BLOOMINGTON - The Alton High girls basketball team has had their most successful season thus far, and on Monday night, the Redbirds will make more history as they play in the IHSA Elite Eight for the first time.
Alton, currently 32-2 on the season, will play Aurora Waubonsie Valley, who are 31-3, in the Illinois Wesleyan University super-sectional game tonight at 7 p.m. at the Shirk Center on the IWU campus in Bloomington, with the winner advancing to the state semifinals on Friday afternoon.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
The Redbirds have advanced to the state quarterfinal game by winning first the Collinsville regional, taking wins over Granite City 83-15 and Edwardsville 63-38, then dethroned last year's state champions O'Fallon in the semifinals of the Normal Community West sectional at Belleville West 51-41, then won the sectional final over Normal Community 66-56.
The Warriors advanced to the super-sectional by winning the Oswego East regional, taking wins over Oswego 57-43, and Downers Grove South 58-41, then won the Downers Grove North sectional, defeating the hosts in the semifinals 44-37, then defeated last year's runners-up, Lisle Benet Academy Catholic, 63-61 to move on to the Elite Eight.
The Redbirds are led by junior point guard Kiyoko Proctor, who's averaging 16 points-per-game, while forwards Jarius Powers has an average of 13.8 points-per-game, and Alyssa Lewis is averaging 10.4 points-per-game. Talia Norman has also contributed 7.9 points, while Kaylea Lacey has scored 7.3 points-per-game.
Freshman Madeleine Ducey has come off the bench to make a big contribution for Alton, averaging 3.3 points-per-game, and Kourtnee Evans, Kyridas Orr, and Justice Haynes have also come off the bench to help the Redbirds during their season.
The Redbirds-Warriors winner goes on to the state semifinals on Friday afternoon at CEFCU Arena at Illinois State University in Bloomington-Normal, going against the winner of the Hinsdale Central Super-Sectional, either LaGrange Park Nazareth Academy or Homewood-Flossmoor, in the first semifinal, tipping off at 2 p.m.
More like this:
