IESA Headlines

Class 7A Boys Basketball State Tournament Begins Saturday at Clinton

Defending champion Springfield Christ The King leads the field of 16 teams into the 2005 Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) Class 7A Boys Basketball State Final Tournament beginning Saturday (Feb. 5) in the Clinton High School Gym.

Competition in the 21st annual 7A State Tournament gets under way at 9:00 a.m. Saturday with the first of eight games scheduled for the day.

Quarterfinals will be played Monday (Feb. 7) beginning at 4:15 p.m. The semifinals will be Tuesday (Feb. 8) starting at 6:00 p.m. Third place and championship game will be Feb. 10 beginning at 6:00 p.m.

This is the 76th year of boys basketball state series competition in IESA schools. The current two-class system has been in operation since 1985.

The 16 teams advancing to this year's State Tournament have a combined won-loss record of 277-60. Only unbeaten team is LaHarpe (20-0), which faces Fisher (14-8) at 6:00 p.m. Saturday. Five of the teams in this year's field are making their first appearance in the 7A State Tournament. They are Payson Seymour (22-2), Chrisman-Scottland (20-1), Champaign Holy Cross (15-4), Findlay Okaw Valley (16-7) and Decatur Our Lady of Lourdes (14-9).

Christ The King (18-3) begins defense of its title against Bloomington Holy Trinity (16-7) at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Holy Trinity was 7A champion in 1988 and 1995 and is making its 6th trip to the 7A State Tournament. Only other former champion in the field is Effingham St. Anthony, the 1999 winner.

Christ The King beat Griggsville-Perry, 47-25, for the 2004 crown.

Complete pairings and timetable for the Class 7AA Boys Basketball State Final Tournament can be found at http://www.iesa.org/activities/bbk/.