game last November, 74-38.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

This year's teams in Pool A are Cissna Park, Oakwood, PBL, and Kankakee Bishop McNamara. Pool B teams include Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond, Charleston, St. Joseph-Ogden, and Watseka.

Spectators and basketball fans can expect 16 exciting, fast-paced games with the return of the 35-second shot clock.

The admission fee for this year's tournament is $5 for adults. Tickets will be available at the ticket booth at the main entrance before each game.

Toyota of Danville Classic
Tournament Schedule

Monday, 12/2/24:
5:00 PM: Kankakee Bishop McNamara vs. Oakwood
6:30 PM: ALAH vs. St. Joseph-Ogden
8:00 PM: Cissna Park vs. PBL

Tuesday, 12/3/24:
5:00 PM: Charleston vs. ALAH
6:30 PM: Watseka vs. St. Joseph-Ogden
8:00 PM: Oakwood vs. PBL

Wednesday, 12/4/24:
5:00 PM: Watseka vs. Charleston
6:30 PM: PBL vs. Kankakee Bishop McNamara
8:00 PM: Oakwood vs. Cissna Park

Friday, 12/6/24:
5:00 PM: Cissna Park vs. Kankakee Bishop McNamara
6:30 PM: ALAH vs. Watseka
8:00 PM: Charleston vs. St. Joseph-Ogden

Saturday, 12/7/24:
1:00 PM: 7th Place Game
2:30 PM: 5th Place Game
4:00 PM: 3rd Place Game
5:30 PM: 1st Place Game

St. Joe-Ogden Athletics
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State Farm Classic basketball tournament is back

After Illinois' pandemic mitigation guidelines and restrictions were put in place by the state and the IHSA, the State Farm Holiday Classic was forced to take an involuntary break. Today, organizers for the annual holiday tournament announced its plans to host the 42nd installment later this year on December 27, 28, 29 & 30.

Last year was the first time since 1989 the Holiday Classic was not played.

Nolan Grindley
Nolan Grindley dribbles the ball down the court during second half action against Teutopolis last month. This December, the Spartans will face tough competition at the State Farm Holiday Basketball Classic.
PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
The 2021 tournament field will include 15 new teams. Fourteen of the 64 teams slated to play are ranked in the final Associated Press polls for the 2021 season.

East Dubuque and Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin will be joining the boys small school division competition in the state's largest co-ed high school holiday tournament.

Along with these two new programs, St. Joseph-Ogden, led Ty Pence, will face stiff competition from the likes of Annawan, Aurora Christian, Bloomington Central Catholic, Chicago Providence St. Mel, Downs Tri-Valley, El Paso-Gridley, Kankakee Bishop McNamara, Quincy Notre Dame, Rock Falls, Stanford Olympia and Winnebago. Pence, who will be a junior, is ranked #27 in the Class of 2023 recruiting class.

The Spartans finished in sixth place with at 2-2 tournament record in 2019 putting up wins over Annawan in the opener and Bloomington Central Catholic in the championship bracket.

The SJO girls squad, who will be underrated and under the radar going into the 2021-2022 season, will see familiar opponents with Annawan, fellow Illini Prairie Conference mates Bloomington Central Catholic, Camp Point Central/Augusta Southeastern, El Paso-Gridley, Kankakee Bishop McNamara, Normal U-High, Rockford Lutheran, Rock Falls and Sherrard.

New in their division are teams from Aurora Christian, Winnebago, and Stanford Olympia, who were set to join the tournament last winter. They will also be joined Port Byron Riverdale, who will make their tournament debut in December, and the returning Sacred Heart-Griffin program.

In their last appearance, veteran head coach Kevin Taylor's #4 seeded team kicked off the tournament in 2019 with a 46-42 overtime win over Bishop McNamara. The upset victory put the Spartans up against the eventual championship team from Normal University High. The Lady Pioneers prevailed, but that didn't stop SJO from winning their last two contests to finish in 5th place.

The State Farm Classic has awarded $67,000 in scholarships to graduating student-athletes who participated in the tournament. The 2021 scholarship award winners will be announced next month. The tournament has also donated over $70,000 in the recent past to participating high school basketball programs.

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Brayden Henry lifts Rockets past Teutopolis 59-58

Unity Athletics
Unity overcame early-season losses to Teutopolis, winning the sectional final 59-58 on a buzzer-beater. Unity moves one step from a state tournament berth, facing Kankakee McNamara on Monday.

Photo: Lori Garrret for the Sentinel

Brayden Henry holds up the net while celebrating with teamates and fans after the Rockets' epic victory over Teutopolis on Friday.


MONTICELLO - Unity had already seen Teutopolis twice this season, and both times the Wooden Shoes walked away with the win. Friday night in the Monticello Class 2A sectional championship, the Rockets finally got their revenge and it couldn't have come at a better time.

Brayden Henry drove to the basket and delivered a layup at the buzzer, lifting Unity to a dramatic 59-58 victory and sending the Rockets to the Pontiac Supersectional.

The win sends Unity (32-2) one step from the state tournament, marking the program’s deepest postseason run since 2002. The Rockets will face Kankakee McNamara on Monday in Pontiac with a trip to the IHSA state finals on the line.

Friday’s matchup carried the intensity of a rivalry built over the course of the season. Teutopolis had claimed the first two meetings, defeating Unity 56-50 in the season opener and edging the Rockets again 37-36 on Dec. 31. With a sectional title at stake in the third meeting, the Rockets delivered when it mattered most.

Unity started quickly, building a 16-11 lead in the opening quarter behind seven combined points from the Henry twins and four points from senior Tre Hoggard. Teutopolis rallied in the second quarter and carried a 25-23 lead into halftime.

The Rockets reclaimed the momentum in the third quarter and opened the fourth with a 41-36 advantage, setting the stage for a tense finish.

Teutopolis mounted a late charge behind Isaac McWhorter, who finished with a game-high 23 points. McWhorter sparked the Wooden Shoes in the fourth quarter with three 3-pointers and two field goals, while also converting both of his free-throw attempts. Gavin Addis added 13 points, including two field goals and a perfect 3-for-3 performance from the free-throw line in the final quarter. Layndyn Thoele contributed nine points, all in the first half.

Unity answered with balanced scoring. Henry led the Rockets with 20 points, scoring in every quarter before delivering the game-winning basket. Dane Eisenmenger and Tyler Henry each finished with 10 points, while Mason O’Neill added two free throws. Eisenmenger was perfect from the line at 3-for-3, and O’Neill went 2-for-2.

The victory extends Unity’s winning streak to 23 games and moves the Rockets within one win of the state tournament.

Kankakee McNamara (25-5) awaits Monday in the Pontiac Supersectional after defeating Yorkville Christian 69-56 in overtime at the Seneca Sectional. The Fightin’ Irish enter the matchup averaging 61 points per game while allowing opponents about 45 points per contest.

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TAGS: Unity Rockets Teutopolis Class 2A sectional recap, Brayden Henry buzzer-beater Unity vs Teutopolis, Monticello Class 2A basketball sectional results, Unity Rockets supersectional 2026 preview, IHSA Class 2A boys basketball playoff coverage

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Day 1 in the books, here's a look at the Toyota of Danville Classic winners

St. Joseph-Ogden built a 31-point halftime lead and defeated ALAH 66-30 in its season opener.


Bishop McNamara 60, Charleston 37

ST. JOSEPH - Bishop McNamara made a strong opening statement at St. Joseph-Ogden's annual Toyota of Danville Classic on Tuesday, defeating the Charleston Trojans 60-37.

Bishop McNamara jumped out to an early lead behind 11 first-half points from senior Karter Krutsinger, who finished with a game-high 15. Krutsinger was supported by teammates Coen Demack (11 points) and Callaghan O’Connor (10 points). The team was efficient from the free-throw line, making seven of eight attempts. The win improved the Fightin’ Irish’s record to 4-0.

Meanwhile, Charleston (0-3) struggled to keep pace, heading into halftime facing a 30-12 deficit. The Trojans hit seven three-pointers in the game but could not generate consistent offense. Tyler Oakley led Charleston with nine points, while Rohen Walters added seven. Eight other Trojans scored in the contest.

The Fightin’ Irish are scheduled to face Paxton-Buckley-Loda in the next round of the post-holiday tournament. Charleston will next face Cissna Park as it searches for its first win of the season.


Paxton-Buckley-Loda 58, Cissna Park 47

A quiet third quarter for Ethan Williams set the stage for a roaring fourth. From that silence erupted a 12-point performance that propelled Paxton-Buckley-Loda to a 58-47 comeback victory over Cissna Park on Tuesday.

The Panthers found themselves staring at a 27-18 halftime deficit. But the game shifted, possession by possession, until the teams stood knotted at 34-all heading into the final quarter. That's when Williams, who finished with a team-high 20 points, took over. His late surge, combined with 18 points from teammate Tyler Cole, secured the win and kept PBL (1-1) in title contention.

Yet, for all of Williams' and Cole's combined effort, neither could outduel the singular performance of Cissna Park's Dierks Neukomm. Neukomm poured in a game-high 28 points, including 11 in the frantic fourth quarter. Other than two free throws from Seth Walder, it was all Neukomm. But in the end, even that remarkable individual effort wasn't enough to hold off the Panthers' collective rally.


St. Joseph-Ogden 66,
Atwood-Hammond-Arthur-Lovington 30

For the ALAH Knights, the trouble began in the first quarter. By halftime, it was a distant memory of a contest.

Nolan Franzen made his varsity debut one to remember, scoring all 21 of his points in the first half to power the St. Joseph-Ogden Spartans to a commanding 66-30 victory over ALAH in the season opener for both teams at the Toyota of Danville Classic on Tuesday. The Spartans built a 31-point lead by intermission, a cushion so substantial that a five-point fourth quarter was merely a footnote in the cruise-control win.

Franzen’s explosive opening act was the catalyst. He was joined by teammates Parker Fitch and Lane McKinney, who notched their first double-digit scoring games of the season with 11 and 10 points, respectively, as the Spartans’ offense fired on all cylinders early.

For the Knights, Easton Frederick paced the effort with eight points, but the team fell to 0-2 with the loss.

Both teams return to action Thursday in the tournament. ALAH will look to rebound against Oakwood in a 5 p.m. tip-off, while the Spartans aim to carry their momentum forward against the Watseka Warriors at 6:30 p.m.


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SJO girls fall in opener at State Farm Holiday Classic, Ericksen leads scoring effort

NORMAL - Two minutes and 41 seconds into the first quarter of the St. Joseph-Ogden girls' first game at the State Farm Holiday Classic, the Spartans took a one-point lead over Bishop-McNamara (9-4). For the next 46 seconds, the Spartans enjoyed their only advantage in the 41-29 loss to the Lady Irish in their tournament opener at Normal Community High School.

Katie Ericksen looks for an open teammate during SJO's Country Financial Shootout game. The senior led the Spartan scoring effort in their first game at the State Farm basketball tournament.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Katie Ericksen led the hardwood effort with three treys for nine points. Kayla Osterbur finished with seven points, Timera Blackburn-Kelley contributed four points, and Addison Brooks was held to just three points for SJO.

Down 24-12 at the half, the Spartans pulled it together, matching McNamara point for point with 17 second-half points. Despite a much improved defensive effort, the first-half drought proved too much.

Moving to the consolation bracket, Ericksen & Company have a day to regroup. The Spartans return to tournament action tomorrow at Bloomington High School to face the loser between Eureka and Normal U-High at 2 PM. The Lady Irish advance to face the winner from that game at 9 PM at BHS.

Bishop McNamara duo Jaide Burse and Trinity Davis combined for 16 points, scoring eight each. Leigha Brown rounded out the top three contributors with six points to advance to the quarterfinals.

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