FIRST ROUND RESULTS (ALL-TIME 5)
VIDEO 1: West, South Regions and Explanation of Simulation (6 p.m.)
VIDEO 2: North, East Regions (10 p.m.)
WHAT'S NEXT? Voting for Sweet 16 begins on Tuesday morning (3/31)
WEST REGION RESULTS
(1) Lanphier 2, (8) Mt. Pulaski 1Â (at Jacksonville Bowl)
Toppers put scare into No. 1 Lions
How the draw played out: MTP, LHS, LHS
Tickets in the pot: 10:6 Lanphier
Lanphier: Chalk 7, GV 3
Mt. Pulaski: Fan vote 3, Chaos 3
Fan vote: Mt. Pulaski 339, Lanphier 197
Analysis: This was best-case scenario for Topper fans. And it almost worked. Mt. Pulaski dominated the fan vote, 339-197. Then they doubled their tickets with a incredible sweep of the chaos coin flip -- all three. All of a sudden the pot was 10:6, by far the closest of any 1 vs. 8 matchup in the bracket. (Note: This was actually a real series in the Toppers' 1970s heyday, and Mt. Pulaski even won multiple games. So the fact that the All-Time 5 Hilltoppers put a scare into the tournament's Goliath is actually not a fluke!) But even the purplest of purplebloods would concede that Lanphier just has a bigger arsenal.
MVP: The "Pistol Pete of Central Illinois" Jeff Clements needed to go off for 30+ just like he did in the play-in game for this to be close. He did, but Lanphier was just too much.
X-Factor: Hats off to Mt. Pulaski fans, who showed a surge of support. As for the on-court X-Factor that kept this close, 1936 State team star Daraid Staley always had a knack for getting to the free throw line. As the defense keyed in on Clements and Deron Powell, Staley's back door cuts helped slow the game down and get the Toppers hidden points that kept things close in the first half.
(4) Riverton 3, (5) SHG 0 (at Jacksonville Bowl)
Clash of big men tips in Riverton's favor
How the draw played out: RIV, RIV, RIV
Tickets in the pot: 8:2 Riverton
Riverton: Fan vote 3, Chalk 1, GV 3, Chaos 1
SHG: Chaos 2
Fan vote: Riverton 496, SHG 324
Analysis: I thought this would be much closer, but Riverton's four-headed monster up front in Clint Cuffle (Evansville), Kurt Cuffle (Eastern Illinois), Rich Fetter (Penn State) and Mike Tisdale (Illinois) was just the kind of roster that could stand up to SHG's unparalleled strength. If I could have split my three tickets I would have given SHG 1, if not 2. Cyclones were one of the undervalued rosters in this project.
MVP:Â The Cylones have Iowa/Providence forward Dave Snedeker to help defend the post, which helped limit the tallest Hawk Mike Tisdale, but that left Rich Fetter (Penn State) (Top 30 all-time in Illinois state history in both points and rebounds) to go to work getting 20 and 10.
X-Factor:Â Kurt Cuffle (Eastern Illinois) was listed a "bench" player but he's really a starter. It must've fueled his fire -- he had 15 points, 10 rebounds and helped defend the post while Clint did his thing shutting down SHG's wings.
(3) Jacksonville 3, (6) Clinton 0Â (at UIS)
Crimsons play like a team with something to prove
How the draw played out: JAX, JAX, JAX
Tickets in the pot: 11:1 Jacksonville
Jacksonville: Fan vote 3, Chalk 3, GV 3, Chaos 2
Clinton: Chaos 1
Fan vote: Jacksonville 486, Clinton 305
Analysis: Jacksonville is the only team in the entire field that has two players who averaged 20+ points per game in a season at the Power 5 level. That'd be Ron Coleman (Ole Miss) and Andy Kaufmann (Illinois). Casual fans probably were surprised to see JHS as high as the 3 line, but diehard JHS fans probably thought that was too low. Clinton has some of the game's all-time greats like Gene Vance (Illinois) but this was the game when we saw that Jacksonville will be a threat to make the Final Four (and perhaps beyond).
MVP: This was a matchup that the Crimsons could exploit, as Kaufmann (6-6) got to go against the Maroons' front line of Vance and Larry Gentry, who are talented no more than 6-4 each. Kaufmann hits every midrange shot in the manual, pump fakes and drives his way to 34 points. Crimsons maintain a modest but convincing lead from whistle to whistle.
X-Factor:Â PG Creston Whitaker introduced himself to the younger generation. He was an NFL receiver for a reason -- and that speed showed as he frustrated Clinton's guards. Clyde Frazier was spotted in the stands supporting his former Saluki teammate.
(2) Springfield High 3, (7) Lakeview 0Â (at UIS)
The top seeds in this quadrant are not messing around.
How the draw played out: SHS, SHS, SHS
Tickets in the pot: 12:2 Springfield High
Springfield High: Fan vote 3, Chalk 5, GV 3, Chaos 1
Lakeview: Chaos 2
Fan vote: Springfield High 579, Lakeview 196
Analysis: Even the Springfield crowd got behind Lakeview's booty shorts, Chuck Taylors and big hair. The Spartans' Cinderella run comes to an end with a loss at the hands of uber-talented Springfield High.
MVP: As good as Lakeview's guards are, the squad just had no answer for 6-10 ABA/NBA star Dave Robisch, who went for 28 and 12 while Tom Cole (Michigan) gobbled up anything Robisch couldn't hit.
X-Factor:Â As expected, PG Randy Rice (ISU) was the ringleader for this lineup of straight-up killers. He is what will take this talented group of individuals and tie it together into a cohesive team, and his 16 assists showed that he's on his way to doing just that.
SOUTH REGION RESULTS
(1) Stephen Decatur 3, (8) Glenwood 0Â (at Millikin University)
No rust for the Reds: Stephen Decatur executes near-perfect performance in first game since turn of century.
How the draw played out: SD, SD, SD
Tickets in the pot: 16:0 Stephen Decatur
Stephen Decatur: Fan vote 3, Chalk 7, GV 3, Chaos 3
Glenwood: 0
Fan vote: Stephen Decatur 538, Glenwood 241
Analysis: Cue the Jurassic Park puns. We knew this team would be a force -- but this was the most dominant game of any in the First Round. It wasn't just a carnivore that was woken up from the past, but a T-Rex. Watch out, rest of bracket.
MVP:Â The gameplan was to share the ball as much as possible -- that's how the Reds won four state championships and it's how they will do the most damage in this cream-of-the-crop environment too. No player had more than Tarise Bryson's 14 points. Seven players in double figures. Reds tire out Glenwood despite spirited performances from Peyton Allen (Texas A&M, others) and MLB star Jayson Werth, who was a 6-6 force in his Chatham days but obviously chose to focus on baseball.
X-Factor:Â The second wave of starters was even better than advertised. Two-time All-State forward Jack Sunderlik dazzled with his footwork in the post at 6-foot-1, putting up 12 points on 6-of-6 shooting. He and fellow Millikin star Dale Minick (1936 State champion, 100 Legends of IHSA) enjoyed playing on their former collegiate grounds.
(4) Southeast, (5) Taylorville (at Millikin University)
Finally, a nail-biter! Spartans prevail in a thriller.
How the draw played out: TAY, SE, SE
Tickets in the pot: 5:5 even
Southeast: Chalk 1, GV 3, Chaos 1
Taylorville: Fan vote 3, Chaos 2
Fan vote: Taylorville 410, Southeast 376
Analysis:Â Both teams play with an edge, feeling undervalued at the 4 and 5 seed lines. Both guard-heavy lineups that were hot from deep. The only dead-even match in the whole First Round (5 tickets each) and it delivered.
MVP:Â This was Lish Johnson's breakout game. A breakout not to folks from his era in the 1970s -- they consider him a Top 5 player in city history. But a breakout game to younger fans in the stands, who were dazzled by his no-look passes and old school moves off the bounce. He had nearly 22 points a game in his best year, after all. Legend.
X-Factor:Â Exactly what I had hoped would happen, happened. The guys who deserved to start like Herm Senor II and Lawrence Thomas II and Anthony Fairlee came in with a crazy look in their eye and got the Spartans' lead out to 20 after Taylorville was ahead in the late second quarter. As head coach Lawrence Thomas said to me over the phone, the Second Team might be better than the First Team. That was true tonight. However, the Tornadoes erased the deficit thanks to a furious 15 minutes of three-man-weaving from Ridley-Bontemps-Orr, a trio that was as masterful as advertised. But ultimately down the stretch the Spartans' depth was the difference as lightning-quick Eddie Smith knifed through the lane with 20 seconds left, got to the line and hit both free throws to seal the game.
(3) Effingham 3, (6) Unity 0Â (at Kintner Gym, Decatur)
Effingham's Mitch Arnold has career night without breaking a sweat.
How the draw played out: EFF, EFF, EFF
Tickets in the pot: 11:1 Effingham
Jacksonville: Fan vote 3, Chalk 3, GV 3, Chaos 2
Clinton: Chaos 1
Fan vote: Effingham 568, Unity 186
Analysis:Â After hearing about the "Twin Towers" for the past two months, Fresno State star Mitch Arnold came to Taylorville on a mission to prove that he's the best player on the squad. The 7-2 pair of Uwe Blab and Chris Weisheit combined for 20 rebounds, but that was all the Hearts needed from them as Arnold and Roger Arnold (not brother but a relative) ran the show tonight in a convincing win.
MVP:Â Mitch Arnold did what can only be described as a Tom Emanski-caliber clinic of jump shooting. 30 points on 13-15 FG with 4 FTs for good measure. As Unity keyed in on the post, he made them pay. The Rockets' four-forward lineup gave the Hearts a glimmer of trouble in the first quarter but ultimately Effingham just had more horses.
X-Factor:Â Dale Grupe (Air Force) is one of those player who just has a knack for the game. Much like he did in the 1980 state championship game, he corralled seemingly every miss and always knew just how to get enough distance under the hoop for the putback. His stat line of 10 and 7 might not jump off the page, but every time Unity made a run, he was there with an answer on the other end.
(7) Teutopolis 2, (2) Eisenhower 1 (at Kintner Gym, Decatur)
Bang. The Shoes provide the first dose of madness in the bracket.
How the draw played out: TEU, EIS, TEU
Tickets in the pot: 11:6 Eisenhower
Eisenhower: Fan vote 3, Chalk 5, GV 3
Lakeview: Fan vote 3, Chaos 3
Fan vote: An exact tie at 410 apiece
Analysis:Â This was the best-case scenario for Teutopolis and the worst-case scenario for Eisenhower. Nobody could foresee the tie in the fan vote, and especially not the 3/3 sweep of the Chaos factor. It wouldn't be March Madness without some madness! Hundreds of Teutopolis fans showed up to Taylorville four hours early to tailgate, pack West Gym then everyone flooded the T-Town bars to celebrate (no virus in this alternate reality!) Eisenhower didn't lose the game so much as Teutopolis just had a magical everything-falls-into-place kind of Cinderella game. March. Madness.
MVP: Brent Niebrugge (26.9 points per game) had the kind of game where he could have had a blindfold and it would have gone in. Posting up smaller defenders, hitting the fall-away jumper. Knocking down the midrange. 15 rebounds. As the Panthers collapsed on Leon Gobczynski, it opened up lanes for Gene Schumacher (Alabama) and Bob Zerrusen (Lake Land) to do damage.
X-Factor: Clint Weber and Dawson Smith ran their patented Dunktopolis alley-oop just as energy was fading in the early third quarter and the Shoes were trailing by 10. Tyler Repking captured it all on his cell phone and it got 400 shares after the game. It was the tipping point in a back-and-forth second half. It all came down to a Gobczynski sky hook as time expired. Ballgame, Shoes. (All proceeds from the game went to the rebuilding fund for the KC Hall.)
NORTH REGION RESULTS
(1) Lincoln 3, (8) Maroa-Forsyth 0Â (at Clinton H.S.)
Kreps' 30 points not enough as Railers sail to Sweet 16.
How the draw played out: LIN, LIN, LIN
Tickets in the pot: 14:2 Lincoln
Lincoln: Fan vote 3, Chalk 7, GV 3, Chaos 2
Maroa-Forsyth: 2
Fan vote: Lincoln 754, Maroa-Forsyth 168 (754: the most votes of any team by more than 150)
Analysis: Neil Alexander plus All-Americans. If you're an opposing team ... you hate to see it. The Railers just overwhelmed the relatively undersized Trojans in the post and ran their patented Lincoln offense to perfection. We weren't sure what this team would look like when it's all superstars, but now we know. It's scary.
MVP:Â This might be one of those rare moments when the MVP goes to a player on the losing team. Robo Kreps' (UIC) electric performance (30 points, 3 assists, 6 rebounds, 6 steals) sure is deserving. But for Lincoln it was 6-9 Brian Cook who could get off any shot he wanted against Maroa-Forsyth's 6-4, 6-5 front line. He breezes to 30 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists out of the post.
X-Factor: Guard Josh Komnick came off the bench and reverted to pre-injury form, with a highly efficient 4-of-5, 12-point outing while helping keep the ball moving. A lot of mouths to feed in this offense! The players who facilitate will be the difference between a deep run and a tournament title for the Railers.
(4) Rantoul, (5) St. Teresa (at Clinton H.S.)
St. Teresa's late push not enough as Rantoul's explosiveness too much to handle.
How the draw played out: RAN, RAN, STT
Tickets in the pot: 7:3 Rantoul
Rantoul: Chalk 1, GV 3, Chaos 3
St. Teresa: Fan vote 3
Fan vote: St. Teresa 417, Rantoul 286
Analysis:Â These teams are virtual carbon copies of each other in the backcourt. Electric guard: Rodney Walker (St. Teresa, NM State) and Kareem Richardson (Rantoul, ECU/Evansville). Long wing who can cause matchup nightmares: 6-6 Christian Williams (St. Teresa, Indiana State/Iowa), 6-7 Blake Schilb (Rantoul, Loyola, overseas). A small forward with major-college pedigree: 6-7 John Leurck (St. Teresa, Marquette) and 6-4 Donnell Bivens (Rantoul, Iowa State). The difference between these two teams isn't at those three spots, but rather the remaining spots and bench where the Eagles have 1,000-point Division-I scorer types whereas St. Teresa has primarily terrific high school players. However, this matchup was less close than I anticipated, simply because of the chaos tickets all going to Rantoul. That turned it into a 7:3 matchup instead of, say, 4:7 or 5:6. If these teams played seven games someone would probably win four, the other one three.
MVP:Â 6-foot-7 Blake Schilb is one of the most underrated professionals in our viewing area's history. After graduating from (his All-American career at) Loyola in 2007, he launched an overseas career that is still going strong entering Year 14. Case in point: in 2011-12 he led French A team Elan Chalon in scoring (16.4 points per game) over NBA players like Malcolm Delaney (Virginia Tech) and Joffrey Lauvergne.
X-Factor:Â PG Tom McGreal (Southern Illinois) would start on many of these teams in the tournament, but Rantoul is loaded at guard so he'll come off the bench. He hit a couple of key 3-pointers at the very end of the second quarter that turned a six-point lead to a 10-point lead at the break.
(3) MacArthur 2, (6) Monticello 1 (at Roy S. Anderson Gym, Lincoln)
MacArthur entertains crowd, thwarts Monticello's upset bid.
How the draw played out: MAC, MON, MAC
Tickets in the pot: 11:1 MacArthur
MacArthur: Fan vote 3, Chalk 3, GV 3, Chaos 2
Monticello: Chaos 1
Fan vote: MacArthur 433, Monticello 258
Analysis:Â Leave it to the Sages to keep it close even with a 11:1 ticket disadvantage! As I detailed in Monticello's article, this program has had one incredible coach after another, allowing the Sages to put up gaudy winning percentages and roll out zero-waste teams year after year. But MacArthur just had more firepower in the end despite a spirited comeback attempt by the Sages in the third quarter.
MVP:Â Guards John Cliff and Darius Adams got into a net-burning competition and it powered MacArthur to a comfortable win. Each finished with 15 points to lead the Generals.
X-Factor:Â PF Moe Dampeer came in energized in the late first quarter and provided major damage as the Sages' front line was starting to tire. PG Mike Phillips came in at the same time, pressed the ball and finished with four steals. MacArthur's depth proved to be key in pulling away in the late third quarter.
(7) Warrensburg-Latham 2, (2) Centennial 1Â (at Roy S. Anderson Gym, Lincoln)
Ka-Boom! A second 7-2 upset! Are the Cardinals the darling of the tournament?
How the draw played out: WL, WL, CTL
Tickets in the pot: 10:4 Centennial
Centennial: Chalk 5, GV 3, Chaos 2
Warrensburg-Latham: Fan vote 3, Chaos 1
Fan vote: Warrensburg-Latham 399, Centennial 364
Analysis:Â No team beat steeper odds than the Cardinals, who were at a 10:4 disadvantage in tickets. Binkley Magic! Centennial arguably has the best guards in the whole tournament, but Binkley's defensive scheming kept them from the 20-20-20-20 outing that it could have been from those four Charger guards. Instead, the Cards kept it a low-possession game, rebounded and benefited from their three Macon County Players of the Year off the bench -- keeping legs fresh when Centennial tried to push the pace. Playing the game on Route 121 just down the road from campus didn't hurt either.
MVP:Â Mike West only had 8 points, but it was his 14 rebounds that kept the Cardinals in it. He and Korte Long held their own against the Chargers' big men and allowed the guards to have freedom on the perimeter.
X-Factor:Â Trevor Binkley hits a 3-pointer in the mid-fourth quarter when it looks like Centennial is about to grab the lead back. Cards go up five. Centennial calls timeout as crowd roars. Coach Binkley gives Trevor a bear hug. Great moment!
EAST REGION RESULTS
(1) Champaign Central 3, (8) St. Joseph-Ogden 0Â (at Parkland College)
Maroons put on dunk show, cruise to Sweet 16.
How the draw played out: CRL, CRL, CRL
Tickets in the pot: 14:2 Central
Central: Fan vote 3, Chalk 7, GV 3, Chaos 1
SJO: Chaos 2
Fan vote: Central 558, SJO 197
Analysis:Â The front line of Clyde Turner-Jordan Caroline was just too much for the Spartans, who got a vintage game from Brandon Trimble (22 points) but trailed from start to finish. Leo Terry's 360 in the early 4th quarter got the crowd roaring.
MVP:Â The usual suspects helped the Maroons jump out to a 20-point lead in the first half, but Larry Jackson used the game as his personal reintroduction to Central fans. The Northern Illinois guard had 16 points as fellow Second Teamer PG Anthony Coomes fed him for bucket after bucket.
X-Factor:Â I think we got a glimpse of what makes Ted Beach and Rod Fletcher such valuable assets. Both were All-Big Ten without putting up big scoring numbers (roughly 11 points per game at their peak). In this game we saw the kind of defense and off-ball genius that makes them each a coach's dream.
(4) Mt. Zion 3, (5) Mattoon (at Parkland College)
Braves play angry in Apollo Conference showdown.
How the draw played out: MTZ, MTZ, MTZ
Tickets in the pot: 8:2 Mt. Zion
Mt. Zion: Fan Vote 3, Chalk 1, GV 3, Chaos 1
Mattoon: Chaos 2
Fan vote: Mt. Zion 499, Mattoon 277
Analysis:Â This was a statement win for a Mt. Zion program looking to prove it belonged on the 2 line instead of the 4 line. Start to finish the Braves were balling like it was 2001 again. Size, strength, athleticism. It was all on display at Parkland College.
MVP:Â Neil Plank (Wisconsin) of Mt. Zion and Kevin Trimble (Illinois football, baseball) are two of the most physically gifted players in the tournament and provided some incredible moments, but it was G Matt McCollom that was the true difference-maker in this game as the Green Wave defense doubled down on the Yelovich/Sams-led post.
X-Factor:Â 6-9 Zach Freeman (Olivet Nazarene) was excellent off the bench, as if the Braves needed more size! 8 points, 8 boards. Even if Mt. Zion's top big men get into foul trouble down the line they've got guys like Freeman to step in and play a role. That's a luxury few teams have.
(6) Mahomet-Seymour 2, (3) Charleston 1 (at Combes Gym, Champaign)
Bulldogs, Trojans light nets on fire as Mahomet-Seymour pulls off upset.
How the draw played out: CHA, MS, MS
Tickets in the pot: 8:4 Charleston
Charleston: Fan vote 3, Chalk 3, Chaos 2
Mahomet-Seymour: GV 3, Chaos 1
Fan vote: Charleston 430, Mahomet-Seymour 320
Analysis:Â We knew this had the potential to be a 90-90 barn burner, and that's what we got. Mahomet-Seymour might be a No. 6 seed, but the three-point line is the great equalizer, and on this night Mahomet-Seymour didn't look the part of an underdog. The Bulldogs were just *this much* better than hot-shooting Charleston. From Charleston's Derrick Landrus, Rex Morgan and Jeff Gueldner to Mahomet-Seymour's Brett Melton and Craig Buchanan we had a handful of the Top 10 deep threats in the entire tournament all one one court.
MVP: Melton (Illinois, San Diego) and Buchanan (FAU) combined for 12 3-pointers. Can they keep up that pace next round against Danville? That remains to be seen. But this Bulldog duo caught fire in college era Steph Curry/Jimmer Fredette fashion.
X-Factor:Â We got a taste of what 6-7 senior Grant Coleman (UW-Milwaukee) will be able to do at the college level. Without the pressure to be the primary scorer, he did a little bit of everything a la Gavin Block of Lincoln or Jalen Henry of Southeast. 10 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists.
(2) Danville 2, (7) Shelbyville 1Â (at Combes Gym, Champaign)
Trendy upset pick Shelbyville left with Danville's respect, if not a win.
How the draw played out: DAN, DAN, DAN
Tickets in the pot: 10:4 Danville
Danville: Chalk 5, GV 3, Chaos 2
Shelbyville: Fan vote 3, Chaos 1
Fan vote: Shelbyville 432, Danville 416
Analysis:Â Danville knew that Shelbyville wouldn't back down when the Rams won the fan vote 432-416. The Rams felt underseeded at the 7 line, but so did Danville as the top 2 seed in the field knocking on the door of the 1s. In the end the Vikings' firepower was just too much. But Shelbyville's Rich Beyers and Larry Hinton showed why they were recruited by Illinois.
MVP: The Moore-Gouard-Gouard ball pressure was overwhelming at times for the Rams. Keon Clark patrolled the paint as predicted. The Vikings' continued defense intensity will be the difference between making a run and contending for the title.
X-Factor:Â We saw flashes of what made Mike Drews so dangerous at Danville High and at Ball State. Even as 6-4 forward he can just flat-out score. Two-time All-Stater who could very well play starter's minutes in this tournament. He deserves it. For Shelbyville, the X-Factor was unquestionably 1996 state champion PG Kevin Herdes. Everything you'd want in a point guard, first and foremost his leadership by example.
