East Peoria, IL - The excitement has been building in the gym over the past few weeks, and perhaps even months, as Tony Wysinger's Illinois Central College Men's Basketball team has been preparing to tip off its 2024-2025 season. Coming off a year that saw the Cougars get their best pre-Christmas record in four years, it only increases the anticipation for the official season opener on Friday in the Danville Classic against #21 Kalamazoo Valley. 

HOW'D LAST YEAR GO?
As mentioned, the Cougars got through the front half of the schedule red-hot, with a (9-2) clip being their best start to a season before the holiday break since the 2018-19 campaign. ICC was also able to protect home court, holding a (10-3) record in the friendly confines of Ramsey Gym, a slate that included the first win over rival Parkland in four years and just the second win over the Cobras in Ramsey Gym since 2002. 

The Cougars finished the regular season on a (4-1) clip, and secured the two seed in the Region 24 tournament and a Quarterfinal round home game, hosting the Spoon River Snappers. Unfortunately, ICC would fall at Rend Lake against John Wood in the Region Semifinal to finish the season (19-12). 

WHO'S BACK?
Coach Wysinger brings back a group of six players to lead his 26th team. Pacing the group is Azarion Richardson, the leading returning scorer, having averaged 11 points per game in 2023-24. Jeremiah Tate, Payton Cook, Cody Marcinko, Briar Cremeens, Jaylen Brown, and Ayden Grant make up that group.

NEW PLAYERS IN TOWN
The newest pieces to the puzzle may not be completely familiar to the program, but it's a newcomer class that's almost all familiar with Central Illinois. Rickey Woods III (Washington), London Toliver (Manual), Michael Womer (Richwoods), Luke Hopp (Metamora), and Sean Lewis (Peoria Quest) are all from high schools in the Peoria area, adding Brandon Phillips (Waukegan) and Cooper Knoll (Ottawa) as in-state products.  

RJ Davitz (Oak Creek, Wisconsin), Shamar Grant (Millenium HS - Arizona; Peoria native), Isaiah Payne (Jennings, Missouri), Idris Thomas (Davenport, Iowa), and Anthony Allison Jr. (Huntsville, Alabama) all hail from high schools across state lines. 

COUGAR ALUM RETURNS HOME... ABOUT THE SCHEDULE
There's no shortage of storylines right from the get-go on this year's schedule. For one, the Cougars open with nationally-ranked Kalamazoo Valley (#21), and former assistant coach and player Matt Long, now the head coach of the Kishwaukee Kougars, brings his new squad to his 'old stomping grounds' of Ramsey Gym on Friday, November 8th. 

ICC also has a two-game series with Bryant & Stratton (looking to avenge 23-24 sweep), hosts Illinois Valley (coached by Chris Herman, son of ICC Hall-of-Famer Caroll Herman), and has an early-January trip out to Arizona, not to mention the always-tough Region 24 schedule. 

Other opponents appearing on the preseason national poll include #9 Parkland, D1 (RV) Southeastern Iowa, and (RV) St. Louis. 

CHAMPS ARE BACK... SO IS CHARLES... FUN FEBRUARY
The 1981-1982 State Champion Men's Basketball team & MBB alum Charles Smith were both recently announced as part of the 2025 Illinois Central College Athletics Hall of Fame Class. Those individuals will be informally introduced to the crowd at halftime of the game against SEMO Prep on Saturday, February 1st (3PM Tipoff), with a formal dinner and ceremony in the auxiliary gym to follow the game, alongside the rest of the inductees. 

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
Danville Area Classic
vs. #21 Kalamazoo Valley Cougars (24-7 record last season)
Friday, November 1st - 5PM Tipoff
at Mary Miller Gym - Danville, IL
Watch Live (BlueFrame Tech)