Listen Live to the 2015 McDonald's Herald-Whig All-Star Game.

It’s one last look at the best senior high school basketball players from Northeast Missouri and West Central Illinois.

The McDonald's Herald Whig All Star Basketball Classic is Saturday, June 20 at Quincy University's Pepsi Arena. The 33rd annual girls game tips off at 5 p.m. Saturday. The  32nd annual boys game starts at 7:15. Missouri holds an 18-14 series edge in the girls contest although Illinois has won three consecutive games. Missouri’s most recent win was in 2011—69-58. The Illinois squad includes QND’s Quenna Keating and Bradley recruit Vanessa Markert from Brown County.

This year’s boys game previews the future for John Wood Community College. Trailblazer signees Gabe McKenzie from Canton and Austin Richmiller from Highland suit up for Missouri. Future Trailblazers Lincoln Elbe of Quincy High, Braden Bennett of Illini West and Taylor Heimann of Central are on the Illinois squad. We'll also see Palmyra alum and future Quincy University Hawk basketball player Trevor Meny.

Illinois owns a 29-2 edge in the boys series. Missouri won in 1988 and again in 2009. Missouri put solid scares into Illinois teams in 1995. 2001 and in 2014.

For me, the Classic is one of the highlights of the year. I get one more look at players from around northeast Missouri at the end of their high school careers. In some cases, the transformation from the first time I saw them as freshmen or sophomores is remarkable. I also enjoy getting to see some of the players from around western Illinois that I might encounter only once or twice or only see during the Tuesday, Friday and Saturday night highlight packages during television sportscasts. I’ve also had the chance to work with some good and entertaining color commentators on some of these over the years too.

I can’t thank Matt Schuckman and the staff at the Quincy Herald Whig enough for letting us come in and call the play by play. They also do a great job of supplying the background information needed to prepare for the broadcasts.

Proceeds from the games go to a scholarship at Quincy University—the McDonald’s/Herald Whig Classic Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to QU-student athletes from the area.

The girls game tips off at 5 p.m. tomorrow. (June 20) The boys game is at 7:15. If you can’t be there, we’ll have the play by play right here. Just click on the link above.

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