URBANA — Mike Renner set one Uni record and approached another as the Illineks won the Central Illinois Turkey Tourney championship with a 74-43 victory Saturday night at Kenney Gym over previously undefeated Martinsville.

The Illineks are now 4-0, equaling Uni's best start under head coach Joel Beesley. His 2004-05 team began 4-0 en route to a 23-5 record. This is Beesley's 13th season at Uni. The 1936-37 team also began 4-0 before losing its first game (final record: 9-9).

The best start in school history is 7-0, which three Uni teams have accomplished: 1943-44 (final record: 24-4), 1939-40 (final record: 16-7), and 1938-39 (final record: 14-7).

Despite spraining his wrist in the third quarter, Renner had 23 points, including four 3-pointers, and led the team with 8 assists and 5 rebounds.

Renner’s treys gave him 124 for his career, breaking the school record previously held by 2005 alum Henry Pollock (122).

The senior also passed 1963 alum Doug Brown to rank second on Uni's career scoring list. Renner now has 1,131 points.

Brown's total of 1,113 had stood as the Uni record until December 2005, when Mike’s brother Al broke it. Al Renner, who finished his Illinek hoops career in February 2006, holds the current record of 1,372.

“Mikey’s been an outstanding basketball player who’s getting more help every day from his teammates,” said head coach Joel Beesley. “And even after an injury tonight, he came out, he was hitting the hole hard, so it was probably his best game overall this year.”

Both Uni and Martinsville entered Saturday's title game 3-0 as champions of their respective tourney pools. The Illineks competed in Pool A this week against Shiloh, Buckley Christ Lutheran, and Bement. The Bluestreaks competed in Pool B against DeLand-Weldon, Decatur Lutheran, and Atwood-Hammond.

Uni started strong for the third game in a row, with a 19-9 lead after the first quarter. The Illineks built up their lead in the second quarter, taking a 42-19 advantage into the break.

Renner sprained his wrist after taking a charge midway through the third period. But he came back and led the Uni charge with fellow senior Chumar Williams in the fourth quarter. Williams finished with 16 points, 6 assists, and 4 steals.

“I think Chumar Williams has played outstanding basketball all week long and leads us out there, taking charge there,” said Beesley. “This was a step up in the competition, and we went at them right away, got the lead again for the fourth straight game early on."

Seniors Isaac Radnitzer and Frankie McFarland scored 8 points apiece. Radnitzer added 5 rebounds.

“We got that lead and kept expanding on it," Beesley said. "I’d say the composure of all, the teamwork that everybody’s displayed out there — it hasn’t been selfish basketball, it’s been team basketball.”

The Illineks outscored their four CITT opponents 296-151, or an average of 74-38 per game. Renner, Williams, and senior Austin Rundus were named to the all-tournament team of the Uni High site (Pool A).

Uni also got revenge for last year’s narrow 51-48 loss to the Bluestreaks in the 2006 tourney's third-place game.

The Illineks will not play again until Friday at Shiloh, when they will try to improve to 5-0.

THE SEASON SO FAR

2007-08 BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL: 4-0 overall, 0-0 East Central Illinois Conference
(home matches listed in bold)

Nov. 19: Shiloh (Central Illinois Turkey Tourney), W 80-32

• Story: Uni routs Shiloh in season-opening tournament game
• Points: Mike Renner 13, Austin Rundus 13, Chumar Williams 12, Isaac Radnitzer 12, Frankie McFarland 11
• Rebounds: McFarland 7, Renner 6, Ammar Rizwan 5
• Assists: Williams 11
• JV game: Bement 26 - Uni 25
• JV record: 0-1, 0-0

Nov. 20: Buckley Christ Lutheran (Central Illinois Turkey Tourney), W 69-17

• Story: Uni faces no trouble in 69-17 win over BCL
• Points: Chumar Williams 13, Isaac Radnitzer 12, Mike Renner 11, Alan Kessler 11
• JV game: Uni 36 - Shiloh 15
• JV record: 1-1, 0-0

Nov. 23: Bement (Central Illinois Turkey Tourney), W 73-59

• Story: Uni to play in tournament final after victory over Bement
• Points: Chumar Williams 21, Austin Rundus 15, Mike Renner 13
• Rebounds: Rundus 8
• Assists: Williams 8
• JV game: none
• JV record: 1-1, 0-0

Nov. 24: Martinsville (Central Illinois Turkey Tourney championship game), W 74-43

• Story: see above
• Points: Mike Renner 23 (four 3-pointers), Chumar Williams 16, Isaac Radnitzer 8, Frankie McFarland 8
• Rebounds: Renner 5, Radnitzer 5
• Assists: Renner 8, Williams 6
• Steals: Williams 4
• JV game: none
• JV record: 1-1, 0-0

Next game: Friday at Shiloh. The JV game will begin at 6 p.m., followed by varsity action. Click here for directions to Shiloh High.

2007-08 schedule: Click here for the Gargoyle Scoreboard.