2026 Boys Basketball

2026 Class 8-1A Regional Champions/Sectional Matchups
The winner of odd-numbered regionals will be the home team in sectional play.
Sectional 1
@ Gardner Grade School
Host: Gardner
Date: Monday, February 2, 2026
Chicago St. John (19-0) vs. Ransom (12-11)
Chicago St. John def. Crete Illinois Lutheran , 54-28
Ransom def. Gardner , 43-39
Sectional 2
@ Kewanee Visitation
Host: Kewanee Visitation
Date: Monday, February 2, 2026
Ottawa Marquette vs. Kewanee Visitation (16-2)
Ottawa Marquette def. LaSalle St. Acutis , 35-34
Kewanee Visitation def. Galva , 42-12
Sectional 3
@ St. Malachy School
Host: Rantoul St. Malachy
Date: Monday, February 2, 2026
St. Anne (17-5) vs. Royal Prairieview Ogden (17-9)
St. Anne def. Cissna Park , 44-36
Royal Prairieview Ogden def. Danville Schlarman , 31-19
Sectional 4
@ Hartsburg-Emden Jr./Sr. High School
Host: Hartsburg-Emden
Date: Monday, February 2, 2026
Pontiac St. Mary's (24-1) vs. Hartsburg-Emden (15-7)
Pontiac St. Mary's def. Flanagan , 28-25
Hartsburg-Emden def. Washington St. Patrick , 39-25
Sectional 5
@ Peoria Christian Middle School
Host: Peoria Christian
Date: Monday, February 2, 2026
Peoria Christian (15-6) vs. Peoria Limestone Walters (20-5)
Peoria Christian def. Peoria St. Jude , 41-25
Peoria Limestone Walters def. Bartonville Monroe , 36-28
Sectional 6
@ Martinsville Jr/Sr High School
Host: Martinsville
Date: Monday, February 2, 2026
Mattoon St. John's (17-4) vs. Champaign Holy Cross (19-3)
Mattoon St. John's def. Kansas , 46-20
Champaign Holy Cross def. Decatur Unity , 52-21
Sectional 7
@ Routt Catholic High School
Host: Jacksonville Our Saviour
Date: Monday, February 2, 2026
Lincoln West Lincoln-Broadwell (25-1) vs. Jacksonville Our Saviour (19-4)
Lincoln West Lincoln-Broadwell def. Lincoln Chester-East Lincoln , 49-19
Jacksonville Our Saviour def. Griggsville-Perry , 48-39
Sectional 8
@ St. Michael School
Host: Sigel St. Michael's
Date: Monday, February 2, 2026
Effingham Sacred Heart (17-5) vs. Carrollton St. John (15-7)
Effingham Sacred Heart def. Sigel St. Michael's , 36-26
Carrollton St. John def. Jerseyville St. Francis HG , 42-33

Class History

From 1930 to 1972, there were two classes of basketball, Class A (Heavyweight) and Class B (Lightweight). An additional class was added in 1973--Class C (7th Grade). The Heavyweight and Lightweight classes were based on age, height and weight. From 1977-1984, the Heavyweight class was divided into two classes based upon enrollment--(A & AA). From 1985-2006, the Association adopted the format of 7th and 8th grade play based upon a school's enrollment (7A, 7AA, 8A and 8AA). Starting in 2007, the Association adopted a four class system in each grade level (7-1A, 7-2A, 7-3A, 7-4A, 8-1A, 8-2A, 8-3A and 8-4A). The current classification system assigns 25% of the schools to each of the four classes.

How Class Split is Determined

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