Magnani is new scoring king at Cornell

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — A packed house at Illinois College saw Cornell College history at the end of the 2023 Midwest Conference basketball tournament at the end of February.

Cornell College’s Jordan Magnani drives to the basket against Illinois College during a men’s college basketball game at Cornell’s Small Life Center in Mount Vernon, Iowa, on Wed. Jan. 25, 2023. (Anna Moore/Freelance for The Gazette)

Former Mt. Pleasant star Jordan Magnani, who has graced the Cornell court for the last five years, became the school’s all time leading scorer with two free throws in the first half of the conference title game.

Magnani and the Rams couldn’t quite knock off the No. 1 seed in the MWC, as Illinois College held on 70-61 at their own home gym.

Magnani, who was named MWC Player of the Year, for the 2022-23 season, scored 31 points on the day, including 21 in the second half. He finished his career with 1,670 points, which topped former teammate Cooper Kabela of West Branch.

Magnani graduated Mt. Pleasant in 2018. While he was in high school, the Panthers were one of the top teams in Class 3A, making two-straight state tournaments in 2017 and 2018.

The Rams finished the season at 15-12. They were the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament after finishing league play 12-4.