Illinios prep basketball matchups
CLASS 1A MATCHUP
MADISON (23-7) vs. SESSER-VALIER (25-9)
When, where: 2 p.m. today, Carver Arena in Peoria, Ill.
Up next: Catlin Salt Fork (31-1) or Lanark Eastland (28-4)
Notes: Madison, No. 7 in the Post-Dispatch small-schools rankings and No. 6 in the Illinois Associated Press Class 1A state poll, is making its eighth state appearance and first since 1997 when the Trojans, under coach Al Collins, lost to Normal University High 68-60 in the then-Class A quarterfinals. The school in 1981 won the state Class A title under coach Larry Graham, now an assistant women’s coach at Lindenwood University. The Trojans also won a state crown in 1977 (Graham) and finished fourth in 1980 (Graham). … The Red Devils are making their first state appearance. This comes on the heels of them winning their first sectional championship and supersectional title. They’ve won three straight regional crowns. Six-foot-five senior center Justin Matyi is their top scorer (20.2 points per game) and rebounder (8.5) and their lone scorer in double figures. The town of Sesser is about 100 miles southeast of St. Louis, just west of Rend Lake.
CLASS 2A MATCHUP
BREESE CENTRAL (30-3) vs. PEORIA MANUAL (23-7)
When, where: 6:30 tonight, Carver Arena in Peoria, Ill.
Up next: Hales Franciscan (28-2) or Robinson (25-5)
Notes: Central, which will bring home its first boys basketball trophy, is No. 3 in the small-schools rankings and No. 7 in the Illinois Associated Press Class 2A state poll. It’s the school’s fourth state appearance (all under Stan Eagleson), and first since 2005, when the Cougars fell to Winnebago 71-66 in the quarterfinals. … Central’s big three of 6-foot-7 David Wiegmann, 6-6 Brandon Book and 6-5 Garrett Gaffner are averaging 18.8, 12.4 and 12.3 points per game respectively. Gaffner is the rebounding leader at 7.6 per outing, followed by Book (6.1) and Wiegmann (5.2). … Manual, No. 2 in the AP poll, has won five state titles (1930, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997), finished second three times (1913, 1991, 2008), third twice (1986, 1988) and fourth three times (1917, 1961, 1972). … Six-foot-three senior guard Lawrence Alexander is the team’s scoring leader (15.4 ppg), while 6-5 junior Andrew Jordan averages 10.6 points and 5.8 rebounds.
Popularity: unranked
