The winter sports season is winding down and legacies of multiple Central Illinois high school hoops stars are being created, continued and – in the cases of several seniors – left behind.
This week’s nominees for Torq Fitness Athletes of the Week include boys basketball players that led their teams in sectional games last week and a pair of girls’ basketball standouts who finished their seasons at the IHSA State Finals in Normal.
Read about our nominees with information on their standout performances below, vote for who you think should win, and spread the word to vote before polls close at 11:59 PM on Friday!
Boys Athlete of the Week nominees
Josh Humbles, Manual boys basketball
The Manual junior guard helped the Rams win their first sectional title since 2019 with a pair of strong performances at the Class 2A Sherrard Sectional. Humbles dropped in 11 points in the Rams’ 65-46 win over Macomb in the semifinals and added a team-high 18 points in their 62-49 win over Sherrard in the sectional title game.
Malachi Persinger, Peoria Christian boys basketball
Persinger was lights out again for Peoria Christian to help the Chargers win their first sectional title since 2004. The senior point guard finished with 18 points and four assists as part of a 61-30 drubbing of Illini Central in the Class 1A Brimfield Sectional semifinals. He then scored 21 to lead PCS in a 57-54 win over Princeville for the sectional title.
Leshawn Stowers, Peoria High boys basketball
Stowers led Peoria High to its first sectional title in a dozen years, putting up two strong performances at the Class 3A Washington Sectional. The Lions star finished with 15 points in Peoria’s 51-36 win over LaSalle-Peru before dominating the sectional title game against Metamora with 21 points in a 57-48 win.
Matthew Zobrist, Metamora boys basketball
Zobrist finished his high school career with two performances of the type he’s been accustomed to. The Bradley-bound guard made several big plays and scored 19 points in Metamora’s 65-63 comeback win over Kankakee in the Class 3A Washington Sectional semifinals. He also shouldered the load for the Redbirds with 21 points in their sectional title loss to Peoria High.
Jake Williams, Princeville boys basketball
Williams was a catalyst for Princeville’s run to the Class 1A Brimfield Sectional title game, leading the Princes with 18 points in a hard-fought 57-54 loss to Peoria Christian. Earlier in the week, he factored into Princeville’s 56-41 win over Illini Bluffs in the sectional semifinals with 15 points.
Vote here!
Torq Fitness Boys Athlete of the Week poll
Josh Humbles, Manual boys basketball
Malachi Persinger, Peoria Christian boys basketball
Leshawn Stowers, Peoria High boys basketball
Matthew Zobrist, Metamora boys basketball
Girls Athlete of the Week nominees
Julia Mingus, Peoria Notre Dame girls basketball
Mingus closed out her high school career with a bang, putting up a trio of strong performances for PND, who finished as the Class 2A state runner-up. The Illinois-Springfield signee’s shooting prowess was on display with 25 points in a 67-56 super-sectional win over Stillman Valley. Mingus added 10 points and four steals as the Irish handily beat Mt. Carmel 61-35 in the state semifinals and she scored a team-high 11 points to go with three assists in a state championship game loss to Nashville.
Dani Guedet, Washington girls basketball
Washington’s all-conference and all-state forward also impressed at the end of her junior season with several big games to help the Panthers finish third in Class 3A. Guedet’s impact was enormous in a 58-54 overtime win over Sterling in their super-sectional game, scoring 25 points. She nearly put up a double-double with eight points and 10 rebounds in a 48-33 semifinal loss to Chicago St. Ignatius and came back with 19 points, three rebounds and three steals in Washington’s 60-51 win over Quincy Notre Dame in the Class 3A third-place game.
Vote here!
Torq Fitness Girls Athlete of the Week poll
Julia Mingus, Peoria Notre Dame girls basketball
Dani Guedet, Washington girls basketball
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