Collinsville is playing like a real-deal contender to make a long postseason run
Ray-Sean Taylor said earlier this year that he once had the desire of being a quarterback on the Collinsville High School football team. Lucky for the Kahoks’ basketball program, Taylor’s first priority became taking care of business on the court.
But the Kahoks all-state guard still likes to show off his arm from time to time as evidenced by three-quarter court passes to Cawhan Smith for layups during Collinsville’s 63-48 win over Mundelein in the title game of the Collinsville Prairie Farms Holiday Basketball Tournament.
“He (Taylor) always knows where I’ll be,’’ Smith said following the title game. “We’ve been playing together for a long time.’’
That bond between Taylor and Smith — arguably one of the top backcourt tandems in the state — carries over to several other Kahoks seniors who, after watching Southwestern Conference rivals Belleville West and East St. Louis win state titles a year ago, are enjoying their turn in the spotlight.
Heading into a Southwestern Conference game with Belleville East on Friday, followed by a matchup Saturday with St. Louis DeSmet at the Highland Optimist Scott Credit Union Shootout, the Kahoks are 14-0 and ranked third in the Associated Press Class 4A state basketball poll.
This is the first time since the 2011-12 season that Collinsville has been ranked in the top 5 in the AP state poll. That team, after a 17-2 start, finished 23-6 and lost to Belleville West at the Belleville East Class 4A Regional.
But this Kahoks team, led by seniors Taylor, Smith, Keydrian Jones and defensive stopper Lorent Dzelandini, appears determined to make their postseason run last a little longer.
“These kids are going a good job. They really are. They like to play and they like to come to practice and work hard,’’ Collinsville coach Darin Lee said. “They like to share the basketball and I think that’s a big reason for us being where we are.
“Obviously we have good seniors. We have veteran seniors who have been playing basketball together for a long time. We have the elite scorer in Ray’Sean (Taylor), two very good guards and the big guys. We have the ingredients, but you have to have the kids who love to play and want to work hard in practice. We have that with this group.’’
The Kahoks’ impressive start has come against what Lee referred to as “the toughest schedule we’ve played in several years.” Among the early victims were East St. Louis (ranked ninth in Class 3A), Chicago Morgan Park (third in Class 3A) and Mundelein (eighth in Class 4A).
In addition to taking on DeSmet and competing in the Southwestern Conference, the Kahoks have upcoming games with Normal Community (Feb. 1) and perennial national power Chicago Simeon at the O’Fallon Shootout on Feb. 8.
“Actually, we’re just getting into the meat of our schedule right now. We’ve got (Belleville) East and DeSmet this week, then we have (Belleville West) and Althoff next week. We have a lot of games coming up here,’’ Lee said. “Honestly, we are practicing this week only for Belleville East.
“(East) beat us last year and we want to go 5-0 in the conference. The conference title, at least in my book, is most important. We’ll start thinking abut DeSmet on Saturday morning.’’
One of the top players in the state a year ago, the 6-1 Taylor has been even better this season. Averaging nearly 23 points while also adding six rebounds and five steals a game, Taylor has combined his talents with the 5-10 Smith who averages 10 points, three assists and three steals per game.
“There aren’t many teams who have two point guards of their level,’’ Lee said. “They have played together so long, back to seventh and eighth grade, AAU ball. They have always played together.
“They know where each other are every second on the floor. They just share the basketball so well and compliment each other.’’
Jones, also a long time contributor in the Kahoks’ program, is a powerfully built 6-6 post player who can get up and down the floor. Forced to step up even more after senior Aaron Molton was injured during the football season, Jones averages 10 points and six rebounds.
Dzelandini is the Kahoks defensive stopper while 6-7 junior Nate Hall (9.1 ppg.) has stepped in nicely after transferring from Marquette.
“He (Hall) played here before transferring to Marquette. He knows our system and what we like to do,’’ Lee said. “Keydrian (Jones) is a force down low, rebounds and he just runs the floor so well.’’
One of only two teams to beat both state champions Belleville West and East St. Louis a year ago, Collinsville is clearly the top Class 4A team in Southern Illinois this season. But Lee said his team is not feeling any pressure.
At least not yet.
“I don’t think there is any pressure,’’ Lee said.. “This team has done a good job of working hard and playing a game before looking ahead to the next one. Pressure can be good because it means you have a good team. It beats the alternative.’’
This story was originally published January 9, 2020 at 12:58 PM.
