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Youthful UT battles back but falls in boys' season-opener
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GALESBURG — Marc Polite hardly sounded like the coach of a boys' basketball team beaten by 19 points in its season-opener. However, the United Township bench boss had plenty of reasons to be proud of his youthful Panthers despite a 69-50 setback Monday in the Galesburg Thanksgiving Tournament's curtain-raiser at John Thiel Gymnasium. "We showed heart. We kept fighting," Polite said after veteran-laden Bartonville Limestone held off an inspired comeback. From a 24-6 deficit through the first 10 minutes — with UT committing more turnovers (10) than shots taken (8) in the first quarter — the Panthers battled back to within eight points in the final minute of the third period. "The first quarter was a classic example of youth versus experience," said Polite, who had three sophomores on the floor at times. "For a lot of these guys, this was their first varsity minutes, and it was an adjustment to this level. We went down by a large margin, but we did some good things once we kicked it in gear." Junior Deveric Rodgers led the Panthers with 17 points, four rebounds and three steals in his first significant varsity action. Javin Goodwin added 11 points off the bench, six of those in the second quarter, to lead UT's 10th-grade brigade. Fellow sophomores Ryan Meredith and Lamont Mitchell also contributed to the comeback. "I'm proud of our kids. That's the spirit we like to see," said Polite, whose group battled a bigger Limestone team to a 31-30 draw on the boards. "These kids just don't quit. That's what we're going to do all season, and after awhile we won't put ourselves in this position." However, Limestone pulled away behind senior Hank Mathews (23 points), plus backcourt play by Lorenzo Burns (12 points, four steals) and Terence Shelby (12 points, seven rebounds, five assists, four steals). "We just buried ourselves early. We played them even the rest of the game," Polite said. "We cut into (the lead), but they showed their experience. Their guards are a little bigger and stronger than our kids right now, so it was tough to stop their dribble drive." Another point of emphasis going forward will be handling the ball better. Limestone's pressure defense forced 27 turnovers, allowing the Rockets 15 more shots from the field. "These kids have a chance to be good, though. It's just a matter of them maturing and understanding what we need to do," said Polite. "We have to be stronger to make some of those plays at this level. We got bumped off the ball a little bit, when we weren't strong enough to hold our position. But those are the things you learn through time and maturity. As we continue to move down this road, we'll keep working and get better in those areas." 
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Today is Tuesday, May 21, the 141st day of 2013. There are 224 days left in the year.
1863 -- 150 years ago: On Monday the 11th inst. on Center Ridge in Mercer County,some citizens got out their cannon to celebrate the taking of Richmond. The gun wasoverloaded and burst. No one was injured, but one 30-pound piece went though thesecond story of a house.
1888 -- 125 years ago: The old folks concert at the Harper Theater last night to benefit St.Luke's Cottage Hospital, attracted a large audience.
1913 -- 100 years ago: Unless depredation by vandals in Rock Island parks is halted,special policemen will be assigned to night duty to protect the flowers and other property.
1938 -- 75 years ago: Station WHBF has received a special citation from Washington forits participation in Air Mail Week, which was observed this week throughout the nation.
1963 -- 50 years ago: A 10-year high in employment in the Quad-City area was reachedat the end of the last quarter, according to an industrial employment barometer releasedtoday.
1988 -- 25 years ago: Pee Wee teams will be able to play baseball and softball as usualon Diamond Three at Dorrance Park this summer, but after that, the ball field is doomed.County crews have put the diamond back in shape after heavy trucks marred the playingfield earlier this spring. Illinois Department of Transportation crews drove onto it to makeborings for the relocation of the junction of Illinois 84 and the Port Byron-Hillsdale road.
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