ICC Basketball is in Full Swing
Eleuria Starfish
February 6, 2023
The spring semester is here and in full swing at Illinois Central College (ICC). The return to academic duty comes alongside the return of a few of our sports teams. Both men’s and women’s basketball continued over the schooling hiatus, while soccer, golf, and volleyball concluded. ICC’s baseball and softball teams will commence their seasons on February 17, in the meantime, Harbinger Student Media (HSM) caught up with the ICC men’s basketball team Wednesday night.
Gameday kicks off with bright skies and dry but warmer temperatures. The men’s basketball record is 7-13 and the women’s team currently sits at an overall record of 15-7. This record, in turn, leads to the question of the day, can the gentlemen Cougars finish their season strong in time for the Region 24 tournament in March?
To get the scoop on what the men’s team plans to do for the remainder of their games, Mr. Tony Wysinger, the men’s basketball head coach, was interviewed. Coach Wysinger has overseen the Cougars for 24 seasons. Under his leadership the Cougars have set school records for wins in a season (29), consecutive wins in a season (15), and four consecutive 20-win seasons. He has three times been named M-WAC Coach of the Year, twice as Region XXIV Coach of the Year, and once as District 8 Coach of the Year.
Coach Wysinger remarks that “We have 12 new players out of 14 active players on the team this year. Getting everyone to understand our philosophy and culture has been challenging the entire season. So that is what I am still looking forward to.”
The turnover rate for community college basketball is inherently higher than a 4-year.
Wysinger notes, “Boosting morale has never been an issue here at ICC… Our athletic teams have always been successful, so being competitive as a whole is our concern.”
ICC has a strong sense of community, and the coach and team recognize that. Wysinger’s favorite aspect of home games is the support his team gets from the community, the men’s team has over 6 local students/athletes, and the community comes out to support them, win or lose.
The most recent game was intense, down to the wire until the second quarter, both teams traded buckets for several minutes. There were missed shots on both sides and plenty of fouls all around. The Cougars trailed by ten until the last ten minutes of the game, and attempted to close the gap but fell three points short by the final two minutes. The coach’s words rang true, the morale is high but the competitiveness fell short.
Courtland Soll and LaColis Ashby Jr., led the team in points, each individually putting up 12 a piece. The Cougars were unable to recover after a Parkland timeout in the second half, as the Cobras rallied and established a 7-point advantage.
Ashby Jr. galvanized the crowd with a dunk, seemingly gaining momentum. Cougars on the sideline were visibly disgruntled as the game progressed, which could be interpreted as a sign of the team’s passion.
ICC men’s basketball, with 12 new freshmen on this year’s team, is working to unify with each passing game. Don’t miss the chance to show some cougar pride at their next home game on Wednesday, February 8.