For the first time in the tournament, a team has had four players finish in double figures. The Illini Bluffs Tigers used a balanced attack to secure a 58-43 win over the Titans of Monmouth-Roseville and take home the 5th Place trophy. Bluffs scored an impressive 30 points in the paint and it helped them shoot efficiently to the tune of a 56.1% clip. After a 13-0 start, the Tigers led 19-5 after the 1st quarter and took a 22 point lead into the halftime. The Titans did force the Tigers into more turnovers (16-13) but could not otherwise slow them down.
Illini Bluffs (14-3) had three players score in double digits: Wyatt Hendel (14 points), Hank Alvey (12 points), and Devon White (12 points). Alvey completed his third double-double of the tournament, as he finished with 11 rebounds. In case you wondered…the only game he *didn’t* get a double-double, he finished with nine rebounds. Hendel dished four assists to lead his team. Bluffs’ 30-16 advantage on points in the paint is one of the larger differentials in the tournament this year.
Monmouth-Roseville’s Titans (10-6) received another good game from Darrion Smith (15 points, five rebounds), which included 3-of-4 from beyond the three point arc. Senior Nico Avendano added 10 points. To their credit, the Titans shot 20 points higher (47.6% to 27.3%) in the second half than in the first. Playing four games in this tournament as an unseeded team is a tough thing to accomplish. Especially this year, when the field was absolutely loaded.
Illini Bluffs secures the 5th Place hardware for the fourth time and for the second year in a row.
Box Score
Illini Bluffs Info
Monmouth-Roseville Info
Chris Derry
December 30, 2023