February 11, 2025
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Basketball: Grady Thompson shines in IBCA All-Star Game

Princeton product named North MVP, scores 26 points

By Kevin Hieronymus
Princeton's Grady Thompson shoots during the IBCA Class 1-2A All-Star Game Saturday at Pontiac High School. He scored 26 points and was named as the North's MVP in their 132-107 victory over the South.

Princeton's Grady Thompson shoots during the IBCA Class 1-2A All-Star Game Saturday at Pontiac High School. He scored 26 points and was named as the North's MVP in their 132-107 victory over the South. (Mike Vaughn)

PONTIAC – Grady Thompson had something to prove in Saturday’s Illinois Basketball Coaches Association’s All-Star Basketball Game at Pontiac High School.

He was disappointed he was not named to First Team IBCA All-State and showed he should have.

The newly graduated Princeton High School standout scored a game-high 26 points and led the Class 1-2A North to a 132-107 win over the South, garnering team MVP honors. He attacked the basket, scored on some 3-pointers and put down a baseline dunk as requested by young Tiger super fan, Zane Britton, who was in attendance.

“The plan was to prove them wrong. I got second team and I wanted first team,” Thompson said.

Thompson, who was the first Princeton player named Associated Press First Team All-State since Joe Ruklick in 1955, said it was a fun time playing with the best seniors in the state.

“It was cool. I talked to about everybody on the team. Great group of kids. Good at basketball. Can’t really ask for anything better than that,” he said. “It was a great day. I think it’s a good way to end it all.”

Princeton's Grady Thompson slams a baseline dunk in Saturday's IBCA Class 1-2A All-Star Game at Pontiac High School. He scored 26 points and was named as the North's MVP.

Princeton's Grady Thompson slams a baseline dunk in Saturday's IBCA Class 1-2A All-Star Game at Pontiac High School. He scored 26 points and was named as the North's MVP. (Mike Vaughn)

Thompson enjoyed playing again with Jase Whiteman of Rockridge, having teamed up with him in the Illinois-Iowa All-Star Game at Augustana College in March. Whiteman’s Rockets knocked out the Tigers in the sectional championship.

“We make a pretty good team. We’re 2-0 together,” Thompson said.

Thompson appreciated having his little fan Zane there cheering for him.

“We talked all week about it. I think he was more excited than I was. He told me to get a dunk and hang on the rim, so that’s what I did,” Thompson said with a smile.

Princeton's Grady Thompson got a dunk in Saturday's IBCA All-Star Game at Pontiac High School that was requested by Tiger super fan Zane Britton.

Princeton's Grady Thompson got a dunk in Saturday's IBCA All-Star Game at Pontiac High School that was requested by Tiger super fan Zane Britton. (Kevin Hieronymus)

North coach Dan Beebe of Aurora Christian, who started his coaching career at the underclass level at Hall High School, loved having the opportunity to coach Thompson.

“They always say better players make better coaches. He’s obviously a talent,” he said. “And he does it at both ends. He can shoot it. He can obviously attack the rim. Great athletic ability. He was a joy to coach.”

Beebe was at Hall from 1993-95, coaching All-Stater Shawn Jeppson’s class at the underclass level.

“I absolutely loved it. It was so hard to leave. Great staff. Great kids,” Beebe said.

Beebe returned to his alma mater, Chadron State, for his Masters and became their head coach from 1997-2006. Beebe came home to Illinois to Aurora Christian and took over as its head coach in 2016. He has won seven regionals in seven years, taking the Eagles to the Final Four in 2020, but the State Tournament was canceled by COVID-19.

Thompson was the first Tiger to play in the IBCA Game since Michael Murray in 2012. Other PHS players chosen include Jon Foss (2002) and his coach, John Rumley (1979).

Remembering Dylan: The IBCA honored the late Dylan Bazzell of Fairbury Prairie Central, who would have been playing in Saturday’s game. The IBCA presented an All-Star jersey to his parents and brother and saved an honorary spot for him on the team. Bazzell was tragically killed in a tragic sledding accident with his teammate and best friend, Drew Fehr, over Spring break in Colorado.

Bazzell was an AP First Team and IBCA Second Team All-State selection.

Yerly coaches: Hall alum and Byron coach Eric Yerly directed the 1-2A North girls in Saturday’s first game. He led Byron to a 2A State runner-up finish this year and back-to-back state championships in 2016 and 2017.

On Twitter, he said, “I love being a part of this game. Really cool to see the best players in the state and get to know some of the kids that you played or thought you might play in the postseason. It was a lot of fun.”

He joked to some coaching friends that he just seems to have a hard time winning these IBCA games.

Area girls play: Two area girls suited up for the IBCA Games. Fieldcrest’s Ashlyn May scored six points for the North squad in an 87-74 loss in the 1-2A game. Brooklyn Ficek of LaSalle-Peru had four points with five rebounds and four assists for the South in a 79-73 win in the 3-4A game.