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Basketball: Illinois Basketball Coaches Association honors locals as Coaches of the Year

Fieldcrest girls basketball head coach Mitch Neally talks to his team during a timeout against Eureka on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023 at Fieldcrest High School.

Former Fieldcrest girls basketball head coach Mitch Neally talks to his team during a timeout against Eureka this past season. (Scott Anderson)

By J.T. Pedelty

The Illinois Basketball Coaches Association this week announced its 2022-23 Coaches of the Year, with multiple area coaches from the college ranks down to junior high honored.

Among the honorees:

• Princeton High School boys coach Jason Smith.

• Serena High School boys coach Dain Twait.

• Seneca High School boys coach Russell Witte.

• Princeton High School girls coach Darcy Kepner.

• Serena High School girls coach Jim Jobst.

• Fieldcrest High School girls coach Mitch Neally.

• Seneca Grade School boys coach Scott Anderson.

• Wallace Grade School girls coach Nick Thrush.

The IBCA Coach of the Year Luncheon/Hall of Fame Banquet will be May 6 at CEFCU Arena (formerly Redbird Arena) in Normal.

Among the Hall of Fame inductees with local ties are Rick Jacobs (Mendota), Kip Cheek (Mendota) and the Tri-County Conference (organization).

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J.T. Pedelty

J.T. Pedelty

J.T. is a graduate of Streator High School, Illinois Valley Community College and Southern Illinois University-Carbondale who is some 26 years into an award-winning sports journalism career and serves as a regional sports editor for Shaw Local Media and Friday Night Drive.