Janitor comes to future King's aid with key to Bradley gymnasium.(Sports)

0 Comments | Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL), March, 2000 | by Maciaszek, Marty

PEORIA - Pat Brix was looking to clean up on the competition in the 3-Point Showdown on Saturday in the Peoria Civic Center's Carver Arena. So the junior from Crystal Lake South went looking for a place Friday to make sure his long-range plan didn't gather any rust. Brix found it with a janitor in Bradley University's Robertson Memorial Field House.

"He was kind enough to let us in," Brix said of a 10-minute tuneup a day after qualifying for the Class AA final four Thursday. "He told me for letting me in that I'd better win, and I told him I would." Brix continued to shoot unlike his name as he hit 12 to win the Class AA competition in the afternoon. Then on Saturday night he became the state's King of the Hill by outshooting A champion Willie Shirley of...