Taking charge(s)

Nick Doellman flashed one of those isn’t-that-obvious looks.

“I’m not a shot blocker,” he said.

He doesn’t need to be.

“I just try to help,” Doellman said.

Saturday night, in a 44-43 victory over Chicago Heights Bloom, he helped out everywhere. Doellman drew three charges, stepping into the lane and letting the Blazing Trojans initiate the contact.

“Against a team like this that isn’t going to shoot threes, they are going to drive,” Doellman said. “You just help. They are going so fast they can’t stop. I’ve always taken (charges). I don’t mind doing it.”

The QHS coaches know how much it means.

“Nick did a fantastic job,” QHS coach Sean Taylor said. “You talk about positioning and the willingness to step in and take charges. That was pretty special watching that.”

Perfect delivery

The alley-oop Quincy converted with 3:32 remaining is a play that is a staple of the Taylor playbook, but it takes someone with confidence to deliver the pass.

Alex Miklius has developed such faith in himself.

Zach Forbes converted Miklius’ pass into a layin and three-point play, giving the Blue Devils the boost they needed offensively to finish off the victory.

“That’s the growth that he’s had,” Taylor said of Miklius. “Last year he would have been too scared or not confident enough to throw it. This year, he threw it. If he turns it over, he has enough belief in himself that he can play on after it.”

Center of attention

Forbes, who is averaging nearly 23 points per game, hit three of his first four shots and scored seven first-quarter points, but he didn’t score again until laying in the alley-oop. In fact, he attempted only two shots in the second and third quarters combined.

But with Bloom paying so much attention to Forbes, someone else had to be open.

Forbes found him.

The Blue Devils had gone nearly six minutes without a field goal when Forbes drove to the middle of the lane, drew three defenders and dished a bounce pass to Doellman on the left baseline for a 10-foot jumper.

It hit nothing but the net.

“I’m confident taking that shot,” Doellman said. “I like the shots from the baseline. It’s my favorite shot.”

Forbes knows how important those baskets can be.

“If our whole team can play like that and knock shots down like that, we’re going to be hard to beat,” he said.

Healthy homestand

Quincy had lost four consecutive games before returning to Blue Devil Gym to face Peoria Central on Jan. 16 for the Blue Devils’ first home game since Dec. 11. Quincy won 68-52 to kickstart a five-game homestand in which they won all five games.

It wasn’t as easy as some might think. The five teams Quincy played had a combined record of 59-27 — .658 winning percentage.

“It’s a who’s who coming in here,” Taylor said of facing Peoria Central, East Moline, Hinsdale South, Galesburg and Bloom in succession. “We answered the bell and got better at the same time.”

Sophomore game

The QHS sophomores continued to pile up the victories, although like the varsity, they survived a scare in a 63-61 victory, Martin Kvitle and Chris Shelor lead the Blue Devils with 12 points apiece.

The boxscore

Quincy 44, Chicago Heights Bloom 43
BLOOM (10-11)
Player    fg-fga    ft-fta    reb     pf     pts
Moore    0-3    0-0    2    1    0
Rochon    2-5    0-0    5    5    4
Perkins    9-16    4-4    8    4    22
Ratcliff    0-2    1-2    2    2    1
Andrade    0-4    1-2    3    1    1
Batts Jr.    2-2    0-0    4    0    4
West    1-1    0-0    0    5    2
Johnson    4-6    0-0    2    2    9
Rosales    0-1    0-0    0    0    0
Waiters    0-2    0-0    3    1    0
Williams    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Team            3
Totals    18-42    6-8    32    21    43
QUINCY (13-5)
Player    fg-fga    ft-fta    reb     pf     pts
Johnson    3-10    0-0    3    3    6
Forbes    5-11    2-4    5    2    14
VonderHaar    4-10    1-2    2    2    11
Gay    1-3    0-0    3    2    2
Doellman    2-3    2-6    4    3    6
Miklius    2-4    0-2    3    1    4
Davis    0-4    1-2    3    0    1
Beebe    0-2    0-0    3    0    0
Team            1
Totals    17-47    6-16    27    13    44
Bloom    8    10    8    17—43
Quincy    16    11    5    12—44
3-point field goals—Bloom 1-3 (Johnson 1-1, Moore 0-1, Rosales 0-1), Quincy 4-13 (Forbes 2-5, VonderHaar 2-5, Miklius 0-2, Beebe 0-1). Assists—Bloom 10 (Andrade 3), Quincy 7 (Miklius 4). Steals—Bloom 8 (Ratcliff, Andrade 2), Quincy 8 (Forbes, Doellman 2). Blocked shots—Bloom 1 (Ratcliff), Quincy 3 (Forbes, VonderHaar, Miklius). Turnovers—Bloom 21, Quincy 14. Officials—Dave Figuiera, John McAvoy, Bob Engel.

New member of the Blue Devil family

Andy Douglas walked into Blue Devil Gym a little late Friday night.

Well, he had a pretty good reason.

The Quincy High School boys basketball assistant coach arrived at the gym during warmups after spending the day at Blessing Hospital as his wife, Linda, gave birth to the couple’s first baby. Landon Meyer Douglas checked in Friday morning at 6 pounds, 10 ounces and 20 inches long.

Douglas, beaming the way a new father should, said Linda and Landon were healthy and doing fine.

Landon is officially 1-0 as a member of Blue Devil Nation, and rumor has it he’s already fired up his first 3-pointer.

Exploiting a mismatch

Size gave Alex VonderHaar an edge, and he happily took it.

Galesburg tried to match up with the 6-foot-4 Quincy High School swingman with tenacious guard Dalton Davis. Although he gave up four inches in height, Davis made up for it with aggressiveness. It was when Davis had to switch assignments that VonderHaar found a mismatch.

And Quincy was quick to exploit it.

“I noticed from the beginning they were putting a smaller guy on me,” VonderHaar said. “I wanted to take it to them.”

VonderHaar finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, collecting his second double-double in as many weekends and his third of the season.

“Since the second half of the Neuqua (Valley) game, he’s been more assertive and because of that he’s been playing better,” Quincy coach Sean Taylor said. “Now he’s playing with some confidence, and because of that, he’ll play even better.”

Burn me once, not twice

In Quincy’s 71-65 victory at Galesburg in Decemeber, the Silver Streaks’ Brandon Thompson scored 19 points, hitting 2 of 4 3-pointers and making 7 of 13 shots overall. Friday night, the Blue Devils weren’t going to give him as many open looks.

Thompson scored 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting and missed all six of his 3-point attempts.

How the WB6 fared

Rock Island eked out a 43-40 victory over East Moline at the Panther Den thanks to the emergence of sophomore forward Denzel McCauley. To read Daniel Makarewicz’s story in the Moline Dispatch, click here.

Moline withstood a double-double from Alleman’s Keelan Prince to pick up a 39-33 victory in their first game since losing senior forward Mikel Wismer to a broken cheekbone. To read Steve Tappa’s story in the Moline Dispatch, click here.

Sophomore game

The Quincy High School sophomore team continues to give the varsity proper motivation. The sophomores won 70-49 Friday night against Galesburg as Martin Kvitle had 15 points, Evan Briddle and DeAngelo Dean each had 12 and Mason Fairley added 11.

The sophomores are 12-5 overall.

The boxscore

Quincy 52, Galesburg 36
GALESBURG (15-8, 2-4)
Player    fg-fga    ft-fta    reb    pf    pts
D. Davis    1-6    0-0    3    3    3
McElmurry    3-7    1-3    3    3    8
B. Thompson    4-13    2-4    4    4    10
C. Thompson    1-7    0-0    7    2    3
V. Davis    4-10    4-4    8    4    12
Williams    0-0    0-0    0    2    0
Carson    0-1    0-0    3    2    0
Ricketts    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Scott    0-1    0-0    0    0    0
Johnson    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Gernant    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Carl    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Team            1
Totals    13-45    7-11    29    20    36
QUINCY (12-5, 5-1)
Player    fg-fga    ft-fta    reb    pf    pts
Johnson    3-9    4-10    6    1    10
Forbes    5-13    6-7    3    2    17
VonderHaar    4-11    4-5    10    0    14
Gay    0-0    1-3    3    1    1
Doellman    4-7    0-0    4    4    8
Miklius    0-1    0-0    7    3    0
Davis    1-1    0-0    0    2    2
Beebe    0-0    0-0    1    0    0
Kendrick    0-0    0-0    1    0    0
Briddle    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Givens    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Behrens    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Dean    0-0    0-0    1    0    0
Team            3
Totals    17-42    15-25    39    13    52
Galesburg    13    3    11    9—36
Quincy    8    13    15    16—52
3-point field goals—Galesburg 3-22 (C. Thompson 1-6, D. Davis 1-5, McElmurry 1-3, B. Thompson 0-6, V. Davis 0-2), Quincy 3-9 (VonderHaar 2-4, Forbes 1-3, Johnson 0-1, Miklius 0-1). Assists—Galesburg 5 (McElmurry 3), Quincy 8 (Miklius 5). Steals—Galesburg 3 (D. Davis, B. Thompson, V. Davis), Quincy 5 (Johnson 3). Blocked shots—Galesburg 2 (V. Davis 2), Quincy 1 (VonderHaar). Officials—Steve Hansen, Ken Fairley, Wade Steckel.

Jennie Nobis is becoming quite the world traveler.

Now 25 years old, Nobis is back in the United States preparing for the upcoming Women’s Professional Soccer season, where she will be one of the key cogs in the Boston Breakers’ attack.

The former Quincy High School and University of Missouri standout spent two months playing in Sweden for Pitea IF in the 12-team Swedish premier league. She scored three goals in six appearances.

Now, her focus is on the Breakers’ season, which begins April 10. Nobis is already in Boston training with the Breakers staff and working out six days a week, and because of her potential and the plans the Breakers have for her, she is becoming more widely known in professional soccer circles.

World Soccer Reader, a Boston-based Web site devoted to the game, recently featured Nobis. Click here to read the article.

During his high school basketball career — one of the most storied careers in the rich history of the Quincy High School boys program — Bruce Douglas was known by a variety of names.

Slammin’ Bruce.

Silki Smooth.

All-American.

Mr. Basketball.

Now, nearly 30 years since leading the Blue Devils to a 123-5 record and three state tournament trophies in four varsity seasons, Douglas has a new moniker.

Rev. Bruce L. Douglas Sr.

Douglas, who developed the Shooting for Christ Ministry basketball camps,  is the pastor of the new Walking in Grace Community Church in Plainfield, Ill. Douglas saw it as the next step in a life devoted to his faith and his family.

Bill Scheibe, assistant sports editor of the Joliet Herald-News, recently caught up with Douglas to discuss the ministry and its relationship to his basketball career. Click here to read his story.

It took a while, but Quincy Notre Dame finally filled out its football schedule for 2010.

And the Raiders didn’t schedule themselves a gimme.

QND will play Jefferson City (Mo.) Helias at 7 p.m. Sept. 10 at Pete Adkins Stadium in Jefferson City. The Crusaders are coming off an appearance in the Class 4 state championship game, where they lost to Kearney 27-15.

Helias finished with a 14-1 record.

This is the third tradition-rich program the Raiders have added to their schedule. QND will play Hannibal in Week 1, Helias in Week 3 and Illini West in Week 6. Macomb, who traditionally had been the season-opening opponent, will now play QND in Week 2. Waterloo will be the Week 9 opponent.

Collectively, the nine schools on QND’s schedule for next season had a record of 62-36 last fall. Take out Peoria Central and Peoria Manual, who were a combined 1-17 and the only future opponents with losing records, and the winning percentage of QND’s opponents is .763.

Eyes on the prize

On the south wall inside Blue Devil Gym hang two placards displaying the Quincy High School boys basketball team’s single game, single season and career records. Zach Forbes has always had his eyes on one, albeit not one inparticular.

“Since I was a little kid coming to basketball camps, you always look up at the board and you’re like, ‘Which one’s breakable?’ You thought none of them were,” Forbes said.

Well, he did think one might be.

“I thought the free-throw percentage was, but I realized that isn’t possible to reach,” Forbes said.

He put his name on the board Saturday night during the Blue Devils’ 81-62 victory over Hinsdale South as he tied Kyle Cartmill’s record of seven 3-pointers made. Forbes went 7 of 12 from 3-point range and finished with career-high 38 points.

It’s the most points scored by a QHS player since J.D. Summers netted a career-high 40 points against Rock Island Alleman during the 1999-2000 season.

Gaining confidence

Following his 13-point performance against Marion at the Collinsville/Schnucks Holiday Classic, senior guard Alex Miklius scored just seven in the next three games, although his defensive performance had earned him rave reviews.

Now, he’s adding more scoring punch to that lockdown defense. Miklius scored 12 points Saturday night, knocking down 2 of 4 3-pointers. That came on the heels of a nine-point, four-rebound effort Friday night against East Moline.

“I’m starting to feel my shot, I’m starting to make them and I’m getting more confidence to make more,” Miklius said.

He’s also starting to beat defenders off the dribble.

“In practice, I’ve been attacking more and now it’s starting to relate to the game,” Miklius said.

Good vibes

Miklius said there’s a reason the varsity team has come out fired up the last three games.

“We usually get going when the sophomores are winning,” Miklius said. “We think, ‘If they can do it, we can do it.’”

Sharing the wealth

For the fifth straight game, the Blue Devils had eight or more assists as senior point guard Isaiah Johnson had seven assists.

“That’s one area we’re getting better at,” Taylor said. “That’s good passing, good execution and unselfish basketball.”

Sophomore game

The Blue Devils won their fourth straight game at the sophomore level Saturday night by beating Hinsdale South 56-44. The Blue Devils (11-5) scored the game’s first 12 points. DeAngelo Dean scored a game-high 20 points for Quincy, while Michael Schmitt added eight.

The boxscore

Quincy 81, Hinsdale South 62
HINSDALE SOUTH (12-4)
Player    fg-fga    ft-fta    reb    pf    pts
Vanhal    2-5    3-4    6    4    7
Ploger    0-3    0-0    0    2    0
George    5-13    0-0    1    0    15
Petrak    5-7    0-0    4    1    12
Benson    6-8    0-1    4    2    12
Viane    5-10    1-2    2    0    12
Nkansah    2-3    0-0    2    4    4
Kimble    0-0    0-0    2    0    0
Reidy    0-0    0-0    1    0    0
Johnson    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Dimayuga    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Chacko    0-1    0-0    0    0    0
Scott    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Team            2
Totals    25-50    4-7    24    13    62
QUINCY (11-5)
Player    fg-fga    ft-fta    reb    pf    pts
Johnson    5-13    1-2    2    1    11
Forbes    13-22    5-5    3    3    38
VonderHaar    2-8    4-4    4    1    8
Gay    4-4    0-0    8    1    8
Doellman    1-1    0-0    3    2    2
Miklius    5-8    0-0    5    2    12
Davis    1-1    0-0    0    0    2
Beebe    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Behrens    0-0    0-0    1    0    0
T. Dean    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Givens    0-1    0-0    0    0    0
Kendrick    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
D. Dean    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Team            3
Totals    31-58    10-11    29    10    81
Hinsdale South    18    14    18    12—62
Quincy    19    20    22    20—81
3-point field goals—Hinsdale South 8-19 (George 5-10, Petrak 2-3, Viane 1-3, Ploger 0-2, Vanhal 0-1), Quincy 9-22 (Forbes 7-12, Miklius 2-4, VonderHaar 0-3, Johnson 0-2). Assists—Hinsdale South 9 (Petrak 3), Quincy 14 (Johnson 7). Steals—Hinsdale South 4 (Vanhal 2), Quincy 10 (Johnson 6). Blocked shots—Hinsdale South 2 (Benson 2). Turnovers—Hinsdale South 17, Quincy 8. Officials—Dave Gilliland, Marty Calhoun, Scott Reed.

Taking it to the rim

Since what appeared to be his breakout moment at Neuqua Valley when he scored 13 points in the second half, Alex VonderHaar had been relatively quiet offensively.

Not anymore. If all goes well, not ever again.

The 6-foot-4 senior forward scored 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for his second double-double of the season as Quincy High School beat East Moline 71-56 to hit the midpoint of the Western Big Six Conference season just a half-game behind first-place Rock Island.

“We really came out aggressive,” VonderHaar said.

Especially VonderHaar, whose offensive rebound with 2:47 remaining in regulation helped seal the victory. He crashed the boards from the left wing, pulling down the rebound and getting fouled. He hit both free throws to keep Quincy’s lead at 61-50.

“That’s what he should be doing,” Quincy point guard Isaiah Johnson said of VonderHaar’s effort. “That’s what he’s great at. That’s what he’s strong at.”

VonderHaar went 4 of 8 from the field and 4 of 4 from the line and didn’t attempt a 3-pointer as he concentrated on attacking the basket.

Bench help

Sophomore forward Michael Davis enjoyed a career night, scoring 10 points and grabbing four rebounds as he gave the Blue Devils a post presence when senior forward Nick Doellman went to the bench with four fouls.

Meanwhile, junior guard Austin Beebe had a pair of second-quarter assists and went 3 of 4 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter.

“When they can score buckets for us, that’s gravy for us,” Quincy coach Sean Taylor said. “We’d take it every game. But I think what they bring as far as smarts and effort and intangibles is pretty special.”

Sophomore game

The QHS sophomore won their third straight game with a 74-39 victory Friday night over East Moline. Chris Shelor led the Blue Devils (10-5) with 15 points and Michael Schmitt added 14 points.

The boxscore

Quincy 71, East Moline 56
EAST MOLINE (12-5, 3-2)
Player    fg-fga    ft-fta    reb    pf    pts
Pavelonius    2-5    0-0    3    4    4
Lowery    8-20    0-0    6    4    21
Hoepfner    5-13    3-3    5    4    13
Jansen    1-5    0-0    1    4    3
Di. Singleton    1-3    0-0    3    4    2
McDowell    0-4    2-2    2    1    2
T. Johnson    1-5    1-1    3    4    3
Wright    1-3    1-2    2    1    4
Dy. Singleton    1-2    0-0    3    0    2
Overton    1-4    0-0    2    1    2
Team            3
Totals    21-64    7-8    33    27    56
QUINCY (10-5, 4-1)
Player    fg-fga    ft-fta    reb    pf    pts
I. Johnson    3-11    3-6    2    1    9
Forbes    4-14    13-16    5    1    21
VonderHaar    4-8    4-4    11    1    12
Gay    2-6    0-0    5    1    4
Doellman    1-3    1-2    6    4    3
Miklius    3-4    1-2    4    3    9
Davis    3-5    4-6    4    4    10
Beebe    0-1    3-4    0    0    3
Behrens    0-0    0-0    0    0    0
Team            2
Totals    20-52    29-40    39    15    71
East Moline    10    9    10    27—56
Quincy    14    17    14    26—71
3-point field goals—East Moline 7-23 (Lowery 5-13, Jansen 1-3, Wright 1-3, McDowell 0-2, Overton 0-2), Quincy 2-6 (Miklius 2-2, Forbes 0-2, I. Johnson 0-1, Beebe 0-1). Assists—East Moline 8 (Lowery 3), Quincy 9 (I. Johnson 4). Steals—East Moline 3 (Lowery 2), Quincy 8 (I. Johnson 4). Blocked shots—East Moline 4 (T. Johnson 2), Quincy 2 (I. Johnson, Miklius). Turnovers—East Moline 17, Quincy 13. Officials—Chuck Frail, Dave Mueller, Al Corwin.

Of all the banter that went on during the St. Louis Cardinals’ Winter Wam-Up — from steriods to comebacks to arbitration — there were nine words that carried the most weight.

“If I have to, I can play somewhere else.”

That’s what Albert Pujols said to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Now, Pujols said a lot of other things as well, including saying, “If it was for me, I’d be here forever.” But those first nine words he uttered were like hitting a panic button for some fans.

Here’s how the topic came about.

Pujols was asked about the possibility of reaching free agency, and he said, “If it comes to that, it’s fine. That’s a decision they make. If it happens, I have to deal with it. I want to play baseball. If I have to, I can play somewhere else.”

That couldn’t happen until after the 2011 season, and although that seems like a long time coming, the window to get a long-term contract extension worked out will close incredibly quick. Pujols doesn’t want to talk about it once the season starts, so if the Cardinals are going to make any headway toward a new contract, they better hurry.

No one wants Pujols to go into the final year of his contract with no gurantees of the future. Not even Pujols wants that. But he doesn’t want fans to take it for granted he will be a Cardinal forever.

He reminded Strauss other Hall of Fame players have been traded or changed teams because of free agency. Indeed, they have.

But they weren’t Pujols. They weren’t Cardinals.

Musial was a Redbird for life. Gibby was, too. Once he came to St. Louis, Ozzie never left. Neither did Brock. They became Hall of Famers as Cardinals. They will always be Cardinals.

Pujols should be, too.

Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz wrote Pujols played the contract talks perfectly, saying, “In one brief news conference, Pujols managed to pull off the trick of pleasing the optimists while also giving pessimists some stuff to worry about.”

Maybe so, but there is a little truth in everything. With that in mind, take Pujols at his word. He can play elsewhere.

If the money is right, he might.

Despite his apology for taking steroids, Cardinals hitting instructor Mark McGwire's words sound hollow to some. (AP Photo)

The question that continues to badger baseball, especially in lieu of Mark McGwire’s admission of steroid use, is “Who’s juicing?”

It’s a suspicion not even high school athletes can avoid.

“Sometimes you wonder who’s on them and who’s not,” said Daniel Weiman, an all-state running back and starting center fielder for Quincy Notre Dame. “If someone were to ask us ‘What do you take?’, for me and my friends, we feel proud about saying we’re clean.”

They’re understandably disappointed, too, in how McGwire denied steroids played a part in improving his performance.

In an interview with Bob Costas for the MLB Network, McGwire was asked, “Would you have (accomplished all you did) if you had never touched anything but a protein shake?”

He answered, “I truly believe so. I believe I was given this gift.”

Costas pressed him on the issue, asking, “But didn’t you become stronger incidentally?”

McGwire didn’t budge, saying, “There is not a pill or an injection that is going to give me the hand-eye — or give any athlete — the hand-eye coordination to hit a baseball. A pill or an injection will not hit a baseball.”

Call it semantics, call it a denial, call it whatever you want. It clearly disappointed high school athletes who considered McGwire an icon because he was one of the faces of the game at the time they started to appreciate the sport.

“I think whoever does it is really cheating,” said Zach Nichols, Hannibal’s catcher. “If they can’t do what they do with whatever is God-given, it’s a shame. … I wish they all could just play the game fair.”

Still, McGwire’s denial that it made him a more prolific hitter resonated the most.

“That kind of made my stomach turn,” Weiman said. “It was kind of disheartening.”

As naive as teenagers can sometimes be, they still realize how detrimental taking performance-enhancing drugs can be.

“In today’s society, kids will do anything to give themselves an edge,” said Zach Forbes, an all-state soccer player and leading scorer for the Quincy High School boys basketball team. “I think it’s good that they are testing in schools. It’s out there, it’s around and you can get your hands on it.

“It’s the east way out and people will do it.”

What they don’t often realize is how it hurts you in the long run. McGwire’s fate shows some of that.

“You turn on SportsCenter, you turn on the news and that’s what it on there,” Forbes said. “They need to criticize him, make it hard on him, make an example of him so people won’t do what he did.”

Quincy High School's Alex Miklius drives to the basket against Peoria Central defenders Travis Kellum, center, and Marvin Nunn. (H-W Photo/Michael Kipley)

Making good on a claim

Friday night, in the wake of a 49-44 loss to Rock Island, Quincy High School boys basketball coach Sean Taylor showed his will to win is as strong as ever, displaying it in a spirited speech to his players and throughout his postgame interviews.

Yet, while talking to ESPN 1440 AM play-by-play announcer Chuck Mahon, Taylor was afraid he went a little too far when he nearly guaranteed a victory.

“I told our guys, ‘We’re playing great tomorrow,’” Taylor told Mahon. “… We’re going to be ready. We’ll play better than we’ve played the whole year tomorrow night. Our guys will play harder than anybody in the history of the game. They’re going to be ready. I think they’re close. We’re going to be great tomorrow night.”

Taylor finished the interview saying, “Our guys are going to cherish this moment tomorrow. They’re going to come out with a Blue Devil victory.”

The Blue Devils made him look prophetic as they scored 25 points in the first quarter, matching their highest-scoring quarter of the season and building a 25-10 lead that ultimately led to a 68-52 victory over Peoria Central.

Taking control

Quincy didn’t wait for the first punch and then react. The Blue Devils came out swinging. On Quincy’s first possession, Alex VonderHaar caught a pass in the high post, spun on his defender and went to the rim, laying in a shot for a 2-0 lead. On the next possession, the Blue Devils threw the ball back on VonderHaar in the high post, but this time he kicked out to Zach Forbes for a 3-pointer from the right wing.

The Blue Devils never backed down.

“We were more aggressive tonight,” Taylor said. “Against Rock Island, we told them we were in the right place. We played fundamentally well. We didn’t have the edge. We didn’t have the aggressiveness. I thought Rocky might have been a little more aggressive than us. Not a lot. Tonight, we were clearly the more aggressive team.”

Home is where it starts

Quincy is undefeated at home this season, improving to 6-0 with Saturday night’s victory. And getting back to Blue Devil Gym — Quincy last played at home Dec. 11 — seemed to be enough to give them an edge.

“I felt like it was,” point guard Isaiah Johnson said. “We’re back home, feeling good.”

The Blue Devils will be here for a while, playing seven of their final 10 games at home. However, winning on the road is a must, especially since the Class 4A regional will be played at East Moline’s Panther Den.

“We’re going to compete on the road harder,” Johnson said.

Filling in nicely

Junior point guard Austin Beebe stepped into the starting lineup Saturday night when Johnson arrived late for the pre-game meeting, and Beebe made himself look right at home. Quincy went on an 11-4 run to open the game with Beebe capping the run with a 3-pointer from the top of the key.

He pump-faked a defender, stepped to his right and sank the left-handed 3-pointer.

“Austin made a huge three,” Taylor said. “Austin is going to shoot the ball with confidence. He thinks he is going to make every shot.”

The boxscore

Quincy 68, Peoria Central 52
PEORIA CENTRAL (10-4)
Player fg-fga ft-fta reb pf pts
Drummond 1-7 0-0 3 2 3
White 1-6 4-4 5 1 6
Lawson 3-6 0-0 3 1 6
Banks 7-16 3-7 3 3 20
Tra. Kellum 3-6 5-6 10 3 11
Nunn 1-3 0-0 3 1 2
Green 0-2 0-0 0 2 0
Tre. Kellum 2-3 0-0 0 4 4
Thomas 0-0 0-0 1 0 0
Team 4
Totals 18-49 12-17 32 17 52
QUINCY (9-5)
Player fg-fga ft-fta reb pf pts
Beebe 1-1 0-0 0 2 3
Forbes 8-20 10-10 3 3 29
VonderHaar 3-7 0-1 5 0 7
Gay 5-10 0-0 7 1 10
Doellman 2-3 0-0 0 3 4
Miklius 0-1 0-0 4 1 0
Johnson 6-14 2-2 6 3 15
Davis 0-0 0-0 1 0 0
Team 7
Totals 25-56 12-13 33 13 68
Peoria Central 10 10 17 15—52
Quincy 25 10 16 17—68
3-point field goals—Peoria Central 4-9 (Banks 3-3, Drummond 1-5, White 0-1), Quincy 6-16 (Forbes 3-8, VonderHaar 1-4, Johnson 1-2, Beebe 1-1, Gay 0-1). Assists—Peoria Central 8 (Drummond 3), Quincy 14 (Johnson, VonderHaar 5). Steals—Peoria Central 7 (Drummond 3), Quincy 5 (Davis 2). Blocked shots—Peoria Central 1 (Tre. Kellum), Quincy 1 (VonderHaar). Turnovers—Peoria Central 16, Quincy 12. Officials—Rollin Barton, Jim Lovelace, Phil McCarty.