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Sports Editor Matt Daniels with a look at what’s going on around the area:
Tre Cole’s game-winner.
Three reasons we love sports today
➜ 1. Congrats to Tre Cole of the Champaign Central boys’ basketball team and Taylor Wells of the Oakwood girls’ wrestling program. The pair is The News-Gazette’s latest high school Athletes of the Week, powered by Copper Creek Contractors. Read more about the duo in Monday’s News-Gazette.
➜ 2. Congrats to boys’ basketball official Richard Doman of Gibson City. Doman is one of 22 officials from across the state in 22 different sports who was announced on Thursday as an IHSA Official of the Year.
➜ 3. Doman, who was the recipient in boys’ basketball after being nominated and then voted on for the honor, will be recognized during the 2025 IHSA Officials Conference in mid-July in Normal.
Tuscola’s Ava Boyer (3) and Cissna Park’s Addison Lucht (0) iin a prep girl’s basketball game at Tuscola on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025.
Numbers game: 6
area girls’ basketball teams who will host IHSA regional tournaments late this month. Seeds came out Thursday for the postseason, with pairings released on Friday. In Class 3A, Danville hosts a regional, while St. Joseph-Ogden and Watseka do the same in 2A. In 1A, Georgetown-Ridge Farm, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley and Tuscola all have hosting duties.
Illinois’ Tomislav Ivisic, left, and Rutgers’ Zach Martini fight for a rebound during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Crowd control
Three events I’m paying attention to
➜ 1. No. 23 Illinois at Minnesota men’s basketball. Bad news: the Illini (15-8, 7-6 Big Ten) have lost three straight conference road games. Good news: the Illini have won three straight at Williams Arena before Saturday’s 5 p.m. tip against the Gophers (12-11, 4-8) in Minneapolis.
➜ 2. Illinois vs. Cal State Bakersfield softball. The Illini open the 2025 season at noon in Orlando, Fla., against the Roadrunners before playing again Friday at 6 p.m. against No. 12 Georgia.
➜ 3. Illinois vs. Texas A&M women’s tennis. The Illini (2-2) try to upset the second-ranked Aggies (5-0) at 6:30 p.m. Friday in the ITA National Indoor Championships at Atkins Tennis Center in Urbana.
Luke Stokowski and his wife, Lizzie.
Coach’s corner
Three questions with Monticello Middle School seventh-grade boys’ basketball coach Luke Stokowski, whose Sages play in the Class 3A state tournament on Saturday in El Paso:
➜ 1. My favorite sports team is … the Chicago Cubs.
➜ 2. Three coaches I’d like to have dinner with are … Jim Valvano, Phil Jackson and my dad, Mike Stokowski.
➜ 3. My biggest pet peeve is … not giving effort on the basketball court.