Jackets struggle against Warriors late in the game for 57-43 loss; finish regular-season 16-15 overall and 5-5 in Cahokia Conference, Illinois Division
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – The Chester High School YellowJacket Boys’ Basketball Team finished their regular season with a home game vs. Wesclin Monday February 17. The game was scheduled for Tuesday February 18, but had to be moved to Monday due to the predicted second major winter storm of the season.
The evening included a freshman game at 5:00 p.m., followed by a JV game at 6:00 p.m., and the varsity matchup at 7:30 p.m. It was also “Senior Night” and Chester fans honored senior cheerleaders, basketball players, pep band members and dance team members.
Freshmen: CHS freshmen 35-Wesclin freshmen 38
The freshmen game was exciting and competitive right up to the end. At halftime the Jackets were down, 31-26, but fought to get within two points with a Jaden Ramirez three point shot with 47.6 seconds left in the game. With 24.2 seconds left to play the score was Wesclin 37-Chester 35. In the final seconds each team hit a free throw for the final score of Wesclin 38-Chester 35.
Junior Varsity: Chester JV 40-Wesclin 35
The JV game was all Chester. After one quarter of play the Jackets led, 12-8. In the second quarter CHS outscored the Warriors, 8-4 to take a 20-12 lead into the locker room at halftime.
In the third quarter the YellowJackets outscored the Warriors 13-7 to lead by 14 points, 33-19, heading into the final period. Down the stretch Wesclin came alive and outscored Chester, 16-7. With 1.3 seconds remaining, the Warriors had pulled within four points, 39-35. Chester’s Trey McCartney hit a free throw to end the game and Chester won, 40-35.
In the win, the JV had seven players contribute offensively including Trey McCartney who led the team with 12 points. Other contributors included Tallen James (8), Kross Jany (7), Gabe Coffman (6), Zane Eggemeyer (4), Karim Landeros (2), and Danny Worley (1). The Jackets were 6-of-10 at the free throw line (60%). They also made 11 two-pointers and four 3-pointers.
The JV Warriors were led by Eli Wellen who scored 21 points. Other scorers were Kaeden Tobin (7), Wade Hofbauer (3), Brady Twenhafel (2), and Alex Dickey (2). The Warriors shot 83% from the free throw line (5-of-6). They made nine 2-pointers and four 3-pointers.
Senior Night recognitions for Basketball and Cheerleaders
It was senior night at CHS and YellowJacket fans said goodbye to six senior players who were playing their final regular-season game at CHS in Colbert Memorial Gymnasium, on Rocky Bridges Court. Seniors included Cayden Brunkhorst, Evan Dunning, Jack Heffernan, Kolton Jany, Brenden Malley, and Devante Palacio.
Also recognized were three CHS Basketball Cheerleaders including Peyton Cole, Kourtney House, and Elaina Lutman. The Senior Night ceremony took place prior to the Varsity Basketball Game between Chester and Wesclin.
Varsity: Wesclin 57-Chester 43
1st Quarter
The varsity game was close and exciting right up until the 4th quarter. Chester led, 7-5 after one quarter of competition behind the leadership of Devante Palacio who scored four points in the opening minute of the game on back-to-back hard moves to the hoop. CHS led, 4-0 at the 6:01 mark. Wesclin’s Chandler Mueller answered with a 3-pointer at 5:47 to get the Warriors within one point, 4-3.
Chester’s Brenden Malley hit a free throw at 4:33 to extend Chester’s lead to 5-3. Wesclin’s Gavin Rahm tied the game, 5-5, with two free throw at the 4:31 mark of the first quarter. With .38 to play in the period, Chester’s Kolton Jany hit a bucket to give the YellowJackets a two point lead, 7-5, at the buzzer to end the first frame.
2nd Quarter
The second quarter was hard-fought with the Warriors eventually taking a lead and keeping it by halftime. Chester’s TaShawn Palacio started the period with a basket at the 6:15 mark to extend Chester’s lead to 9-5. Wesclin’s Gavin Rahm answered with a bucket 30 seconds later to get Wesclin back within two points, 9-7.
Almost a minute later Chester’s Trey McCartney hit a 3-pointer and the Jackets were up again, 12-7, at the 4:16 mark. During the next minute, the Warriors would go on a 6-2 run to pull within one point, 14-13, at the 3:16 mark.
Chester’s Devante Palacio, a 6’3″, senior YellowJacket Basketball player, was the YellowJacket’s leading scorer in the “2025 Senior Night” game Monday February 17. Chester hosted Wescln in both the final Cahokia Conference, Illinois game of the 2024-25 season, and the last regular-season game. CHS fell to Wesclin late in the 4th Quarter, 57-43 but trailed by just four points with just 4:33 to play in the game. Palacio hit a 3-pointer at the 2:59 mark to get Chester within only seven poi8nts, 49-42, but the Warriors had an 8-1 run to seal the victory. Palacio led the Jackets in scoring with 13 points. Jim Beers Photo