2023 Game 1 Recap: West Hancock 52, Canton 29

The 2023 version of the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament kicked off with the Titans of West Hancock taking a decisive win over the Little Giants of Canton, 52-29.  Leading by nine points at the break, West Hancock turned it on and outscored Canton 19-4 in the 3rd quarter.

West Hancock was led in scoring by Lewis Siegfried’s 22 points on 8-of-17 shooting, including 6-of-11 from beyond the arc.  Also scoring double figures was Gavin Grothaus with 11.  Cooper Knowles had a game-high nine rebounds off the bench.  Carter Barnes added in seven boards, also from the bench.  Gage Scott led both teams with four assists.  Freshman Hunter Froman swiped two steals as well.  The Titans dominated the boards, out-rebounding Canton 39-23.

Canton’s scoring was led by Colin Johnson’s nine points.  Johnson also co-led the team in rebounds (five) with Drew Reeder.  Canton was unfortunately doomed with poor shooting, as they shot just 32.5% as a team.  However, they held with the Titans with points in the paint, where they only trailed 22-20.

West Hancock (10-2) advances to the quarterfinals Friday night at 5:00pm where they will face the winner of Game 2’s Illini Bluffs and Liberty.  Canton (4-8) falls to the consolation bracket where they await the loser of Game 2. 

2023 Game 2 Recap: Illini Bluffs 62, Liberty 28

Illini Bluffs flexed their muscles as the #2 seed in Game 2, storming away to a 62-28 win over the Liberty Eagles.  The Tigers got off to a very fast and effective start, leading 23-3 after the first quarter and 38-8 at halftime.  To their credit, Liberty did hold their own in the second half, but by then it was too late.

The Tigers had a duo of 17-point scorers in Hank Alvey and Devon White.  They combined for a otherworldly 16-of-19 from the floor.  Bluffs as a team shot a superb 28-of-42 (66.7%).  Of that number, starters shot 76%.  Numbers that are hard to sustain, but will nearly always secure yourself a comfortable victory.  A returning All-Tournament selection from 2022, Alvey led his team with nine rebounds and swatted a game-high six blocks.  The Tigers lived in the paint, outscoring their foes 42-to-20 inside.  Toby Cooper had nine points and a tournament-high four steals.

Liberty received a team-high seven points from starting freshman guard Vince Cramsley.  Senior forwards Tammer Gimm and Levi Hoener each pitched in six points.  Hoener grabbed nine rebounds to lead his team, including an impressive seven from the offensive end.  Due in large part to those Hoener offensive rebounds, Liberty led the second chance points category 10-to-8.  Liberty shot just 3-for-20 in the first half of play, but did make 9 field goals after the half to cut into the Bluffs lead.

Illini Bluffs (12-2) will now play Game 13, Friday at 5:00pm against West Hancock.