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Sports Editor Matt Daniels with a look at what’s going on around the area:
Illinois basketball coach Brad Underwood leaves after being a guest on Sports Talk at the Esquire in Champaign on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024.
Three reasons we love sports today
➜ 1. Many thanks to Brad Underwood. The eighth-year Illinois men’s basketball coach made another appearance at the Esquire — he’s in double digits now — for ‘Monday Night SportsTalk,’ on WDWS 1400-AM and 93.9-FM. Head right here to listen to a podcast from his hour-long visit.
➜ 2. Terrence Shannon Jr. could guard LeBron James on Tuesday night. Shannon, the former Illini standout who is now a rookie with the Minnesota Timberwolves, should play when the Timberwolves tip off their season against the Lakers at 9 p.m. Tuesday in Los Angeles.
➜ 3. Former Illini Ayo Dosunmu gets his fourth NBA season going a night later when Dosunmu and the visiting Bulls play the Pelicans at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
St. Joseph Ogden’s Logan Mills, left, and Oakwood/Salt Fork’s Connor Moss will try to help their respective soccer teams win a Class 1A regional championship this week.
Numbers game: 3
Class 1A boys’ soccer regional title matches pitting area teams against each other. Tuesday brings about Oakwood/Salt Fork playing Georgetown-Ridge Farm/Westville at 4 p.m. in Hoopeston, with Fisher/Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley hosting Uni High at 5:30 p.m. On Wednesday, St. Joseph-Ogden tangles with Watseka/Milford at 6 p.m. in St. Anne.
Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer keeps an eye on Michigan’s Zeke Berry on a first-half run Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Crowd control
Three events I’m paying attention to
➜ 1. Illinois at Oregon football. Luke Altmyer and Dillon Gabiel, along with Kurtis Rourke from Indiana, are tied for the most touchdown passes in the Big Ten with 15. All eyes will be on how well Altmyer and Gabriel play this Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in the Top 20 showdown.
➜ 2. Illinois at Nebraska volleyball. The second-ranked Cornhuskers (18-1, 8-0 Big Ten) have won 15 straight and the Illini (13-5, 5-3) have won five straight before Friday’s 7 p.m. match in Lincoln, Neb.
➜ 3. Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond at Sullivan/Okaw Valley football. Two undefeated 8-0 teams meet at 7 p.m. Friday to decide who wins the Lincoln Prairie Conference regular-season title.
Salt Fork’s head coach Andrew Johnson in a boys prep basketball game at Judah in Champaign on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023.
Coach’s corner
Three questions with Salt Fork boys’ basketball coach Andrew Johnson, who begins his 13th season in charge of the Storm next month:
➜ 1. My favorite sports teams are … the Michigan Wolverines for college sports, and the Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls and Chicago Cubs for pro sports.
➜ 2. Three coaches I’d like to have dinner with are … John Beilein, Tom Izzo and Phil Jackson.
➜ 3. My biggest pet peeve is … people driving around a parking lot looking for the best spot. Just pick a spot and walk.
