•January 23, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond boys’ basketball team dropped its Little Okaw Valley Conference Northwest division opener on the road to Argenta-Oreana 51-44 last Tuesday.
Saturday’s opening of the LOCV NW Tournament was postponed because of inclement weather.
Against the Bombers, Austin Romine scored a team-high 13 points, and Adam Day hit double digits with 12 points to go with five rebounds and two steals. Read More
•January 23, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
Despite losing two close Central Illinois Conference games this past week, Redskin senior Caden Ellis combined for a total of 63 points, 24 rebounds, 10 steals and four assists.
The Sullivan boys’ basketball team lost to Meridian last Tuesday and Clinton Friday, Jan. 18.
Against the Maroons, Clinton extended a 3-point lead after the first quarter during a 16-9 second-quarter run.
In the second half, Sullivan stayed close and in the fourth outscored Clinton 11-7 but eventually came up short in the 47-42 loss.
Caden Ellis recorded 23 points, nine rebounds and six steals, and Dominick Kimberlin added nine points, two blocks, two assists and seven rebounds. Read More
•January 23, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
From the first day of practice, Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond girls’ basketball coach Mac Condill wanted his team to improve every day.
“That is truly my goal as a coach,” Condill said. “To continue improving and taking advantage of every opportunity we have in practices and games to gain a better understanding of the game of basketball and improve our skills. We have modified practices and how we approach things in order to try and continue to improve.”
It seems to be working.
“You never know until the season actually gets into the last couple weeks, but we have had point production from all sorts of players,” Condill said. “We’ve had eight players score at least eight points in a game at some point this season. That’s the kind of balance and options you need as a coach to hopefully battle for championships.”
The Knights knocked off Blue Ridge/Deland-Weldon last Tuesday and Arcola Thursday (Jan. 17) to win the fifth annual Little Okaw Valley Conference Northwest Division Tournament championship in Bethany. Read More
Photo by R.R. Best
Okaw Valley’s Ciera Perry avoids opponent’s block while Madison Vogel offers a passing option during Timberwolves tournament action.
•January 23, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
After losing to No 6 seeded Argenta-Oreana 61-38, No. 3 seeded Okaw Valley bounced back the next two games to win the Little Okaw Valley Conference Northwest Division Tournament consolation championship.
OV defeated Decatur LSA 60-27 last Tuesday to make the consolation championship game, then knocked off Cerro Gordo/Bement 46-31 last for consolation title Wednesday.
The Timberwolves parlayed those two games into their third-straight win against Blue Ridge/Deland-Weldon Monday night.
Against Cerro Gordo/Bement, OV outscored the Broncos in every quarter.
After taking a 7-point lead, 22-15, in to halftime, the Timberwolves outscored CGB by four points in the third and fourth quarters for the 56-31 win.
Two Timberwolves recorded double-doubles.
Madison Vogel tallied a double double with 21 points and 18 rebounds, and Kate Jeffers collected 19 points and 10 rebounds. Read More
Furnished photo
Sullivan coach Sheri McCain keeps the third ranked team in the state focused during competition.
Miller Hits 1000
•January 23, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
It was an eventful week for the Sullivan girls’ basketball team.
The Redskins defeated Central A&M to stay undefeated in the Central Illinois Conference, earned top seed in the CIC Tournament, moved up to the No. 3 team in the Associated Press Class 2A state rankings and knocked off Shelbyville in first round of the tournament.
Thursday, Jan. 17, the Redskins defeated the Raiders with the help of 16 points, nine rebounds and three assists from freshman Lilly Null.
“Lilly Null played her best game of the season,” Sullivan coach Sheri McCain said. “I am so proud of how she stepped up tonight.”
After falling behind four points in the first quarter, the Redskins turned a 20-8 second-quarter run into a 29-21 halftime lead.
In the second half, CAM outscored Sullivan by three points, but the Redskins fought off any comeback to win 51-46. Read More
•January 16, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The Sullivan boys’ basketball team split a pair of games last week.
The Redskins lost to Warrensburg-Latham Friday but defeated Cerro-Gordo-Bement last Tuesday.
Against the Cardinals Friday, the game was tied after the first quarter, but W-L took a 26-22 lead into halftime.
The Cardinals broke the game open in the third quarter by doubling Sullivan’s score, 18-9.
W-L did it again in the final period with an 18-8 run for the 62-39 win. Read More
Photo by RR Best
Adam Day plays defense Friday night against Tri-County.
•January 16, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond dropped two games this last week.
The Knights lost to Tri-County Friday and Central A&M last Tuesday.
Against the Titans Friday, ALAH fell behind 17-15 after the first quarter, but a big second quarter put the Knights ahead 32-15 at halftime.
Tri-County battled back with a 19-5 third-quarter run to take the lead 44-37.
The Titans held on in the fourth for the final 66-58 win.
Austin Romine scored a game-high 21 points.
Adam Day and Austin Plank hit double digit scoring with 19 and 16, points, respectively. Plank dropped four 3-pointers.
Domonick Baker rounded out the Knights’ scoring with two points.
Against the Central A&M Raiders last Tuesday, ALAH fell behind early and could not catch up in the 71-42 loss.
Austin Romine scored a team-high 12 points, and Day collected six points, six rebounds and three assists.
Austin Plank made three 3-pointers for nine points.
Isaac Ashenfelter recorded two steals, and Jamison Rocke and Baker scored six and five points, respectively,
The loss dropped ALAH’s overall record to 1-14.
•January 16, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond girls’ basketball team toppled Blue Ridge/Deland-Weldon 55-18 at Farmer City Thursday, Jan. 10.
The Knights did not allow BR/DW to score more than six points in any quarter.
After taking a 12-6 first-quarter lead, ALAH blew the game open with a 22-6 second-quarter run.
The Knights outscored BR/DW 21-6 in the second half for the win. Read More
•January 16, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
After winning 14-straight games including 4-0 in the Central Illinois Conference, the Sullivan girls’ basketball team has risen to the No. 5 team in the Associated Press Class 2A State rankings.
But Sullivan coach Sheri McCain does not want her players to become complacent.
Thursday, Jan. 10, the Redskins stayed undefeated in the CIC after knocking off Clinton.
Instead of blowing out the Maroons in the first quarter as Sullivan has done with most opponents this season, the Redskins gradually increased their lead each quarter. Read More
•January 16, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor
The Okaw Valley girls’ basketball team defeated Decatur LSA for its fifth win of the season and a 2-0 start in Little Okaw Valley Northwest Conference action Thursday, Jan. 10.
The Timberwolves dropped their next two games, losing to Brownstown/St. Elmo last Tuesday and then to Argenta-Oreana in the first round of the Little Okaw Valley Conference at home Monday.
Last Thursday the Timberwolves mauled the LSA 21-10 in the first quarter and did not look back.
In the second quarter OV added seven more points to their lead with a 16-9 run. Read More