America's Original March Madness rolls back into Peoria for the 24th time, and this time its the large schools' turn, as the IHSA Class 3A and Class 4A Boys Basketball State Finals take center stage this weekend inside the Peoria Civic Center’s Carver Arena. The state semifinals will unfold on Friday, March 15 with the third-place and state championship games to follow on Saturday, March 16.

Tickets are available at the Peoria Civic Center box office, online, or you can contact a competing school to find out their plans for selling their allotment.

The March Madness Experience, an interactive basketball-fueled family fun fest located in the Peoria Civic Center exhibit halls adjacent to the arena, opens on Thursday, March 14. The Country Financial Three-Point Showdown also continues Thursday at Carver Arena, as prelims will whittle competitors down to four shooters from each class. The final four shooters from Class 3A and Class 4A will shoot for their class titles between semifinal games on Friday, with the winners returning on Saturday, March 17 for a chance to be the all-class champion King of the Hill.

In addition, Special Olympics Illinois and the IHSA are teaming up to offer the third annual Unified State Tournament as a part of the IHSA State Finals. The Unified games will take place in the March Madness Experience.

The games and three-point shooting will air live on NBC Sports Chicago, NBC Sports Chicago Plus+ and IHSA TV Network affiliates (click for local listings). The games will also be carried live on the internet via NBC Sports Chicago and the NFHS Network at www.IHSA.tv, which will also stream the post-game press conferences. Country Financial is the presenting sponsor of the broadcasts.

Laurence Holmes and Jason Goff will bring viewers the 3A action, while IBCA Hall of Famers Dave Bernhard and Mark Lindo step in to call the 4A games. Piper Shaw and Kate Constable will handle the hosting and sideline duties.

No one covers the IHSA State Finals like the Peoria Journal Star. Check the Journal's Star state final preview, path to state, and so much more at the Peoria Journal Star website: http://www.pjstar.com/sports

An IHSA preview is posted below:

CLASS 3A
DEPAUL COLLEGE PREP RAMS (25-9)
     vs.
BOGAN BENGALS (29-3)
Welcome to your first Class 3A state finals, DePaul Prep. The unranked Rams make their inaugural Final Four appearance after not having to play in the super-sectional due to a double forfeit. Coach Tom Kleinschmidt (107-49, five years), who led DePaul Prep to state when it was known as Gordon Tech, was named one of the 100 Legends of March Madness. Key players to watch are senior guard and Brown University recruit Perry Cowan (18.6 ppg, 6.5 ppg) and Raheem Anthony (14.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 5.2 apg) and junior guard Lance Mosley (11.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg).

Second-ranked Bogan breaks through to its first-ever Final Four after knocking off two-time reigning 3A champ Morgan Park in the sectional final. A seven-game win streak follows the Bengals into the state finals. Coach Arthur Goodwin (206-70, 10 years) collected his 200th victory in the regular season finale. Senior forward Rashaun Agee (19.3 ppg, 13.0 rpg), senior guard Jordan Booker (15.2 ppg, 4.8 apg) and junior guard Antonie Bloxton (12.5 ppg) are a trio to keep an eye on.

EAST ST. LOUIS FLYERS (28-6)
     vs.
MANUAL RAMS (19-11)
East St. Louis will take home its fourth state trophy after a 19-year absence from the state finals. The No. 4 Flyers enter the postseason having won 12 of its last 13, while winning their five postseason games by an average of 20.6 points a game. Coach Mark Chambers (37-11, two years), a state champ at East St. Louis Lincoln as a player, nearly tripled his win total in his second season. Three seniors key to the Flyers success are forward and future St. Louis University Billikin TJ Hargrove Jr. (17.6 ppg, 8.8 rpg), guard Cornelius Leflore (11.0 ppg) and forward Richard Robinson (7.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg).

Manual will add to its all-time hoops state trophy record when it collects its 16th state trophy this weekend in its hometown. The Rams, who entered the postseason season on a three-game losing streak, played in four single-digit postseason games before a 17-point super-sectional victory. Willie Coleman (28-30, two years) will become the seventh coach to lead Manual to a state trophy. Junior guard Rolando "Pee Wee" Brown (17.6 ppg, 9.0 rpg), senior guard Quintez Edwards (12.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 4.9 apg) and sophomore forward Emaryon Byrd (10.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 4.6 apg) are all double-figure scorers.


CLASS 4A
EVANSTON WILDKITS (31-4)
     vs.
ROCKFORD EAST E-RABS (34-2)
Following last season's third-place finish, Evanston will take home a state trophy in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history. The No. 6 Wildkits ride a 13-game win streak into the Final Four. Mike Ellis (199-79, nine years) is no stranger to the state finals with two runner-up finishes with Richwoods (2006, 2010) on his resume. Southern Illinois University commit Lance Jones (15.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.0 apg), sophomore guard Blake Peters (12.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg) and senior guard Jaheim Holden (11.9 ppg, 3.4 apg) all return with state finals experience.

Ninth-ranked Rockford East last took home a state trophy in 1978 - a Class AA fourth-place finish. The E-Rabs (East Red & Black) ride a 19-game win streak into the state finals, including beating their five postseason opponents by an average of 14 points per game. Coach Roy Sackmaster (189-225, 14 years) has led Rockford East to a school-record for wins in a season during the 2018-19 campaign. Players to watch include junior guard/center Sincere Parker (19.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg), senior guard Chris Burnell (14.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 5.3 apg) and senior guard/forward Sha'Den Clanton (13.4 ppg, 6.8 ppg).

BELLEVILLE WEST MAROONS (32-4)
     vs.
CURIE CONDORS (34-1)
Reigning 4A state champ and second-ranked Belleville West returns to the state finals looking to become the first back-to-back champion since Simeon's four-peat (2010-13). The Maroons come into the Final Four having gone 4-3 in the final weeks of the season. Coach Joe Muniz (242-177, 15 years) has a deep and experienced team. Some of those players to watch include reigning Mr. Basketball and Ohio State commit EJ Liddell (20.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg), senior guard Lawrence Brazil III (13.0 ppg, 4.1 apg) and senior forward Keith Randolph Jr. (9.1 ppg, 7.6 ppg).

Top-ranked Curie is just three years removed from winning its first and only state championship. The Condors haven't lost against an Illinois team this season, while riding a 20-game win streak into the Final Four. Curie's 34 wins is a program-best under coach Mike Oliver (522-132, 17 years). Be on the lookout for senior guard DaJuan Gordon (17.6 ppg, 8.0 rpg), senior forward Justin Harmon (14.2 ppg), junior forward Ramean Hinton (11.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg) and senior guard Damari Nixon (10.1 ppg). Trevon Hamilton's three in the waning seconds of the Super-Sectional lifted Curie to a 56-54 victory over Simeon.

TOURNAMENT HISTORY
112th year of State Series
24th year in Peoria


SITE
Carver Arena at the Peoria Civic Center
Directions


HOST
City of Peoria
Peoria CVB


SCHEDULE
Friday, March 15
Session 1
Class 3A Semifinals
11:00 AM - DePaul College Prep vs. Bogan

12:45 PM - East St. Louis vs. Manual

Session 2
Class 4A Semifinals
5:30 PM - Evanston vs. Rockford East

7:15 PM - Belleville West vs. Curie

Saturday, March 16
Session 3
Class 3A Finals
Third-Place - 11:00 AM
Championship - 12:45 PM

Session 4
Class 4A Finals
Third-Place - 5:30 PM
Championship - 7:15 PM

TICKETS
Purchase online
$6.50 per session
$8.50 per session
$10.50 per session
(MME admission is $2 or free with game ticket)


WATCH
Television
NBC Sports Chicago
NBC Sports Chicago PLUS+

Internet
NBC Sports Chicago
NFHS Network: www.IHSA.tv


LISTEN
Stations carrying all games:
WJOL 1340 AM (Joliet)
Online Broadcast

WRHL 1060 AM (Rochelle)
Online Broadcast

Stations carrying school-specific games:
WNTA 1330 AM (Rockford)
Rockford East games
Internet Broadcast

WROK 1440 AM (Rockford)
Rockford East games
Internet Broadcast
 

RESULTS & LIVE STATS
IHSA Boys Basketball Page


COUNTRY FINANCIAL 3-POINT SHOWDOWN
Thursday, March 14
5:00 PM - 3A/4A Prelims

Friday, March 15
12:35 PM - 3A Finals
7:00 PM - 4A Finals

Saturday, March 16
12:35 PM - King of the Hill


MARCH MADNESS
EXPERIENCE
2019 MME Info

Thursday, March 14
5:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Friday, March 15
10:00 AM - 8:30 PM
Saturday, March 16
10:00 AM - 6:30 PM


SPECIAL OLYMPICS
UNIFIED GAMES
Friday, March 15
Full Schedule

Unified games played in MME, awards follow final games. MME is located in the Peoria Civic Center Exhibit Halls


OFFICIAL STATE FINAL
Gear from Minerva

Photos from VIP

Balls from Wilson

Souvenir Program


SOCIAL MEDIA   #IHSA
Twitter - @IHSAstate

Instagram - @IHSA_IL

Facebook.com/IHSA.IL

Classic IHSA YouTube Video


STATE SUPPORTERS
Country Financial

Wilson Sporting Goods

Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano

Busey

Gift of Hope

Northern Iowa University

Gatorade

MaxPreps


HISTORY & RECORDS
Road to State

Record Book & Past Champions