Ring in the new year with a full day of high school boys hoops at the second annual Sandburg Shootout on Saturday at Carl Sandburg College’s John M. Lewis Gymnasium. This year’s shootout, hosted by United High School, features seven consecutive boys basketball match ups, one more than last season’s inaugural event, between schools throughout central Illinois. Last year’s inaugural Sandburg Shootout saw five of the six games decided in the final 10 seconds, three decided on the final possession and one won at the buzzer as Wethersfield’s Coltin Quagliano hit a runner in the lane to defeat Tremont. The field includes two teams that are ranked in the preseason Associated Press polls. (Class 1A No. 3 Peoria Quest and 1A No. 9 Wethersfield) as well as another that is receiving votes (Brimfield, also in 1A). We’ll have coverage of the Monmouth-Roseville boys basketball game over the aforementioned Peoria Quest ball club at 5:00 on Sunny 97.7 WMOI, followed by the United vs. Midwest Central game at 8:00. The pregame shows will start 15 minutes ahead of each tip-off. Other match ups include Farmington and the Western Big Six Conference’s United Township Panthers at 11, Brimfield and Illini West tip-off at 12:30, followed by West Central and Lewistown at 2, Sherrard and Knoxville at 3:30. In between the Monmouth-Rosevile and United game, Wethersfield will take on Roanoke-Benson at 6:30 in a rematch of a regional championship game last season, won by Wethersfield 63-56. Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for students. All tickets can be purchased at the door, and admission is good for all seven games.
11:00 United Township vs. Farmington
12:30 Brimfield vs. Illini West
2:00 West Central vs. Lewistown
3:30 Sherrard vs. Knoxville
5:00 Peoria Quest vs. Monmouth-Roseville
6:30 Roanoke-Benson vs. Wethersfield
8:00 Midwest Central vs. United
