Eighth-Grade IESA Boys Basketball State Finals Tip-Off Saturday

For the 90th consecutive year, the IESA will crown state basketball champions when the 8th grade boys tip-off their tournaments at four different sites this Saturday, February 9. Competition in the Class 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A State Final Tournaments begins Saturday and concludes Thursday, February 14.  This is the 13th year of the four class system.

Class 1A will be played at Macon Meridian High School while Class 2A is set to tip-off at Mt. Pulaski High School. Tolono Unity High School will play host in Class 3A and Class 4A will be at Urbana Middle School.

The time schedule for all four tournaments will be the same. Quarterfinals will be played Saturday with the first of four games beginning at 10:00 a.m. at each site. The four quarterfinal winners will meet in semifinal games Saturday evening with the first of two games set to begin at 5:00 p.m. Third place and championship games will be played Thursday, February 14 with the third place game set for 6:00 p.m. and the championship game scheduled for 7:30.

Any changes in the playing status of each of the four tournaments due to weather will be posted on the IESA Website at www.iesa.org as each tournament progresses.   In addition, scores will be updated throughout the day indicating which teams will advance in the tournament.

The price of admission Saturday is $7.00 for high school students and adults and $3.00 for students (K-8) and sr. citizens (62+) and is good for all games Saturday. Children younger than kindergarten are admitted free. Fans attending the games Saturday will receive a wristband that is to be worn all day and will be used for entry into that respective state final site only throughout the day. It will not be honored at any other 8th grade state final site. The price of admission for the third place and championship game session Thursday will be $5.00 for high school students and adults and $2.00 for students (K-8) and sr. citizens.

IESA boys basketball began in 1930. From 1930 to 1972 there were two classes: Class A (heavyweight) and Class B (lightweight). Class C (7th grade) was added in 1973. From 1977-1984, the heavyweight class was divided into two classes based on enrollment. From 1985-2006, there were Class A and Class AA state series for both seventh grade and eighth grade. Beginning in 2007, the seventh grade and eighth grade series have four classes each.

Complete pairings for each state final, plus the FanZone, can be found at www.iesa.org. Click on the Boys Basketball link at the top of the IESA home page.

Here is a look at the schedule for each of the 8th Grade State Final Tournaments:

Class 1A @ Macon (Meridian) High School
Saturday, February 9
Game 1  10:00 a.m.      Washington St. Patrick (22-2) vs. Springfield Little Flower (22-5)
Game 2  11:30 a.m.      Ransom (20-2) vs. Peoria Hollis (19-1)
Game 3  1:00 p.m.       Ashland A-C Central (25-1) vs. Rantoul St. Malachy (25-1)
Game 4  2:30 p.m.       Stewardson-Strasburg (24-1) vs. Ottawa Marquette (18-3)
Game 5  5:00 p.m.       Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 6  6:30 p.m.       Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

Thursday, February 14
Game 7  6:00 p.m.       Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6 (Third Place)
Game 8  7:30 p.m.       Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6 (Championship)

Class 1A Notes: Washington St. Patrick will be looking to improve on their 7th grade Class 1A title runner-up finish last year. They will start their march toward hoisting the state trophy with a 10:00 tip-off against Springfield Little Flower. Stewardson-Strasburg was 3rd in the 7th grade tournament last year and will be back to try and improve on that finish.

Class 2A @ Mt. Pulaski High School
Saturday, February 9
Game 1  10:00 a.m.      Winner of Elmwood/Princeville vs. Mt. Sterling Brown County (23-2)
Game 2  11:30 a.m.      Decatur Robertson (18-3) vs. Casey-Westfield (23-2)
Game 3  1:00 p.m.       Springfield Christ the King (26-1) vs. Peoria Christian (24-2)
Game 4  2:30 p.m.       Dwight (18-3) vs. Champaign St. Matthew (20-6)
Game 5  5:00 p.m.       Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 6  6:30 p.m.       Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

Thursday, February 14
Game 7  6:00 p.m.       Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6 (Third Place)
Game 8  7:30 p.m.       Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6 (Championship)

Class 2A Notes: Last year's 7th grade Class 2A champion, Decatur Robertson is back again and set to tip-off at 11:30 a.m. against Casey-Westfield. Springfield Christ the King, who lost in the 7th grade semi-final game last year to Robertson, is back this year seeking to improve on their 3rd place finish. They tip-off at 1:00 against Peoria Christian.

Class 3A @ Tolono (Unity) HS
Saturday, February 9
Game 1  10:00 a.m.      Washington Central (21-3) vs. Williamsville (25-1)
Game 2  11:30 a.m.      Kankakee Bishop McNamara (21-2) vs. Teutopolis (23-3)
Game 3  1:00 p.m.       Vandalia (22-2) vs. Glenwood Brookwood (13-6)
Game 4  2:30 p.m.       Dunlap Valley MS (21-3) vs. St. Joseph (21-2)
Game 5  5:00 p.m.       Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 6  6:30 p.m.       Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

Thursday, February 14
Game 7  6:00 p.m.       Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6 (Third Place)
Game 8  7:30 p.m.       Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6 (Championship)

Class 3A Notes: There are only two teams who placed in the top four as 7th graders last year who made the tournament field this year as 8th graders. Those two teams, Teutopolis and Glenwood Brookwood, will be in opposite sides of the bracket as they both look to improve on their finish from last year.  Teutopolis finished in 2nd place last year as 7th graders. Glenwood Brookwood finished 3rd last year.

Class 4A @ Urbana MS
Saturday, February 9
Game 1  10:00 a.m.      Matteson Colin Powell (20-5) vs. Macomb (20-1)
Game 2  11:30 a.m.      Springfield Grant (25-1) vs. Bolingbrook Jane Addams (25-3)
Game 3  1:00 p.m.       East St. Louis Clark (23-2) vs. Mokena (24-2)
Game 4  2:30 p.m.       Algonquin Heineman (22-0) vs. Bourbonnais UGC (19-3)
Game 5  5:00 p.m.       Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 6  6:30 p.m.       Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

Thursday, February 14
Game 7  6:00 p.m.       Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6 (Third Place)
Game 8  7:30 p.m.       Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6 (Championship)

Class 4A Notes: Last year's 7th grade champion in Class 4A, Springfield Grant returns for a rematch of the championship game. They are set to tip-off against Bolingbrook Jane Addams, who finished 2nd last year, at 11:30 a.m.  Algonquin Heineman is back this year and they are looking to improve on their 4th place finish as 7th graders. Matteson Colin Powell and East St. Louis Clark are also returning to the tournament and looking to improve on their quarterfinal losses from last year.   

For more information, please contact IESA Assistant Executive Director and Basketball Administrator Chris Frasco at chris@iesa.org or 309-829-0114.