Three city players on All-State team
Belleville West senior Liddell looking to add to his legacy in Peoria
PEORIA — Belleville West’s EJ Liddell, the state’s best senior, announced his arrival in town Wednesday night on Twitter: “I’m back, Peoria.”
“It’s awesome to be back,” Liddell said Thursday at the Maroons’ shootaround at Carver Arena. “I didn’t know we were going to get here last year and didn’t know how great of an experience it would be. I’m just taking it all in and having fun.”
Liddell, an Ohio State recruit, led the Maroons to the Class 4A title last season. Despite Curie’s 34-1 record and undefeated in-state run, Belleville West is a favorite to repeat.
“We have two more games guaranteed left,” Liddell said. “No matter what happens, I’m just going to leave it all on the floor.”
The Maroons are 32-4. They beat Simeon this season and Young in the state title game last season, so they’ve more than proved they can hang with the Public League’s elite teams.
“[Chicago] doubted us last year, too,” Liddell said. [The Public League] is a great league; they produce a lot of great players. But we want to show that downstate is good, too; our Southwest Conference is great basketball, too. East St. Louis is also here in Class 3A.”
Liddell, last year’s Mr. Basketball winner and the favorite for the award this season, averaged 20.2 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.8 blocks and 3.0 assists.
Belleville West has a chance to be the first team to repeat as Class 4A state champs since Simeon and Jabari Parker finished off the four-peat in 2013.
Leading a team to multiple big-school state titles is a rare feat. That is Parker, Shaun Livingston, Derrick Rose territory. Liddell says he hasn’t thought about the legacy he might leave behind in Peoria this weekend, but it sounds like his coach has.
“I’m just having fun and thinking about helping my teammates win,” Liddell said. “[Belleville West coach Joe Muniz] has told us we could go down as one of the best teams ever in the state. That’s something to look forward to.”
Liddell, a first-team All-State selection, could give Curie some serious problems in the post in the semifinals Friday.
“We will try to take advantage inside since they play five guards,” Liddell said. “But that also gives us matchup problems. We are going to have to play out on the perimeter more, which we don’t usually do.”
Liddell is joined on the first team by Curie’s DaJuan Gordon, Brother Rice’s Marquise Kennedy, Alton’s Donovan Clay and Young junior DJ Steward.