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America's Original March Madness rolls back into Peoria for the 22nd 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 at the Peoria Civic Center’s Carver Arena. The state semifinals will unfold on Friday, March 17 with the third-place and state championship games to follow on Saturday, March 18.
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 16. 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 18 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 first-ever Unified State Tournament as a part of the IHSA State Finals. The Unified games will take place in the March Madness Experience. The high school teams competing in the inaugural event include Homewood-Flossmoor, Hononegah, Metea Valley, Mt. Vernon, Plano, Princeton, Salem and Thornton.
The games and three-point shooting will air live on CSN Chicago, CSN Chicago+ and IHSA TV Network affiliates (click for local listings). The games will also be carried live on the internet via 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.
Lee Hall and legendary Bulls broadcaster Tom Dore will bring viewers the 3A action, while IBCA Hall of Famer Dave Bernhard and Gordon Tech/SIU standout Camron Smith step in to call the 4A games. CSN Chicago's Siera Santos and former Illinois State Redbird basketball player Katy Winge will handle the hosting and sideline duties.
The Class 3A field features of rarity of having the top four teams in the final Associated Press poll of the season all reach the state final field. #1 Morgan Park faces off against #3 Lanphier in one semifinal, while #2 Fenwick and #4 Bloomington meet in the other tilt.
Although recent top NBA picks Jahlil Okafor and Jabari Parker have departed, respectively, the tradition at Whitney Young or Simeon carries on. Both perennial powers return to Peoria, where they are joined by Bolingbrook and Fremd. Fremd could be a team of destiny, as it rides into its semifinal against Whitney Young with a perfect 31-0 record, including a Sectional Final buzzerbeater and OT Super-Sectional win, while Bolingbrook has been destined for state after spending much of the season ranked #1.
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
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TOURNAMENT HISTORY
110th year of State Series
10th year of 4-Class series
22nd year in Peoria
SITE
Carver Arena at the Peoria Civic Center (Peoria)
Directions
HOST
City of Peoria
Peoria CVB
SCHEDULE
Friday, March 17
Session 1
Class 3A Semifinals
11:00 AM - Fenwick
vs. Bloomington
12:45 PM - Morgan Park
vs. Lanphier
Session 2
Class 4A Semifinals
5:30 PM - Whitney Young
vs. Fremd
7:15 PM - Bolingbrook
vs. Simeon
Saturday, March 18
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
CSN Chicago & CSN+
Internet
NFHS Network: www.IHSA.tv
LISTEN
Stations carrying all games:
WEAI 107.1 FM (Jacksonville)
WJOL 1340 AM (Joliet)
Online Broadcast
WRHL 1060 AM (Rochelle)
Online Broadcast
Stations carrying school-specific games:
WFMB 104.5 FM (Springfield)
Lanphier games
Online Broadcast
WJBC 1230 AM (Bloomington)
Bloomington games
Online Broadcast
RESULTS & LIVE STATS
IHSA Boys Basketball Page
COUNTRY FINANCIAL 3-POINT SHOWDOWN
Thursday, March 16
5:00 PM - 3A/4A Prelims
Friday, March 17
12:35 PM - 3A Finals
7:00 PM - 4A Finals
Saturday, March 18
12:35 PM - King of the Hill
MARCH MADNESS
EXPERIENCE
2017 MME Info
Thursday, March 16
5:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Friday, March 17
10:00 AM - 8:30 PM
Saturday, March 18
10:00 AM - 6:30 PM
SPECIAL OLYMPICS
UNIFIED GAMES
Friday, March 17
1:00 PM
Mt. Vernon vs. Metea Valley
Salem vs. Thornton
2:30 PM
Princeton vs. Homewood-Flossmoor
Plano vs. Hononegah
Saturday, March 18
1:00 PM - 3rd Place
2:30 PM - Finals
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
Gatorade
MaxPreps
HISTORY & RECORDS
Road to State
Record Book & Past Champions
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