ALAH falls to Arcola in LPC tournament

By Editor | February 4, 2025 |

#1 on #1 as juniors Will Hilligoss for the Knights puts up the short jumper over Purple Riders defender Canton Wesch in the LPC tournament consolation bracket game last Tuesday in Arcola. The Knights were defeated 49-63. The tournament concluded Friday evening. Photo by Nancy Rairden.

By Mike Monahan

ARCOLA – For the second time in 11 days Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond boys basketball team took on Arcola.

This time it was to advance to the fifth place game in the Lincoln Prairie Conference. Arcola won the first meeting 52-37. A 14-0 run in the first half pushed Arcola in front 30-11. The Purple Riders led 48-26 with 3:46 left in the third. The Knights rallied to within eight with still a minute left before falling 63-49.

Arcola assistant coach David Myers took over for coach Greg Gisinger, who was ill. Myers is now 6-0 as a head coach.

Arcola jumped out to an 18-11 lead after the first quarter as Braden Phillips scored 10 points as the Purple Riders got the ball inside to the 6-4 senior.

It was 16-11 when Arcola went on a 14-0 run as the Purple Riders made five of seven from the field starting with a field goal by Braden Phillips for a 23-11 lead with 5:19 left in the first half.

Two free throws by Brevyn Whisman, a basket by Brody Phillips and a three-pointer by Alan Guevera made it a 19-point lead for Arcola, whose man-to-man defense held ALAH to 6-of-19 .316 from the field in the first half. Arcola also doubled ALAH, coached by Kenny Parks, in rebounds 20-10 at the half.

Arcola led 50-29 when Nate Hale scored the final five points, including a four-point play when he was fouled and made a three-pointer.

This gave the Knights momentum in the fourth and they made their first three field goal attempts in a 52-41 game with still 5:41 left.

With a minute left ALAH had battled back to within eight points on a 23-9 run in a span of 8:46. That was as close as they could get as Arcola scored the final six points on a bucket by Brody Phillips and Whisman as well as two free throws by Tanner Thomas.

Braden Phillips, Brody Phillips and Thomas led AHS with 18, 16 and 14 points respectively, while Braden Philips finished with a double-double, pulling down 15 rebounds.

The Knights also had three players in double figures with Kendall Schrock leading the way with 12 points, while Nate Hale and Colin Smith had 10 points each.

Arcola won the rebound battled 33-26 and had nine turnovers to the Knights 14.

Third place Lincoln Prairie Conference game

ALAH 11 8 15 15–49
Arcola 18 17 15 13–63

ALAH: Will Hilligoss 1-0-2, Marcus Otto 3-2-8, Kendall Schrock 4-0-12, Nate Hale 3-2-10, Colin Smith 4-1-10, Brennon Hutson 1-0-3, Stone 2-0-4, Ryan Appleby, Cal Binion, Copper Shoemaker, Totals 18-5-49

ARCOLA: Canton Wesch 1-0-3, Brevyn Whisman 2-09-4, Braden Phillips 7-4-18, Tanner Thomas 5-2-14, Brody Phillips 5-5-16, Alan Guervera 1-0-3, D.J. Stevens 1-2-5, Totals 22-13-63

3-point goals: ALAH 8-16 .500, (Schrock 4, Hale 2, Smith 1, Hutson 1). Arcola 6-17 .353 (Thomas 2, Wesch 1, Guevera 1, D. J. Stevens 1, Brody Philips 1). Field goals: ALAH 18-44 .409 Arcola 22-52 .423 Free throws: ALAH 5-9 .556, Arcola 13-18 722. Rebounds: ALAH 26 (Smith 6), Arcola 33 (Braden Phillips 15). Turnovers: ALAH 14, Arcola 9

Boys basketball Lincoln Prairie Conference Tournament

Friday’s scores at Arcola
(seeds followed by record through 2/1/25 in parentheses)

Okaw Valley ( 1, 15-9), 51, Cumberland (2, 15-9) 34, championship

Tri-County (12, 10-14) 67, Unity Christian (6, 10-15) 60, third place

Arcola (3, 15-6) 48, Cerro Gordo/Bement (8, 7-15) 34, fifth place

Argenta-Oreana 5, 10-10) 64, Heritage (7, 8-16) 43, consolation championship (7th place)

January 27 at Arcola

Okaw Valley 70, Tri-County 51

Cumberland 60, Unity Christian 23

Argenta-Oreana 53, Blue Ridge (9, 9-13) 48

Heritage 58, Villa Grove (11, 5-14) 43

Cerro Gordo/Bement 48, Sullivan (4, 9-11) 42