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Sports Editor Matt Daniels with a look at what’s going on around the area:
Tri-County senior girls’ basketball player Josie Armstrong takes a selfie with her teammates during last Thursday’s practice. Armstrong won The News-Gazette’s girls’ Athlete of the Week honor last week.
Three reasons we love sports today
➜ 1. The public response to voting for The News-Gazette’s High School Athletes of the Week, powered by Copper Creek Contractors, is a welcome sight. Voting continues through noon on Thursday at news-gazette.com.
➜ 2. Finalists for the boys’ accolade are St. Joseph-Ogden wrestler Holden Brazelton, Prairie Central basketball player Tyler Curl, Argenta-Oreana basketball player Ethan Mahan and Hoopeston Area wrestler Angel Zamora.
➜ 3. Finalists for the girls’ award are Arthur Christian basketball player Avery Herschberger, LeRoy basketball player Natalie Loy, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley basketball player Lily Sizemore and Urbana wrestler Jurdan Tyler.
Danville Area Community College forward Lorenzo McMillion, left, and Parkland forward Isaac Mapson III will likely see each other again on Wednesday night when the two local community college men’s basketball teams play in Danville.
Numbers game: 160
Combined points the Parkland and Danville Area men’s basketball teams put up during their first game this season, an 81-79 win by DACC on Jan. 17 in Champaign. The rematch is set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Mary Miller Gym in Danville, with the visiting Cobras (22-2) ranked fourth in the most recent NJCAA Division II poll and averaging 82.2 points. The host Jaguars (14-8) average 74.6 points. Enjoy.
Shauna Green and her Illinois women’s basketball team plays at Penn State on Thursday night.
Crowd control
Three events I’m paying attention to
➜ 1. Parkland at Danville Area women’s basketball. The opening game of the doubleheader between the two area community colleges tips at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The visiting Cobras (19-3) are up to No. 11 in the NJCAA D-II poll and will try to complete the season sweep of the Jaguars (14-9).
➜ 2. Illinois women’s basketball at Penn State. The 5 p.m. Thursday game against the Nittany Lions (16-8, 7-6 Big Ten) is a must-win game for the Illini (11-12, 5-8). Like every game is the rest of the season.
➜ 3. Illinois baseball on Friday. Coach Dan Hartleb’s program opens the season with a doubleheader against Akron in Winston-Salem, N.C. First pitch is set for 9 a.m.
Tuscola boys’ basketball coach Justin Bozarth and his Warriors end the regular season on Wednesday night at Central A&M.
Coach’s corner
Three questions with Tuscola boys’ basketball coach Justin Bozarth, whose Warriors end the regular season on Wednesday night at Central A&M before the reigning third-place team in Class 1A starts the postseason next Monday night against Heritage:
➜ 1. My favorite sports team is … any team representing the Tuscola Warriors.
➜ 2. Three coaches I’d like to have dinner with are … John Wooden, Bryan Smith and Aja Bozarth.
➜ 3. My biggest pet peeve is … when people chomp on gum.
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