On Friday, March 15 and Saturday, March 16, Special Olympics Illinois athletes, Unified Partners, and coaches from across the state will gather at the March Madness Experience Hall at the Peoria Civic Center as part of the IHSA State Basketball Tournament.
To compete in the tournament, athletes must have trained for at least eight weeks. Senior/Male and High School teams qualified through one of four district tournaments in the state. All teams will play at least two games and the tournament will be played according to IHSA rules.
The public is welcome to attend this tournament. Tickets are $2.00 or free with a ticket to the IHSA Class 3A/4A games.
Game schedules as follows:
FRIDAY MARCH 15
Game 1 – 1:00pm on Court 1: Homewood-Flossmoor vs. Limestone
Game 2 – 2:30pm on Court 1: Andrew vs. Peotone
Game 3 – 1:10pm on Court 2: LaSalle Peru vs. Edwardsville
Game 4 – 2:40pm on Court 2: Vernon Hills vs. Stevenson
SATURDAY MARCH 16
Game 5 – 12:30pm on Court 1: Division 2 Championship Game
Game 6 – 12:40pm on Court 2 Division 2 3rd Place Game
Game 7 – 11:10am on Court 2 Division 1 3rd Place Game
Game 8 – 11:00am on Court 1 Division 1 Championship Game
Special Olympics Unified Sports combine athletes – with and without intellectual disabilities – as teammates to showcase the power of Special Olympics’ Unified Sports®, which helps unite communities and foster an environment of acceptance and inclusion.
More than a million people worldwide take part in Special Olympics Unified Sports® competitions, helping to break down stereotypes about people with intellectual disabilities. ESPN is the global presenting sponsor and official media sponsor of Special Olympics Unified Sports®.
The IHSA and Special Olympics Illinois jointly offer Unified Bass Fishing and Unified Basketball.