03/09/2023
BY JACK BULLOCK
CHAMPAIGN - The dates were 1989, 1999 and 2007.

Those were the years respectively that Tuscola, Waterloo Gibault and Teutopolis last made it to the state finals in boy's basketball.

Or back in the 'good ole days' where it was referred to as the 'Elite Eight.'

The Warriors upset Springfield Calvary, and future University of Illinois standout Rennie Clemons 86-84 to win the Class A Decatur Super-Sectional 34 years ago.

It was a game that old-timers from the area will remember for the incredible come-back.

Tuscola trailed 68-52 heading into the fourth quarter but rallied to pull off the shocker.

Fast forward to 1999.

Coach Dennis Rueter was in his 19th season at Gibault Catholic and the Hawks were on the doorstep of winning the school's only boy's basketball championship.

However a controversial call that went against Gibault in the final seconds set up Rock Falls' Brian Vance to nail a game-winning shot from the 3-point line for a 43-42 victory.

Coach Rueter is now in his 43rd season and only six wins shy of 800 for his career.

The Hawks history shows 16 regional titles and four sectional championships.

For the first time since the Wooden Shoes finished third in the final Class A state finals Teutopolis is in the Final Four.

All three of these ABV Area teams won Monday night to advance.

Only Tuscola had a relatively easy time of it.

Coach Justin Bozarth's club never trailed in eliminating Mounds Meridian, 74-53 to reach Champaign for a Thursday matchup against Scales Mound.

Teutopolis had to battle back after Pinckneyville rallied to take a late lead in regulation of the Carbondale 2A Super-Sectional.

However Coach Chet Reeder's club pulled off a 42-40 overtime win to break a seven-game super-sectional losing streak.

It was fitting the Gibault got over the Elite Eight hump after losing in their last two trips to the Jacksonville Super with a game-winning buzzer beater.

Kameron Hanvey, a senior guard for Gibault, canned a desperation 3-pointer just ahead of the horn to give the Hawks a 45-44 win over Glasford Illini Bluffs.

The Hawks will face Bloomington Cornerstone Christian Academy, a school in just its 16th year of existence.

The Cyclones are now 32-5 after hammering Chicago St. Francis de Sales, 58-28 to win the 1A Normal Super-Sectional.

Head coach John Schippert and his club won the East Central Illinois Conference this season going 7-0 and their postseason wins include a 62-41 win over St. Anne at Watseka to take home the program's first regional championship.

Consecutive wins over state-ranked Catlin Salt Fork (51-38) and Lexington (46-33) produced another first, a sectional championship at Heyworth.

The triumph over St. Francis de Sales was a contest that they never trailed in, rolling to a 39-13 halftime lead.

They hit 63.6 percent from the floor (21-of-33) in the win.

Six-two senior Jakson Baber and 5-11 senior Conner Scott are two of the team leaders of a senior based squad.

Six-two Cade Wolf and 6-0 Austin Henard along with 6-0 Noah Bricker are seniors that made school history.

The Hawks will counter with senior Kaden Augustine (16.9 p.p.g.), junior Kanen Augustine (6.1 p.p.g.) and senior Kameron Hanvey (9.3 p.p.g.).

Hudson Blank, a 6-1 junior (9.8 p.p.g.), and 6-3 junior Gavin Kesler (15.5 p.p.g.) have produced for a balanced squad that won a regional title at Dupo over Lovejoy and sectional wins over Payson-Seymour and Springfield Calvary before edging Illini Bluffs.

Tuscola, after a heartbreaking loss to Macon Meridian in the St. Anthony Sectional title game a year ago, outlasted Altamont to win in four overtimes Friday night in the sectional title game on the Indians home floor, before taking care of business in winning the super-sectional.

The Warriors trailed Altamont 31-16 in the third quarter before a 16-0 run got them back in the contest.

Jordan Quinn, a 6-4 junior guard, along with sophomores 6-3 Parker James, 5-8 Kam Sweetnam and 5-9 Josiah Hortin have been special so far in 2022-23.

Six-two senior Chris Boyd gives Coach Bozarth some size in the middle.

Scales Mound, the Warriors semifinal opposition, finished third in 2022 and are back in the finals again this year for Coach Erik Kudronowicz.

Six-two junior Thomas Hereau scored 23 points for the Hornets in their 60-56 win over Chicago Marshall on Monday night at the 1A DeKalb Super-Sectional.

Jacob Duerr, a 5-11 senior, scored 15 and 5-9 senior Charlie Wiegel added 10 in the super win.

The Hornets are now 32-5 and would like to improve on their third place finish a season ago.

Teutopolis left SIU in March of 2022 after being dominated by eventual state champion Nashville and the kids returning this year kept that in mind heading into Monday night's contest against Pinckneyville.

If you've ever been around that part of Effingham County you will have recognized the name Niebrugge and the Wooden Shoes this season had three of them playing significant roles on a team that is now in the Final Four.

Seniors James and Brendan along with junior Joey have been a big part of a season that culminated with a trip to Champaign.

Six-six senior Caleb Siemer adds size to a lineup that would love to win the program's first state title since the unbeaten 1985-86 team.

The Wooden Shoes will face Chicago DePaul College Prep and head coach Tom Kleinschmidt.

The Rams beat Chicago Perspectives/Leadership 50-46 at Joliet Central on Monday to make their second straight tournament finals appearance.

Guards junior PJ Cambers and senior Maurice Thomas are all-state candidates for the 21-12 team.