I got a notice from Illinois HS Basketball History website that my post a couple weeks ago about the Greater Egyptian Conference and the 1955 Shawneetown HS team that went to state had 10,000 views. It earned Epic Post status. I am “pleasantly” surprised at how many high school basketball fans know about the GEC. Obviously, that makes me happy. In my post over the past few months about the conference I have written and shown pictures of coaches and teams. Today, I want to share information about 3 of the 10 All-State players from the GEC that I have written about in my book.

Ron “Moose” Stallings (Ridgway) led Southern Illinois and was 4th in the state in scoring in 1968 with a 37.1 average. He finished his 4 year career with 2,643 points ranking him 10th all-time in total career points. In his 4 years on the varsity at Ridgway the Bob Dallas coached teams were 94-10 and won the GEC all 4 years. He was named All-State in 1967 and 1968 by the Champaign News Gazette and the Chicago Daily News.

Derek Sloan graduated from Galatia in 2005, finishing his career with 2,263 points. The Bearcats won the GEC his senior season and finished with the second best record in school history 30-4. Sloan scored over 40 points twice and set the school record with 50 points in a single game. (I wonder whose record he broke?) He was a 2A Champaign News Gazette All-Stater.

Crab Orchard joined the GEC in 1983 and in their 42 years have made a significant impact on the conference. The Trojans have the fourth most titles of any school in the GEC. Jon Brown finished his 30-year career in the conference with 8 championships and 551 wins. A lot of that success was due to the play of Ben Kissing who was named to the first team AP Class 1A All-State Team in 2012. He finished his career with 2,374 points. Crab Orchard was 102-25 during his career. Ben did benefit from having two brothers, Ray and Tommy, on his team along with All-GEC players like Caleb Perry and Drew Johnson.

These are just 3 of the 10 all-state players the GEC has produced in its rich 77-year history. Get the book “The History of The Greater Egyptian Conference” to see who are the other 7 players. Since 2007-08 when the state went to 4 classes it has obviously gotten easier to make all-state but to be selected one of 15 or 20 of the best in any class is quite an honor.

A footnote, Galatia with an enrollment of 150 or fewer students has had two all-state players. How many schools with that few a students has had more? thebasketballgoat.com

Pictures of 3 of the 10 Illinois All-State Players to come from the GEC. Top, Ron Stallings (Ridgway), Middle, Derek Sloan (Galatia), Bottom, Ben Kissing (Crab Orchard)