IESA Headlines

2013 Seventh Grade Boys Basketball State Finals Tip-Off Saturday

For the seventh time in Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) boys' basketball history, four 7th grade champions will be crowned and it all begins this Saturday (Feb. 2) at four sites. Competition in the Class 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A State Final Tournaments begins Saturday and concludes Thursday (Feb. 7). This is the 84th year IESA has conducted a state basketball series.

Class 1A will be played at St. Joseph Middle School while Class 2A is set to tip-off at Clinton High School. Wenona Fieldcrest Junior High School will play host in Class 3A and Class 4A will be at Normal Kingsley Junior High 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 (Feb. 7) 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 will be posted on the IESA Website at www.iesa.org as each tournament progresses.

The price of admission Saturday is $7.00 for adults and $3.00 for seniors (62 and over) and students (K-8) 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 7th grade state final site. The price of admission for the third place and championship game session Thursday will be $5.00 for adults and $2.00 for seniors and students (K-8). Children younger than kindergarten again are admitted free.

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 Website Home Page.

Here is a look at each of the 7th Grade State Final Tournaments:

Class 1A

With five of the eight qualifying teams making their 7-1A state debuts, Class 1A is shaping up to be a Saturday filled with firsts! Tipping-off the morning will be the 2009 third place finisher in the Redbirds of Virginia (16-5) pitted against newcomer Chrisman Scottland (20-4). The Bartonville Monroe Flyers (16-7) are back in hopes of making it two straight 7-1A state titles as they begin their march toward IESA history against the Roadrunners of Dieterich (20-2). No stranger to the state finals themselves, Dieterich returns after a one year hiatus previously taking home third in 2011. The final four teams on display in quarterfinal action are all new to the 7-1A dance, beginning first with Bradley St. Joseph (15-5) against Mulberry Grove JHS (10-4). Both teams are coming off impressive Sectional Championship games en route to punching their tickets to state. Finally, the Braves of Annawan look to improve upon their 19-2 record as they battle Cinderella Story Champaign Next Generation (9-9).

Class 2A

Searching for storylines within Class 2A shouldn't be difficult, as the loaded field plays host to a team vying for a perfect season, the returning state champs and five squads posting 20 wins or more. Getting things going early will be the Blueboys of Carthage sporting the only unbeaten record (18-0) in 7-2A as they look to continue their path to perfection against Effingham St. Anthony (14-7). On deck in game two are the 22-2 Wildcats of Decatur Robertson hoping to make it back-to-back Class 2A state championships as they face newcomer Lockport Taft (13-3). Game three features two squads with a combined three losses on the season, as Normal Metcalf (20-1) clashes against the Hornets of Mt. Sterling Brown County (22-2). Wrapping up quarterfinal play will be Grand Ridge (20-4) squaring off against Fisher (22-2), with both teams looking to make some noise in their first Class 2A appearance.

Class 3A

Parading a steady mix of newcomers and tournament veterans, the Class 3A field should leave those in attendance plenty satisfied with the hoops on display. After earning back to back state titles in 2010 and 2011, Teutopolis (21-5) returns following a one year absence with hopes to regain that state tournament magic. Standing in their way are the young men of Athens (15-7) making their first Class 3A state tournament appearance. Game two welcomes back a battle tested Washington Central (21-4) squad mixing it up with the Cougars of Dixmoor Rosa Parks (10-4). Both teams boast impressive Sectional Championship victories to their credit and hope to have that momentum carry over to the big dance. They may be new to the Class 3A state tournament, but Burr Ridge MS (18-3) and Piasa Southwestern (21-3) both have championship aspirations as they matchup in game three. Rounding out the quarterfinal action will be the Rockets of Tolono Unity (18-8) rumbling against the unbeaten Tigers of Glasford Illini Bluffs (25-0). The Tigers are aiming to become the first 7-3A team to go wire to wire without a loss since the 2009 Titans of Monmouth-Roseville JHS.

Class 4A

In what could very well be the deepest class on display over the weekend, Class 4A lays claim to three undefeated teams all striving for greatness. The first of the three, Bellwood Roosevelt (14-0), has the uneasy task of trying to unseat a Park Forest Forest Trail squad that posts an impressive 24-2 mark heading into the state tournament. Game two of the morning welcomes back the tournament savvy Tigers of East St. Louis Lincoln (18-1) searching for their first state championship since 2010. It won't come easy as New Lenox Martino (16-5), although green to the state scene, plans on making it a state tournament trip to remember. Speaking of wildcard newcomers, the Minooka Indians (16-5) are saddled with the tall task of toppling the unbeaten Little Giants of Canton Ingersoll (25-0). Lastly, Champaign Franklin (25-0) makes their return to state for the first time since 2008 where they finished as the Class 4A runner-up. With a different result in mind this time around, the Knights must first find a way past the 11-9 Jaguars of Springfield Jefferson. After recently surviving an overtime Sectional Championship thriller, the Jaguars should have no shortage of confidence heading into state.

For more information, please contact IESA Associate Executive Director and Basketball Administrator Nicole Schaefbauer at nicole@iesa.org.