Illini West boys basketball coach Blaize Kimmell, left, and West Hancock girls basketball coach Jerry Jerome will lead the Illinois all-stars in the fifth annual Muddy River Showcase. | Muddy River Sports file photo
QUINCY — The number of postseason trophies accumulated by the boys and girls basketball programs in Hancock County are numerous, and imagine what the number could be if they didn’t have to go through each other nearly every year.
This past winter was one of those what ifs, especially on the boys side.
Illini West won a school-record 26 games in Blaize Kimmell’s third season as head coach before losing a slugfest with West Hancock in the regional championship game. Meanwhile, the West Hancock girls won 28 games and a regional crown under the guidance of Jerry Jerome.
Those coaches will get one final chance to mentor the seniors who impacted their programs’ success when they helm the Illinois all-stars in the fifth annual Muddy River Showcase.
Kimmell will lead the Land of Lincoln in the boys game at 3 p.m. June 20 at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center, while Jerome will manage the girls squad in the 1 p.m. lidlifter.
General admission is $10 at the door with kids 5-and-under getting in free. There is no pre-sale of tickets.
Kimmell has led the Chargers to 20 or more victories in each of his three seasons at the helm and increased the victory total each season, going from 21 wins in 2023-24 to 23 wins the next season and a 26-7 mark last winter.
Jerome is a veteran of the coaching circles who led Warsaw to a fourth-place finish at the Class A girls basketball state tournament in 1997. He coached girls basketball at Keokuk and has been a baseball and softball coach in Hancock County. He has also coached college basketball at Southeastern Community College in Burlington, Iowa.
The West Hancock girls went 28-4 last winter and won the Brown County Lady Hornet Classic, the Beardstown Lady Tiger Classic and a regional championship.
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