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Boys basketball wrap-up: Renner ends career with selection to News-Gazette All-Area First Team
Published: Monday, April 7, 2008 - 10:35pm
ADD IT TO Mike Renner's list of accomplishments.
The senior was one of 10 players selected to The News-Gazette All-Area Boys Basketball First Team on March 20.
"It was pretty cool," said Renner. "I didn't really expect it because I didn't have as good a year as maybe I even had last year. But when I got named, it was exciting, with all the guys that were also named."
Renner was a News-Gazette special mention in '06 and '07. His brother Al, Class of '06, was also named to the first team as a senior.
As a senior, Mike’s scoring average dropped half a point from his junior year, but it’s not as if the season he had this year was a disappointment. Mike broke his brother's Uni career scoring record on Jan. 17, and finished with 1,519 career points.
This year, Mike averaged 16.6 points (14th in the area and team best), 5.4 rebounds (team best), 2.5 assists, and 2.3 steals (14th in the area and team best).
“It was a good way for him to finish his career and a testament to his four-year [varsity] career,” said head coach Joel Beesley of the all-area selection. “Mike could never have accomplished this without his teammates.”
According to Beesley, the Renner brothers are the only Uni players to be named News-Gazette first-team all area in the 13 years that he has been head coach of the boys varsity.
Renner was also named to the East Central Illinois all-conference team, his third straight selection and his second consecutive as a unanimous pick.
Mike also attracted attention statewide. He was named an Illinois Basketball Coaches Association 1A/2A all-state special mention and an Associated Press 2A all-state honorable mention.
Fellow senior Chumar Williams, the team's co-MVP this season with Renner, was named a News-Gazette special mention this year. Williams was also named to the ECIC all-conference team.
Seniors Frankie McFarland and Austin Rundus were named News-Gazette honorable mentions. McFarland, Rundus, and senior Isaac Radnitzer were named ECIC honorable mentions.
The Illineks finished the season 21-7 overall and 10-2 in the ECIC, good for second place in the conference.


