CHAMPAIGN — E.J. Liddell has rewatched Belleville West’s state championship victory against Whitney Young a few times since the Maroons took down the Dolphins 60-56 in overtime on March 17 in Peoria.
“Probably over 50 times,” the 6-foot-8, 220 pound forward said.
The same aspect always stands out to Liddell. He’s struck by just how hard he and his teammates played — something that carried over throughout the entire 2017-18 season.
So did Liddell’s dominance during his junior season. Only once did The News-Gazette All-State Player of the Year and Illinois Mr. Basketball winner fail to reach double figures in scoring, finishing the year averaging 20.