Benton Consolidated High School in Benton is home to two of the most historic basketball venues in all of Illinois.
The East Gym is the school’s original gymnasium and still in use for gym classes, lower level games and other events as overflow dictates. Venerable Benton High School coach Rich Herrin spent many years roaming the sidelines in the East Gymnasium, coaching the likes of Rich Yunkus, a future All-American at Georgia Tech who was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks, along with future Olympian, NBA player and NBA coach Doug Collins. Herrin began coaching the Rangers in 1960 and won 512 games in 25 years.
The East Gym gave way to a new facility