Two of southwestern Illinois’ top basketball programs take hits with key transfers
Expected to contend for the Southwestern Conference basketball championship and a lengthy postseason run in 2020-21, the O’Fallon Panthers are already facing a challenge.
O’Fallon coach Brian Muniz confirmed this week guard Drew Tebbe and standout forward Shaun Riley II are no longer with the program after transferring this summer.
The 6-7 Riley, one of the top players in the SWC the past two years, led the Panthers in scoring (10.7 ppg) and averaged nearly seven rebounds a year ago. Tebbe, a 5-9 guard, scored 8.8 points per game and had 35 3-point field goals in 2019-20.
O’Fallon, which won a Class 4A regional title and finished 26-7 a year ago, will miss both players, but Muniz said he feels his team has the depth to be among the best again this season
“They (Tebbe and Riley) are going to a very small public school in Louisiana. They did not give me any reasons for the move,” Muniz said. “In this day in age of player movement, players move for a variety of reasons. Every program has lost players for one reason or another. We have a lot of players who are excited about having a greater opportunity to play.”
O’Fallon wasn’t the only school to have a star player transfer this summer. Belleville East coach Jeff Creek confirmed Tuesday junior Braxton Stacker has transferred to Cardinal Ritter High School in St. Louis.
Ranked in the Class 4A state poll for most of the 2019-20 season, O’Fallon returns all-SWC players Dawson Algee, Caleb Burton and Mason Blakemore this season along with sixth-man Todd Porter and reserve Latrell Bonner, who recently committed to play college football at Southeast Missouri State.
“We also have some other seniors and underclassmen who are ready to step in,” Muniz said. “This team will be a fun team to coach because they all get along so well and they are hungry. We are excited for the season.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 20-21 boys and girls basketball seasons will run from Nov. 16-Feb 13. as part of the Illinois High School Association’s Return to Activities winter season.
Stacker moves across the river
One of the top sophomores in the St. Louis area a year ago, Stacker averaged 14 points and 6 rebounds for a Lancers team which finished 17-13.
Cardinal Ritter, a perennial Missouri state power, was 25-6 last season.
Even without the 6-5 Stacker, the Lancers should be among the top teams in the St. Louis area this season. Among the players returning are seniors Ethyn Brown and Bryson Ivy and heralded sophomore Jordan Pickett, the brother of current University of Missouri standout Javon Pickett.
“We, at Belleville East, are focused on our current roster and look forward to the upcoming season,” Creek said.
