PEORIA โ MikeQuese Taylor has passed away.
The same goes for developing junior college basketball players. new father. High school basketball changed everything for him He is the leader of the program.
His life was on the rise and he was an inspiration to young people.
The 18-year-old was all of those things, and they all died with him when he was shot and killed Tuesday in the 100 block of East Forest Hill Avenue in Peoria.
Police found Taylor with a gunshot wound before being taken to OSF Healthcare St. Francis Medical Center around 7:20 p.m. He was pronounced dead at 7:41 p.m., but as of late Wednesday morning, police had no suspect information.
Mike Kes Taylor:Shooting victim identified as Peoria teen
“My understanding is that he was cleaning tires in his front yard and two guys walked up on him,” Peoria High School basketball star Leshaun Stowers said. . “He had just had his first child, a boy. He was ready to be a father, he had a family to take care of, he was committed to his education and playing college basketball.
“He came home from college to see his son. Two days ago he played with us at our open gym. The next day he was just gone.
“I can't believe it.”
young man on a mission
Mike Kes Taylor was raised primarily by his mother and was good enough at basketball to target Peoria High School's elite program.
The 6-foot-1 guard made an immediate impression.
“When he first started high school, his thoughts were focused on being able to go to school,” Peoria High School head coach Danny Ruffin said. “But he trusted the process of our program and decided it was realistic for him to go to college for this sport. He really bought in and was focused.”
“When he was a junior, he didn't think he was going to make the team. Once he made the team, he wasn't even sure if he could play. From there, he started off for me as a junior. advanced to the point.โ
“It just continued from there. You could see him grow.”
That development includes earning All-Big 12 Conference first-team honors as a senior in 2022-2023. That led to an opportunity to play college basketball. He played on a Kansas City Kansas Community College team that went 22-10 and won the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Division II Championship in 2023-2024.
Taylor played in 31 games and averaged 10.3 points, 50.3% shooting from the field, 4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game.
“He came home because his girlfriend recently gave birth to her first child,” Ruffin said. “He was in town to meet his baby. As a player, he was a kid who gave 110% every time he stepped on the floor, no matter who he was playing against. I was impressed. He never backed down.”
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Off the court, Ruffin said Taylor lit up a room with his personality.
“He will definitely be missed. His mother was very proud of him and grateful for our guidance and how he took advantage of what we had to offer.” said Ruffin. โWhen he came home from school, he would always visit the young people and play with them.
โThatโs what people do who defy adversity and put themselves in a better situation, and they just wanted others to do the same.โ
“Special child”
Stowers, a forward who played alongside Taylor, is in his fourth year with the Lions and is an NCAA Division I candidate with offers from Bradley University and other mid-major programs.
“Mike Quess was a special kid,” he said. “He was one of our best players. He wanted it more than anyone on the floor and played hard no matter the outcome.
“He's a funny guy and a lot of fun to be around. When something like this happens, I just try to keep my head down and keep trying and feel lucky for the opportunities I've been given. I decided.”
True to his nature, Taylor's last post on X.com, sent the day before his death, was a pep talk for his friend and former teammate De'Quon Brown.
Those who played with, coached with or knew Taylor remembered the basketball player, father and friend Wednesday.
Ruffin's best memory had nothing to do with the game or anything on the court.
“What was the moment that really stood out to me?” Ruffin said. “That was the day Mike Quese came to me and said, 'Hey, Coach, I'm going to college.'
“He had the biggest smile on his face. Everything was in front of him.”
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star's sports columnist, covering Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the sports column “Cleve In The Eve” on his pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him at X.com @icetimecleve.