Reporting: 11/28/2014 Rock Island Turkey Tourney

Rock Island Turkey TourneyFriday, November 28yh, 2014 – 6:00 pm start

Chicago Bogan 77 – Peoria Richwoods 66

“Now this track to Rock-Island left me scratching my head as to why I decided to take the drive.  The game certainly wasn’t good and the talent level outside of the Bogan squad was less than par.  Tyler Hall (Rock-Island), Roland Griffin (West Aurora) and possibly Richwood’s junior point-guard Damion Gillespie are division one types.  My trip was a bust from the start, fatigue driving in to a town that’s divided and totally unfriendly.  (It’s a reason I never ventured in that area of the state.)  “Blah, blah, blah”, Bogan pretty much toyed with Richwoods most of the game leading by as much as 20 most of the first half.  Then the ref’s kicked in during the third period while making sure the game stayed interesting, Richwoods cut the lead to three 53-50 by the end of the third, they even tied early in 4th which gave the fans false hope for an upset.  Nevertheless Bogan cruised in the final six minutes of the game.  U-Mass Signee Luwane Pipkins finished with 26, Tom Johnson added 15 points & a dozen assists, Bryce Barnes and James Jones chipped in with 11 apiece.
Rock-Island 64 – West Aurora 52, 7:45 pm start

Montana State recruit Tyler Hall got the locals off to a fast start nailing 3 treys in the opening period giving the Rockies 15-12 lead.  Rock-Island pretty much lead the entire game so my night was spent sizing up the two division one players Hall/Roland Griffin –West Aurora’s gifted athlete heading to Illinois State.  Griffin has Brandon Bass type athleticism that he shows sprinkles of periodically during the course of a game, and he’s a much improved outside shooter now, contributed to his hard work during the summer.  He ended the game with 20 points and a ton of rebounds.  Hall, one of the state’s top jump shooters went 7-14 from the nailed 4 three pointers.  Jason Jones the Rock’s junior point-guard added 16 points, he looks like a low DI bordering on D2 with the likes of a North Dakota State, South Dakota, U North Dakota geared-up to recruit him since those programs recruit players in this proximity quite often.  C.J. Neville popped for 10 for the Rocks.  “I couldn’t scurry out of town towards I-80 east any quicker!”