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Sports Editor Matt Daniels with a look at what’s going on around the area:
Monticello baseball coach Chris Jones with his family, wife Megan, daughter Avery and son Wade last June at The News-Gazette office in Champaign. Jones, The N-G’s All-Area Coach of the Year for the 2024 season, and the Sages are once again holding a 5p- awareness baseball game next Monday in honor of Wade.
Three reasons we love sports today
➜ 1. Monticello High School once again supporting one of its own. The Sages are holding 5p- awareness events every day this week in honor of Monticello baseball coach Chris Jones’ son, Wade. Wade is a 12-year-old with Cri-du-chat syndrome. Also known as 5p-, it is chromosomal condition affecting about one in 50,000 children.
➜ 2. Wade will throw out the first pitch before Monticello’s 5p- awareness baseball game when the Sages host St. Joseph-Ogden at 4:30 p.m. next Monday in a matchup between two powerhouse programs.
➜ 3. Fundraisers, organized by Monticello’s Pep Club, are ongoing this week and will take place at next Monday’s game. All money raised will go to the 5p- Society that helps provides resources to those families.
Former Sacramento Kings star Peja Stojakovic looks at the fans as his jersey is retired during a ceremony at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014.
Numbers game: 13,647
points Peja Stojakovic scored in the NBA from 1998 through 2011. Stojakovic’s son, Andrej, signed with the Illinois men’s basketball team on Monday. The elder Stojakovic had his No. 16 jersey retired by the Kings in 2014, where he starred in his first eight NBA seasons before then playing with the Pacers, Hornets, Raptors and Mavericks. He won an NBA title with the Mavericks in 2011 and was teammates that season with Unity graduate Brian Cardinal.
Vytas Valincius and the Illinois baseball team plays against Bradley on Tuesday night at Dozer Park in Peoria.
Crowd control
Three events I’m paying attention to
➜ 1. Illinois at Bradley baseball. The Illini (25-16) are 4-1 and average 11.8 runs in nonconference games against in-state foes this season. The next one happens at 6 p.m. Tuesday against the Braves (9-29) at Dozer Park in downtown Peoria.
➜ 2. Salt Lake Bees at Albuquerque Isotopes. Two former area stars — Bees catcher and Danville graduate Chuckie Robinson and Isotopes starting pitcher and Champaign Central graduate Tanner Gordon — should square off for an at-bat or two when this Class AAA game begins at 7:35 p.m. Tuesday.
➜ 3. Champaign Central at Centennial baseball. The conclusion of the Big 12 series is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Milford athletic director Colin Flaherty, who is also the high school’s principal.
Ask an AD
Three questions with Milford athletic director Colin Flaherty:
➜ 1. My favorite sports teams are … the Chicago Cubs and any Notre Dame team.
➜ 2. Three coaches I’d like to have dinner with are … Lou Holtz, Joe Maddon and Mike Leach.
➜ 3. My biggest pet peeve is … misplacing my keys. Frequently.
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