Tomorrow is championship Saturday. Four championship games Class 1A to Class 4A!!!! Should be an exciting day and some of these young men will become legends by tomorrow night in the state and their hometowns. Here we go:
Class 1A:
Meridian (Mounds) (26-8) vs West Central (Winchester) (35-3): Antonio Flenpid Jr, the 18 year old freshman is already a legend in Mounds and now all over the state. His story about wandering on the streets of Mounds for almost 2 years before asking for help, getting back in school, and IHSA ruling him eligible in January. He has one more year of eligibility left in Illinois. He's a double/double machine on the basketball court and will be a load for West Central. They also have senior Will Thurston who can knock down threes along with sophomore Javionne Ransom. West Central has won 29 straight games against Illinois opponents along with a diamond press they use to get back into the game. Star is senior Zack Evans who's looking for a big game after so so semifinal. Senior Chance Little took up the slack with a huge scoring game in semifinals. Both teams looiking for their first title. Should be huge battle on the glass.
Meridian (Mounds) starters:
Javionne Ransom, 5'8" senior guard
Shamar Easley, 5'8" junior guard
Cole Kaufman, 6'2" senior forward
Will Thurston, 6'2" senior forward
Antonio Flenoid Jr, 6'3" freshman center
West Central (Winchester Coop) starters:
Mason Berry, 6'0" senior guard
Ryker Ford, 6'0" sophomore guard
Carson Brown, 6'2" junior forward
Zack Evans, 6'2" senior forward
Chance Little, 6'4" senior forward
Class 2A:
Wendell Phillips Academy (Chicago) (24-9) vs Benton (32-3): Phillips has a lot of speed, quickness , and pressure. They are looking to bring another title back to the Chicago Public League. Senior Michael White is hobbled with ankle injury so let's see if he'll start? Phoenix Childs had his second straight productive offensive game in semifinals. Benton has good guards Isaac Billington had a good scoring semifinal. and a mismatch big man in 6'8" junior Docker Tedeschi. Benton will likely try to use him to bring Phillips big man 6'6" sophomore Claude Mpouma and make him guard in space. Benton will have to take care of the ball to win the title. Phillips will have to shoot well, pressure the ball, and get some break outs in the open court. Phillips is looking for their first state title since 1975, Benton has never won a title.
Wendell Phillips Academy starters:
Michael White Jr, 5'10" senior guard
Amari Edwards, 5'9" junior guard
Lawrence "EJ" Horton, 6'2" junior guard
Phoenix Childs, 6'4" junior guard
Claude Mpouma, 6'6" sophomore forward
Benton starters:
Isaac Billington, 6'1" senior guard
Grant Owens, 6'0" junior guard
Luke Melvin, 6'1" senior guard
Evan Munoz, 6'3" senior guard
Docker Tedeschi, 6'8" junior forward
Class 3A:
Mount Carmel (Chicago) (32-5) vs DePaul College Prep (Chicago) (34-2): Chicago Catholic League Blue Rivals meet for all the marbles. DePaul Prep won by 3 on their home court just a few weeks ago. Mount Carmel is looking for something rare, winning football and basketball state titles in the same school year. To add they also won the wrestling title so great sports year for that school. Grant Best held the fort down in first half today as Northwestern commit Angelo Ciaravino was in foul trouble. Lee Marks III came off the bench after being out for weeks with elbow injury. He's been a starter all year. DePaul College Prep put the clamps on Richwoods (Peoria) star Lathan Sommerville in semifinals with their pack line defense. Their guards controlled the tempo Makai Kvamme and PJ Chambers. This will be a knockdown drag out war. Note: DePaul Prep's only two losses are to the Class 4A Finalists Homewood Flossmoor and Normal Community. DePaul Prep is looking for their second straight title but in a different class. They were in Class 2A last season. This is their 4th trip in 6 years to state finals. Mount Carmel is looking for their first title since 1985 the last time they made it to state finals. Two former Kenwood Academy (Chicago) players have a chance at a title. One of them will win. Mister (Mount Carmel), Walls (DePaul College Prep).
Mount Carmel (Chicago) starters:
Noah Mister, 6'1" sophomore guard
Grant Best, 6'2" junior guard
Christian Uremovich, 6'7" senior forward
Cameron Thomas, 6'2" junior guard
Angelo Ciaravino, 6'6" senior guard
DePaul College Prep (Chicago) starters:
Makai Kvamme, 6'2" junior guard
Rob Walls, 6'2" junior guard
PJ Chambers, 6'2" senior guard
Jaylan McElroy, 6'7" senior forward
Rashaun Porter, 6'6" sophomore forward
Class 4A:
Normal Community (32-5) vs Homewood Flossmoor (32-4): Both teams feel they are a team of destiny for different reasons. Normal for the miracle win in Sectional final vs Quincy, Homewood Flossmoor for their resiliency all season. Normal has the biggest team in the state and they used it in semifinal win over Palatine. Had a 32-13 rebound advantages and senior Wright State commit Jaheem Webber had a double/double of 15 points 12 rebounds with 6 blocks. Controlled the paint. Guard Braylon Roman loosened up the defense with 19 points and 3 threes. Homewood Flossmoor did not shoot well vs New Trier (Winnetka), but pulled out the win. Columbia commit Gianni Cobb did not play well offensively but had the biggest play of the game, a steal, score, and the foul. Converted the free throw to put it away. Junior Bryce Heard was the star of the game hitting mid rang pull-ups consistently. He had 16 points and 7 rebounds. Homewood Flossmoor will have to use their quickness to counteract the size of Normal Community. Homewood Flossmoor and Normal Community looking for their first titles.
Normal Community starters:
Niko Newsome, 6'6" senior guard
Braylon Roman, 6'4" senior guard
Dexter Niekamp, 6'4" senior forward
Noah Cleveland, 6'8" senior forward
Jaheem Webber, 6'10" senior center
Homewood Flossmoor starters:
Jayden Tyler, 5'9" junior guard
Gianni Cobb, 6'0" senior guard
Bryce Heard, 6'6" junior guard
Carson Brownfield, 6'3" senior guard
Donald "Mac" Hagemaster, 6'8" senior center