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Sports Editor Matt Daniels with a look at what’s going on around the area:
Former Illini standout and 14-year MLB veteran Darrin Fletcher will join ‘Monday Night SportsTalk,’ at the Esquire in downtown Champaign next Monday.
Three reasons we love sports today
➜ 1. Illinois baseball coach Dan Hartleb and former Illini standout Darrin Fletcher will join us this upcoming Monday at the Esquire in downtown Champaign for ‘Monday Night SportsTalk,’ from 5-6 p.m. for the WDWS 1400-AM and 93.9-FM radio show.
➜ 2. Fletcher, an Oakwood native, spent 14 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1989 to 2002. The catcher with the Dodgers, Phillies, Expos and Blue Jays recorded 1,048 hits in 1,245 games and made the 1994 All-Star team while with the Expos.
➜ 3. Hartleb is entering his 20th season as the Illini coach. He has some impressive numbers, too, considering he has compiled a program-record 567 wins. His next team opens the season on Feb. 14 against Abilene Christian in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Former Illini great Kofi Cockburn will be back in Champaign soon.
Numbers game: 21
the jersey number Kofi Cockburn wore during his three standout seasons with the Illinois men’s basketball team. And the number that will now hang from the rafters at State Farm Center. Illinois will honor Cockburn, who scored 1,546 points and grabbed 861 rebounds from 2019-22, during the Illini’s home game against UCLA that tips at 7 p.m. on Feb. 11 in Champaign.
Keison Peoples and the Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin boys’ basketball team are 23-0 going into Friday night’s game at Hoopeston Area.
Crowd control
Three events I’m paying attention to
➜ 1. Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin at Hoopeston Area boys’ basketball. The Blue Devils (23-0) will try to remain unbeaten against the host Cornjerkers (15-7) in a Vermilion Valley Conference game at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
➜ 2. Danville at Centennial boys’ basketball. The host Chargers (11-10) will try to earn their third straight victory when the Vikings (6-13) visit Champaign for this Big 12 Conference game that tips at 7 p.m. Friday at Coleman Carrodine Gym.
➜ 3. Monticello at St. Joseph-Ogden boys’ basketball. The host Spartans (15-5) put their seven-game win streak on the line against the Sages (12-9) at 7 p.m. Friday in an Illini Prairie Conference game.
Doug Ingold with his wife, Jessica, and their son, Patrick.
Coach’s corner
Three questions with Fisher boys’ basketball coach Doug Ingold:
➜ 1. My favorite sports teams are … the Illini.
➜ 2. Three coaches I’d like to have dinner with are … John Wooden, Vince Lombardi and Mike Krzyzewski.
➜ 3. My biggest pet peeve is … people not taking responsibility for their actions.