By Alan Liang & Ranny Ma
Gargoyle staff reporters
Posted Monday, Jan. 22, 2007, The OG, boys basketball & sports

Mike Renner drives against Judah
in Uni's 68-29 win last February
on Senior Night. (Gargoyle photo)

URBANA — After defeating Decatur Lutheran School Association 62-56 on Thursday, the Uni boys varsity basketball team turned its attention to perhaps its biggest game of the season: a showdown with crosstown rival Judah Christian for first place in the East Central Illinois Conference.

The win over LSA raised Uni's record to 8-11 overall and 4-1 in the ECIC, solidifying its hold on second place and setting the stage for Tuesday night's matchup with the conference-leading Tribe.

On Friday, led by senior John Miller's 24 points, the Tribe defeated Buckley Christ Lutheran 61-49. Miller went into the game averaging 21.5 points, good enough for third on The News-Gazette's list of area scoring leaders.

Teammate Jason Peterson, also a senior, is averaging 10.6 points and 6.1 assists per game.

Judah Christian, 13-3 overall, sits on top of the ECIC with a perfect record of 5-0. However, Tuesday's game in Champaign between the Illineks and the Tribe may rattle things up. If Uni wins, the teams will be tied for first place, with the tie-breaker belonging to the Illineks.

JV action will begin at 6 p.m., with the varsity game to follow at approximately 7:30.

Last season on Senior Night, the host Illineks handily defeated Judah 68-29, and beat the Tribe again in the IHSA Class A regional playoffs 65-50.

Since 1986, when the schools began competing against each other, the Illineks have defeated Judah 26 times in 36 meetings. Since Uni joined the ECIC in 2003-04, the Illineks have never lost to the Tribe.

Uni is aiming for its third straight ECIC title, but it's doing so without the school's all-time leading scorer, Al Renner, and his Class of 2006 teammates, who formed the winningest class in Uni basketball history (60 victories in three seasons).

This year Judah would be happy to take the ECIC crown away.

The Illineks agree they have a challenge on their hands.

“I think it'll be a close game,” senior Michael Belmont said. “It seems like anything can happen. The teams seem pretty much even this year.”

“It's going to be a dogfight,” said junior Mike Renner, Uni's leading scorer. “It's pretty much equal talent. It'll be who wants it more.”

Unfortunately, Renner — who went into the Decatur Lutheran contest averaging 16.7 points and has scored 21 points in his last two games — sprained his ankle Saturday. Willl he be able to play against Judah?

“He said he'd be ready, and I trust him,” said junior Austin Rundus, who has been a reliable 3-point shooting threat for the Illineks this year. “Without him, we'll just have to play.”

Uni and the Tribe will meet at least once more this season when the Illineks hold their 2007 edition of Senior Night Feb. 16 at Kenney Gym.

“Our chemistry is there,” said junior point guard Chumar Williams, who is averaging 4.2 assists per game. “We just have to put it together on the court.”

VARSITY RECORD: 8-11 overall, 4-1 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

Remaining games: see schedule

*East Central Illinois Conference game