Pirates Sink Eagles

By David Sharp

   Hannibal takeaways and rebounding helped the Pirates spring to a 19-6 first half lead in Quincy University shootout summer basketball action. The Pirates led 37-15 at halftime and went on to a 66-35 victory over Knox County.

   Lance McMahon finished a Keenan Gillaspy feed for the first bucket of the second half. Hannibal denied passing lanes well on the smaller practice court. The Pirates held a decided rebound advantage most of the way.

   Davin York tossed in two Knox County free throws for a 61-27 Hannibal lead with 9:45 to play in the game. Knox County kept Hannibal from scoring during a four minute stretch of the second half.

   Lance McMahon boxed a taller Hannibal player off the boards and scored with 7:10 showing on the clock for a 61-29 deficit. Kellen Gillaspy drove the lane and scored for a 61-31 Hannibal lead with 5:40 showing on the clock.

   Lance McMahon led Knox County with ten points along with four rebounds. Davin York scored seven points. York and Andrew Hunolt led Knox County with five rebounds each.

  Keenan Gillaspy and Kellen Gillaspy scored six points each. Brock Couch, Andrew Hunolt and Chance Tungate scored two points each. 

   Knox County took on Highland, Davenport-Assumption, Monroe City, New London, Camp Point Central and Keokuk during the three day affair.

   Final scores of these summer league games are not nearly as important as continuing to work on fundamental skills and game situational play.

   KCHS head coach Jesse Crawford related the Eagles had been badly beaten by bigger schools during the previous two summers. Knox County finished those two seasons with district basketball championships.

  Coach Crawford recently underwent ankle surgery, and has up to four months of recovery and rehab ahead.

   Knox County has been around the .500 mark at the Sturgeon summer league this season. Many of the boy’s teams that played at Moberly last season are playing at Sturgeon this year. Fulton, Moberly, Madison, Paris, Community R-6, Westran, Boonville, Glasgow, Meadville, Knox County and Sturgeon are among teams participating at Sturgeon.

   The Eagles play their final games at Sturgeon on June 23. The Eagles take on Westran and Sturgeon starting about 8PM.

   “We knew we were going to come over here and struggle. We are going to stay positive about this,” said Knox County coach Jesse Crawford. “We know we are going to get better.”

   The Eagles have not seen the same level of off season commitment as in the past two seasons. “Its’ kind of disheartening because this summer hasn’t been like the past two summers. That’s a lot of the reason why we had the success we had. The kids were committed.”

   “I’m having a really hard time with this bunch of kids,” said Crawford after six and then seven players participated in June 20 QU Shootout play. More KC players took part on Friday and were slated to attend two Sunday afternoon workouts.

   “The kids need to know, and the community needs to know that if we are not dedicated now we will not have the success in the winter time,” said Jesse Crawford. “Hopefully we can turn the commitment around in the next six months or so or we will have a long winter.”