McLean County Tournament Opens With Execution and Authority

  

McLean County Tournament Opens With Execution and Authority

Photos by Alan Look Photography

The opening round of the 2026 McLean County Boys Basketball Tournament offered an early reminder that January basketball is less about promise and more about purpose. Two games, played in different gyms with different energies, underscored that truth as Fieldcrest dispatched Flanagan-Cornell and El Paso–Gridley asserted control over Heyworth.

Fieldcrest Knights 66, Flanagan-Cornell Falcons 50

Watching Flanagan-Cornell during shootaround and pregame warmups, it was easy to believe points would come easily. Shots fell cleanly, the ball moved crisply, and confidence appeared abundant. Once the game began, however, the tone shifted. Under pressure, the Falcons struggled to convert opportunities, and the scoreboard quietly documented just how cold the offense became and how vulnerable the defense proved against a disciplined opponent.

Fieldcrest, by contrast, played a game rooted in patience and structure. The Knights moved the ball deliberately along the perimeter, forcing Flanagan to chase and adjust. That steady approach softened the Falcons’ defense and opened lanes inside. When those gaps appeared, the ball moved in and out efficiently, often swinging back to an open shooter. Many possessions unfolded with notable restraint, the ball touching every Knight—sometimes more than once—before a shot was taken.

The result was a game consistently controlled by Fieldcrest. The Knights led after every quarter—15-7, 34-25, and 50-38—before closing out a 66-50 win that reflected execution more than emotion. It was a reminder that sound fundamentals and collective discipline still travel well in tournament play.

El Paso–Gridley Titans 60, Heyworth Hornets 36

Another first round game carried the familiarity of a recent rematch. Just four days earlier, El Paso–Gridley had edged Heyworth by a single point on the Hornets’ home floor. This time, the setting changed, and so did the outcome.

Back in their own gym to open tournament play, the Titans set the tone early and never let it drift. The home crowd, a noticeable size advantage, and a clearly adjusted game plan all worked in concert as El Paso–Gridley took control from the opening tip. Heyworth struggled throughout the night to establish position, particularly against a Titan defense that dictated spacing and pace.

That control showed immediately on the scoreboard. El Paso–Gridley held Heyworth to just four points in the first quarter and built a commanding lead by halftime. The Titans led 19-4 after one, 37-16 at the break, and 58-22 after three. The Hornets claimed the fourth quarter, an “everybody plays” stretch, but the outcome had long since been settled in a 60-36 Titan victory.

The win advances El Paso–Gridley deeper into the tournament and guarantees a trip to the Shirk Center, where the margins will narrow and execution will matter even more.

Through the Lens

Moments like these—quiet dominance, patient offense, defensive resolve—are what give the McLean County Tournament its lasting meaning. Alan Look Photography has been capturing the soul of the heartland since 1999, preserving the sights, emotion, and rhythm of nights like this one for players, families, and communities. Coverage from the tournament, along with extended visual storytelling, can be found through Alan Look Photography and Best Look Magazine, where the game continues long after the final buzzer.