Play It Again Sports Roundup - Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025

East St. Louis boys win again in tourney action, Althoff and Columbia also post victories.

Colin Feeney, Contributing Sports Writer

Dec 29, 2025 11:18 AM

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28 PLAY IT AGAIN SPORTS ROUNDUP

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BOYS BASKETBALL

BELLEVILLE ALTHOFF CATHOLIC 53, QUINCY 49: In the consolation bracket quarterfinals of the 41st Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Classic, Althoff bounced back from a loss to Collinsville the night before to defeat Quincy.

Luke Smith led the Crusaders with 15 points, while Kyle Johnson added 10 points.

ROCKFORD EAST 64, GRANITE CITY 36: In another consolation quarterfinal game, Rockford East took a 36-21 lead on Granite City and went on to win.

Evan Brewer led the Warriors with 14 points, while both Javier Cass and Antonio Dean followed up with six points each.

QUINCY 54, GRANITE CITY 52: The Warriors led the 13th-place semifinal game at halftime 32-23, but the Blue Devils came back and outscored Granite in the final quarter 14-6 to win.

Cass led Granite with 24 points, while Dean came up with 14 points.

Quincy is now 3-8, while the Warriors fall to 8-6.

BELLEVILLE ALTHOFF CATHOLIC 47, ROCKFORD EAST 45: In a consolation semifinal played at Collinsville, Althoff led at halftime 31-24, then held off the E-Rabs to advance to the consolation bracket final.

Smith led the Crusaders with 18 points, while Johnson came up with 13 points.

Althoff is now 7-6, while Rockford East falls to 2-10.

MCCLUER NORTH 43, O'FALLON 40: In the first quarterfinal game at Vergil Fletcher Gym, McCluer North of Florissant, Mo., led O'Fallon at the half 25-16, then held off a spirited comeback by the Panthers to move on to the last four.

Ben Akoro led the Panthers with 15 points, while Sutton Massey scored 13 points.

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COLUMBIA 49, WATERLOO 28: In the last day of the group stage of the Columbia-Freburg Holiday Tournament, Columbia led at the half 33-18, and went on to take the win and advance to the final.

Brody Landgraf led the Eagles with 15 points, while Ayden Sepich added 10 points.

Columbia is now 9-2, while the Bulldogs go to 3-10.

In other group stage games on Sunday, Civic Memorial won over Waterloo 59-54, and Marquette Catholic went through to the final against Columbia with a 56-49 win over Benton. The Eagles and Explorers play in the final Monday night at 6:30 p.m.

EAST ST. LOUIS 85, MAYWOOD PROVISO EAST 36: In the semifinals of the Hillside Proviso West Holiday Tournament on Saturday, East St. Louis had little trouble with Proviso East to advance to the final on Monday.

Jamison White had a big game for the Flyers with 30 points, while Alex Johnson added 19 points, and Devrice Johnson scored 15 points.

East Side is now 9-1 and move to the final Monday night against Rockford Guilford Catholic, who won the other semifinal over Chicago Marshall 69-51, Monday night at 5:30 p.m. The Pirates fall to 2-7.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

EUREKA, MO. 49, HIGHLAND 37: In the consolation final of the 51st Visitation Academy Christmas Tournament, Eureka, of south St. Louis County, held off Highland to win the bracket title.

Jordan Bircher scored 12 points to lead the Bulldogs, while Sophie Schroeder added 10 points.

The Wildcats are now 6-5, while Highland is now 10-8.

In the 13th place game at Viz, Edwardsville defeated Parkway West 55-25, while Belleville East won the third-place game over St. Louis Cardinal Ritter College Prep Catholic, 71-50. Incarnate Word Academy Catholic of north St. Louis County won its eighth straight championship, winning the final over Principia of west County 71-44.

O'FALLON 57, FREEBURG 41: In the fifth-place game of the Mascoutah Holiday Invitational, O'Fallon led all the way through in taking the win over Freeburg.

Josie Christopher had another big game for the Panthers, scoring 22 points, while Nakia McCottrel added 13 points.

O'Fallon is now 9-6, while the Midgets go to 13-4.

In other games on the final day at Mascoutah, in the seventh-plane game, University City, Mo. nipped Okawville 39-38, in the consolation bracket final, Centralia got past the host Indians 38-31, Alton won the third place game over Breese Mater Dei Catholic 68-48, and in the final, Nashville won over Breese Central 61-40.

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