Illinois Valley

Bureau Valley second at Wethersfield, Hall third at Seneca: BCR Roundup, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023

Bureau Valley coach Jason Marquis makes a point during a timeout during Wednesday's game with Putnam County. The Storm won 50-38 to improve to 2-1.

Bureau Valley coach Jason Marquis makes a point during a timeout during Wednesday's game with Putnam County. The Storm beat Elmwood, 45-41, on Saturday to finish 3-2 and claim second place by the tiebreaker. (Kevin Hieronymus)

By Kevin Hieronymus

Bureau Valley and Hall wrapped up tournament play with second and third-place finishes, respectively, Saturday.

The Storm claimed second at the Wally Keller Invite at Wethersfield while the Red Devils took third at the Seneca Thanksgiving Tournament.

At Wethersfield: Bureau Valley beat Elmwood, 45-41, and claimed second place by the tiebreaker for fewest defensive points allowed (87) over the host Geese (102) and Stark County (105) in head-to-head play. Each finished 3-2.

Landon Hulsing led the Storm with 18 points and Landen Birdsley added 12.

Brody Childs had the go-ahead basket to lift Annawan to a 52-50 win over host Wethersfield in the nightcap for the title. Childs finished with 14 points while Tommy Covington and Brady Heitzler added 10 each.

Landen Sauer led the Geese with 22 points.

Annawan finished the tournament 4-1.

Also Saturday, Stark County beat Putnam County, 50-43. Orlando Harris had 16 points and Owen Saepharn 15 for PC.

Named to the All-Tournament team were Childs, Brady Heitzler and Gabe Sims of Annawan, Orlando Harris of Putnam County, Landon Hulsing and Corban Chhim of Bureau Valley, Luke Rewerts of Stark County, Bo Windish of Elmwood and Colin Hornback of Wethersfield.

At Seneca: Hall beat Mendota, 61-53, to win the third-place game of the Seneca Thanksgiving Tournament.

Max Bryant led the Red Devils with 15 points with Payton Dye adding 13 and Wyatt West 11.

Dye was named to the all-tournament team.

Serena beat Seneca, 58-50, for the championship.

Serena’s Carson Baker and Richie Armour were named to the all-tournament team along with Paxton Giertz of Seneca, Izaiah Nanez of Mendota, Carson Bahrey of Somonauk and Dye.

Mendota beat Hall, 49-40, for the sophomore championship.

At Woodland: St. Bede picked up its first win of the season, beating Momence, 50-47, in the seventh-place game of the Route 17 Classic at Woodland.

Halden Hueneburg led the Bruins (1-3) with 20 points and Alex Ankiewicz added 14 points.

Earlville edged Flanagan-Cornell, 54-53, for the championship.

Woodland beat Dwight, 65-55, for third place.

At Ashton: LaMoille beat Hiawatha, 58-50, for fifth place in the AFC Thanksgiving Tournament. Tyler Billhorn had 24 points and Brayden Klein 20 for the Lions.

Indian Creek beat Leland, 63-48, for the championship.

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Kevin Hieronymus

Kevin Hieronymus

Kevin has been sports editor of the BCR since 1986 and is Sports Editor of Putnam County Record. Was previously sports editor of the St. Louis Daily News and a contributor for the St. Louis Cardinals magazine. He is a 2021 inductee into the IBCA Hall of Fame (Media) and a 2023 inductee into the Illinois Valley Hall of Fame as "Distinguished Media"