Fourth quarter frenzy leads Kahoks to sixth PFHC crown

By Mark Jurgena

COLLINSVILLE — Establish Zach Chambers. Check. He had 14 points, 15 rebounds, four assists and two blocks.

But it wasn’t enough.

Enter Jamorie Wysinger.

The tournament MVP scored seven of his 12 points in the deciding fourth quarter to lead Collinsville to their sixth Prairie Farms Holiday Classic championship with a 44-39 win over Quincy.

Collinsville, ranked 10th in Class 4A, moved to 16-0 while third-ranked Quincy dropped to 14-1.

“It’s a dream come true,” said Wysinger. “We’ve thought about this for the whole season. This is what we’ve been waiting on.”

Wysinger was averaging 17.7 points per game in the tourney but had only two points as the teams went into halftime tied 18-all.

“I was a little frustrated coming into halftime,” said Wysinger who only had five points through three quarters. “I knew we had to get some shots up to get warmed up and I knew we’d knock some down.”

Wysinger drilled a big three from the right wing at the 4:26 mark of the fourth thanks to a solid screen by Chambers.

He returned with two more shots in the paint including a huge one at the rim with just over one minute to play over Quincy’s big man Keshaun Thomas to make it a 42-35 Kahok lead.

But a 3-pointer by Division I recruit Bradley Longcor III and a free throw by Thomas cut the lead to three with 46.4 to play.

After a Collinsville turnover Quincy had a shot to tie but Nick Horras locked down Longcor as he drove the lane allowing Chambers to swat away his shot. CHS was awarded the rebound after it went off the Devils. 

Horras was fouled on the inbounds play then calmly stepped to the line and buried a pair of free throws with 6.7 seconds to play to seal the championship for Collinsville.

“I want to win,” he said about that moment. “I want to win, that was it. But my free throw percentage is not good so I’m always working on my free throws.”

This was the third go around for Horras as a starter at the PFHC and it was certainly a memorable one. He came in averaging 17 points a game in the three tournament games but could only manage six in the title game. But that was the farthest thing from his mind afterward.

“It feels great!” he said. “I watched this tournament growing up and it just feels so good to finally win it. This team has put in so much. We’re getting up at 5 a.m. putting up shots in the morning, staying after practice. I love this team.”

While his offensive numbers were down he was one of several key players of the defensive unit that held Quincy’s big three of Longcor, Thomas and Cam Brown to 16 points. The Blue Devil trio came into the game averaging 44 points per game.

“I really think it was just effort trying to stay in front of him,” said Chase Reynolds who held Longcor to eight points. “I just had to stay in front of him, you can’t depend on your teammates because they stretch the floor out really well. Just stay relentless and stay in front of him is what I had to do.”

There was no more crucial stretch of the game than the start of the fourth quarter. Trailing 30-29 the CHS defense stepped up to stop Quincy on eight of their first nine possessions in the final stanza and opened up a 40-32 lead with just over two minutes to play.

“That’s it!” said CHS coach Darin Lee. “We’re battling defensively. We’re battling, the guys coming off the bench are battling. That’s been the difference. It’s been what’s made this team special.” 

Kahok Notes

When you convene two large school state ranked heavyweights for a tourney title it’s going to be physical and this game was no exception.

“Quincy plays a physical game and they’re rough in there,” said Zach Chambers. “You have to keep the ball in your hands and be strong. It’s something we practice.”

But there is another source to help handle the rigors of post play: The weight room.

Chambers is known for his work ethic in the room.

“We go in and lift every day,” he said. “I love lifting it’s fun. You get a little sore during the day but it’s worth it when it pays off because you’re able to play that physical.”

PFHC All-tourney

Three Kahoks were named all-tourney. Jamorie Wysinger was the MVP while Chambers and Horras were also on the squad. Triad’s Drew Winslow was named to the team as well after scoring 63 points and grabbing 23 rebounds over his four games.