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Boys basketball: Everything in place for title showdown with Decatur Christian

By Gargoyle sports staff
Published: Sunday, January 27, 2008 - 11:04pm
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PREGAME COMMENTS:
ISAAC RADNITZER
Click to listen

Senior Isaac Radnitzer talks about Decatur Christian, the only conference team to beat Uni this year. The teams will play again Tuesday, this time in Decatur with the ECIC title at stake.

Note: For a breakdown of stats from the Uni JV vs. BCL varsity game, click here. For season results and remaining games, click here. Listen to senior Isaac Radnitzer talk about the upcoming game with Decatur Christian at right.

BUCKLEY — Thanks to junior Malcolm Taylor's game-high 25 points against Buckley Christ Lutheran on Friday, the stage is set for the biggest Uni boys game of the season.

Taylor led the visiting Uni JV to a 46-33 conference victory over the BCL varsity.

The win, which counts as part of Uni's East Central Illinois Conference record (but not as part of the varsity's overall mark), keeps the Illineks on track to earn at least a share of their fourth straight ECIC title.

Uni is now 6-1 in the ECIC, while the varsity's overall record remains at 16-5.

No other Illinek besides Taylor scored in double figures. The junior netted 23 of his points in the second half. Twelve of his total came on free throws. He also nailed a 3-pointer.

Sophomore Nile Hamer led the team with 10 rebounds.

Going into halftime, the teams were deadlocked at 16. But Uni outscored the host Crusaders 13-5 in the third period and 17-12 in the fourth to come away with a 13-point win.

On Tuesday the Illineks will travel to Decatur Christian in what is probably the varsity's most important game of the season.

Back on Jan. 4, Decatur Christian handed Uni its only conference loss of the season, a 63-60 defeat in overtime at Kenney Gym.

That was Uni's first game of the new year, coming a week after the team went 3-2 in the Hayden's Classic winter tournament. The Hayden's tourney was capped by a 60-42 loss to Fisher in the third-place game, which leading scorer Mike Renner had to sit out because of stomach flu.

If the Illineks are to win at least a share of their fourth straight ECIC title, they must beat the Warriors on the road next week. Decatur Christian is 8-0 in the ECIC and 17-2 overall.

The Warriors are led by Demeatrio Wade, a 6-foot-5 senior from Jamaica who came to America this year to attract the attention of college scouts, according to a profile of him published by the Decatur Herald & Review. Wade scored 10 points in his initial meeting with Uni.

“The first time we played them we weren't at the top of our game,” said senior Isaac Radnitzer, who scored 8 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in that contest. “We were coming off the winter tournament. We had a tough loss to Fisher there, so we weren't fully energized. We think we could have beaten them, but they're a good team, so I think this is going to be a good game. I think the key to the game is going to be limiting their big recruit from Jamaica.”

Varsity action is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Skywalker International Sports Complex, 400 E. Eldorado, Decatur. For directions, click here.

THE VARSITY SEASON SO FAR

2007-08 BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL: 16-5 overall, 6-1 ECIC
(home matches listed in bold)

Nov. 19: Shiloh (Central Illinois Turkey Tourney), W 80-32

Nov. 20: Buckley Christ Lutheran (Central Illinois Turkey Tourney), W 69-17

Nov. 23: Bement (Central Illinois Turkey Tourney), W 73-59

Nov. 24: Martinsville (Central Illinois Turkey Tourney championship game), W 74-43

Nov. 30: at Shiloh, W 72-23

Dec. 4: St. Thomas More, W 63-45

Dec. 14: at Oakwood, L 67-54

Dec. 18: Uni JV vs. BCL Varsity, W 40-23 (counts toward Uni's ECIC record only)

Dec. 27: Heritage (Hayden's Classic at Heritage), W 67-32

Dec. 27: Georgetown-Ridge Farm (Hayden's Classic at Heritage), W 63-41

Dec. 28: Salt Fork (Hayden's Classic at Heritage), L 71-64

Dec. 28: Atwood-Hammond (Hayden's Classic at Heritage), W 59-42

Dec. 29: Fisher (Hayden's Classic at Bismarck-Henning), L 60-42

Jan. 4: Decatur Christian, L 63-60 (OT)

Jan. 5: Lexington, L 51-48

Jan. 8: at Normal Calvary Baptist, W 74-51

Jan. 11: at DeLand-Weldon, W 70-25

Jan. 12: at Fisher, W 71-60

Jan. 15: Paxton-Buckley-Loda, W 71-57

Jan. 17: Decatur Lutheran School Association, W 69-56

Jan. 22: Judah Christian, W 71-49

Jan. 24: at Georgetown Notre Dame de LaSalette, W 81-52

Jan. 25: Uni JV at BCL Varsity, W 46-33 (counts toward Uni's ECIC record only)

2007-08 schedule: Click here for the Gargoyle Scoreboard, which includes remaining varsity games.

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