By Alan Liang & Ranny Ma
Gargoyle staff reporters
Posted Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007, The OG, boys basketball & sports

DELAND — Five Illineks scored in double figures as Uni defeated conference opponent DeLand-Weldon 78-36 Wednesday night.

The win was team's seventh consecutive victory in the East Central Illinois Conference since dropping a home game to Normal Calvary Baptist on Jan. 9.

The Illineks are now 13-12 overall and 9-1 atop the ECIC. This is the first time Uni has been above .500 since Dec. 1, when the team was 3-2.

Senior guard Michael Belmont led the Illineks in scoring with 14 points. He was joined in double figures by junior Mike Renner, 13 (including one 3-pointer); freshman Dan Lilly, 11 (one 3-pointer); junior Isaac Radnitzer, 10; and junior Austin Rundus (one 3-pointer), 10.

The Illineks were helped by 11-for-14 shooting from the free-throw line, with Belmont (4-for-4) and Radnitzer (2-for-2) hitting all of their shots.

Radnitzer, the team's leading rebounder this season, turned in another strong performance on the boards, grabbing 6 rebounds.

Rundus recorded 4 steals, while junior point guard Chumar Williams also had 4 steals and dished out 5 assists.

The Illineks' usual reserves started the game and jumped off to an 11-2 lead early in the first quarter. The starters substituted in shortly afterward, building an 18-8 lead in the first quarter and a 45-19 advantage at halftime. The final margin of 42 points was the team's largest of the season.

All 10 of the Uni varsity players scored points.

“It was nice to get everyone involved. We proved that we have 10 players who can all contribute,” said Belmont.

“We played well mainly because we played solid defense all game,” said Williams. “We are running the floor a lot better in transition. That seems to be one of our strengths on offense.”

The team has two more regular-season games, both next week. Uni hosts Decatur Lutheran Tuesday at Kenney Gym. The Illineks will celebrate Senior Night Feb. 16 in what could be a showdown for first place in the ECIC against Judah Christian.

Looking ahead to the postseason, the team recently found out that it will face Paxton-Buckley-Loda in the first round of the St. Thomas More Class A regional on Feb. 19. The game, which starts at 6 p.m., is a rematch of the exciting overtime contest on Jan. 16, when the host Panthers defeated Uni 69-60.

The Illineks are seeded 8th in their Tolono Unity subsectional, while PBL is seeded 10th.

VARSITY RECORD: 13-12 overall, 9-1 East Central Illinois Conference
(Games at Kenney Gym are in bold)

Season Preview: A new era begins

Nov. 20: Buckley Christ Lutheran (Uni/Atwood-Hammond Central Illinois Turkey Tourney), W 50-44
— leading scorer: Michael Belmont, 12 pts
— story: Uni wins season opener over Buckley Christ Lutheran

Nov. 21: Mahomet-Seymour JV (vs. Uni varsity) (Uni/Atwood-Hammond Central Illinois Turkey Tourney), W 58-53
— leading scorer: Mike Renner, 18 pts
— story: Illineks defeat Mahomet-Seymour JV in Turkey Tourney

Nov. 24: Bement (Uni/Atwood-Hammond Central Illinois Turkey Tourney), L 54-46 (OT)
— leading scorer: Mike Renner, 13 pts
— story: Illineks fall in overtime

Nov. 25: Martinsville (Uni/Atwood-Hammond Central Illinois Turkey Tourney, at A-H), L 51-48
— leading scorer: Mike Renner, 24 pts
— story: Illineks go down to the wire again

Dec. 1: Shiloh, W 55-46
— leading scorer: Mike Renner, 29 pts
— story: Illineks get back on winning track, defeat Shiloh

Dec. 5: at St. Thomas More, L 54-32
— leading scorer: Mike Renner, 7 pts
— story: Illineks suffer tough road loss to crosstown rival

Dec. 9: Fisher, L 53-39
— leading scorer: Mike Renner, 21 pts
— story: Renner scores 21 but Uni falls to Fisher

Dec. 12: at Buckley Christ Lutheran, W 79-51 *
— leading scorer: Mike Renner, 18 pts
— story: Uni wins conference opener against Buckley Christ Lutheran

Dec. 15: Oakwood, L 74-61
— leading scorer: Michael Belmont, 19 pts
— story: Oakwood denies Uni comeback bid

Dec. 27: Shiloh (Hayden's Athletic Classic at Heritage H.S.), L 65-61
— leading scorer: Mike Renner, 17 pts
— story: Uni finishes eighth out of 12 teams in holiday tourney

Dec. 27: Salt Fork (Hayden's Athletic Classic at Heritage H.S.), L 53-32
— leading scorer: Dan Lilly, 10 pts
— story: Uni finishes eighth out of 12 teams in holiday tourney

Dec. 28: Heritage (Hayden's Athletic Classic at Heritage H.S.), L 62-48
— leading scorer: Mike Renner, 15 pts
— story: Uni finishes eighth out of 12 teams in holiday tourney

Dec. 28: Atwood-Hammond (Hayden's Athletic Classic at Heritage H.S.), W 62-51
— leading scorer: Mike Renner, 24 pts
— story: Uni finishes eighth out of 12 teams in holiday tourney

Dec. 29: Oakwood (Hayden's Athletic Classic at Heritage H.S.), L 52-50
— leading scorer: Mike Renner, 17 pts
— story: Uni finishes eighth out of 12 teams in holiday tourney

Jan. 5: at Decatur Christian (DC's “JV,” as explained in article linked below), W 66-52 *
— leading scorer: Mike Renner, 15 pts
— story: Illineks remain unbeaten in conference play

Jan. 9: Normal Calvary Baptist, L 51-36 *

— leading scorer: Michael Belmont, 11 pts

— story: Normal Calvary hands Uni first conference loss of season

Jan. 12: DeLand-Weldon, W 79-43 *

— leading scorer: Mike Renner, 16 pts

— story: Uni rebounds from ECIC loss to win by 36

Jan. 16: at Paxton-Buckley-Loda, L 69-60 (OT)

— leading scorer: Mike Renner, 21 pts

— story: Illineks lose a heartbreaker in overtime

Jan. 18: at Decatur Lutheran School Association, W 62-56 *

— leading scorer: Mike Renner, 21 pts

— story: Uni defeats Decatur Lutheran, takes control of second place

Jan. 23: at Judah Christian, W 65-52 *

— leading scorer: Mike Renner, 24 pts

— story: Illineks roll against Judah in showdown for conference lead

Jan. 26: Buckley Christ Lutheran, W 62-55 *

— leading scorer: Mike Renner, 19 pts

— story: Uni defeats BCL, keeps control of conference lead

Jan. 27: at Lexington, L 68-37

— leading scorer: Mike Renner, 10 pts

— story: Illineks stumble in Lexington

Jan. 30: Decatur Christian, W 59-38 *

— leading scorer: Mike Renner, 19 pts

— story: Illineks get their groove back

Feb. 2: at Normal Calvary Baptist, W 58-55 *

— leading scorer: Mike Renner, 13 pts

— story: Renner scores 1,000th career point as Uni notches 12th win

Feb. 7: at DeLand-Weldon, W 78-36 *

— leading scorer: Michael Belmont, 14 pts

— story: see above

Remaining games: see schedule

*East Central Illinois Conference game