Game 48: Brimfield vs. Knoxville (Girl's Basketball)

Game 48
Brimfield vs. Knoxville (Girl's Basketball)
Knoxville/Abingdon Tournament
(12/13/10)

The second game of the night features a pair of Prairieland Conference teams. I will admit that I was down on Brimfield heading into the season, picking them to finish somewhere around 7th in the conference. Ouch, they are off to a 10-2 start heading into this tournament game against league-foe Knoxville.



Meanwhile, Knoxville has surprised me about every game out. Whether it be a blowout loss at the hands of a very talented South Fulton, or how they played so well against Class 3A competition at the Galesburg Thanksgiving Tournament, or a 24-point loss on their home floor to B-PC/A after beating that same team a couple weeks ago. It's been an interesting start for Knoxville.

The Blue Bullets surprised me again during this game. After seeing Brimfield last week against North Fulton, and watching them pile on the wins, my guess was that the Indians would take a win at Jensen Gymnasium in Knoxville. I was wrong again!

Once again, this game started slow offensively. Okay...maybe I'm being unfair using that verbiage since I am used to the Galesburg girl's basketball team scoring 25 points per quarter with their run and gun offense!

Brimfield jumped out to an 18-16 halftime lead after a Cassady Wahl baseline jumper went in with 0:01 on the clock. Knoxville came untracked in the 3rd quarter, outscoring Brimfield 16-9.

It was back and forth in the 4th quarter, after the host Blue Bullets jumped out to a 9-point lead (44-35). Brimfield went on a 6-0 run behind three-pointers from Cassady Wahl and Kerrigan Dura, to make it 44-41. Knoxville went on another run, and would cruise to a 60-46 win.

The Blue Bullets struggled from the free throw line in the first three quarters (8-16), but turned that around in the 4th quarter (11-14). Abby Ball turned in a 15-point performance, but was Ms. Clutch in the final frame, scoring 11 points in the last eight minutes. Katie Houston added 12 points for Knoxville. Brimfield freshman Kerrigan Dura scored a game-high 21 points.

Foul-For-All: The two teams combined to commit 31 fouls in the 2nd half alone!

How Did Kerrigan (Dura) Get Her Name?
Last week, I broadcasted the North Fulton/Brimfield game. Many times, on my drive home, I think of different topics to toss into these blog entries. One such item I commonly talk about is names. That got me thinking, Kerrigan, is a unique first name. Where did she get that name, was it a family last name? She is a freshman in high school, which puts her birth around the time that Nancy Kerrigan was a hot topic in the news. Maybe her parents are figure skating fans?

I emailed Brimfield coach Jim Blane seeking the origin of Kerrigan's unique name. He said he had no idea, but would ask. Here is what coach Blane wrote...

Kerrigan Dura didn’t know where she got her name…so she asked her mom, who told her she was watching a “Casper the Friendly Ghost” cartoon on TV and one of the characters in the show was named Kerrigan…a little spook, just like her! She will be fun to watch for the next four years! …the player, not the cartoon!

Family Ties
Remember the name Dura in the small-school basketball ranks. In two years, when Kerrigan will be a junior, she will be joined in high school by another standout Dura basketball player. Her younger sister, Kennedy, led the Brimfield 7th graders to an IESA Class 2A state championship last week. Brimfield beat Springfield St. Agnes 35-18. Kennedy Dura scored 18 of their 35 points.

Family Ties II
Over on the Knoxville side, Katie Houston is the daughter of former Galesburg Silver Streaks boy's basketball coach Jeff Houston.

Great Part to Jensen Gymnasium
This may sound strange, but I have always liked the fact that there are small plastic trash cans at the end of each bleacher row at the Knoxville High School gym. On both sides of the gym, on each row. There must be 100 trash cans. It's convenient for fans to throw their programs, pop corn bags, or water bottles away, and it has to be a God-send for the janitors, not having to bend over and pick up trash for an hour after a game. Great idea, that I don't see too many schools using.

Game 48 Miles: 60