Lanphier basketball gets new dates for postponed City Tournament games

Lanphier boys basketball head coach Blake Turner watches as the Lions take on Sacred Heart-Griffin in the first half during the Showcase Saturday at the Bank of Springfield Center  in Springfield, Ill., Saturday, December 4, 2021. [Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register]
Lanphier boys basketball head coach Blake Turner watches as the Lions take on Sacred Heart-Griffin in the first half during the Showcase Saturday at the Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield, Ill., Saturday, December 4, 2021. [Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register]

The Lanphier boys basketball team might not be stepping on the Bank of Springfield Center floor during this weekend's City Tournament, but the Lions will be getting the City Tournament games underway, starting Jan. 25.

Because of COVID-19 protocols, the Lanphier girls basketball team had its first two games of the three-day event postponed. The boys had all three of its games pushed back.

"We have worked hard to reschedule these important girls and boys games,” Lanphier athletic director Chris Hampsey said in a statement provided by District 186. “We look forward to meeting our worthy opponents on the court.”

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District 186 announced on Friday afternoon two of the boys' three games have been rescheduled. The Lanphier boys will play Sacred Heart-Griffin in a junior varsity/varsity doubleheader on Tuesday, Jan. 25 at SHG's Jim Belz Gymnasium, starting at 5:30 p.m.

The Lions' game against Springfield High has been rescheduled for Thursday, Feb. 17 at Springfield's Willard Duey Gymnasium, also in a 5:30 and 7 p.m. JV/varsity doubleheader.

The Lanphier and Southeast make-up date will be announced soon, the district's news release said.

The first of two remaining Lanphier girls games will be played on 6 p.m. Monday at SHG in a varsity-only game. The Lions will play at Springfield High in a JV/varsity doubleheader on Thursday, Feb. 3 at 5:30 and 7.

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“Lanphier and coach (Blake) Turner are always a fixture of the City Tournament, and we have missed the traditions involving them during this special weekend,” District 186 superintendent Jennifer Gill said in the release. "The conversations about quarantine requirements were difficult, and we applaud the girls and boys basketball teams for holding their heads high when tough decisions came their way. We’re excited for the rescheduled games and Lanphier boys and girls returning in full force next year.”

The City Tournament games also count in the Central State Eight Conference standings. Each of the 10 teams in the league plays an 18-game conference schedule.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Lanphier basketball: 4 of 5 games rescheduled for City Tournament