Belleville East Finishes Third In Class 4A Finals, Loses In Semifinals To Nazareth Academy 54-65, Wins Third Place Game

BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL - Belleville East ended completed its incredible turnaround season by finishing third in the IHSA Class 4A state finals on Friday at CEFCU Arena on the campus of Illinois State University in Bloomington-Normal.

The Lancers lost in the state semifinals to LaGrange Park Nazareth Academy 54-36, but bounced back later in the evening to win the third-place game over Rolling Meadows 43-30 to finish its season at 30-6.

In the first semifinal game Friday afternoon, the Roadrunners held East to 24 points in the first three quarters, leading 19-10 at quarter time, 33-21 at the interval, and allowed only three points in the third quarter in taking a 46-24 lead after the third quarter. The Lancers did rally back in the fourth quarter, outscoring Nazareth 12-8, but it was the Roadrunners who advanced to the final, taking the 54-36 win.

Only four players scored for East in the game - Denaya Bartelheim, who led with 14 points, Ramiyah Young, with 10 points, Hailey Gray, who scored eight points, and Deasia Miller, who had four points.

In the third-place game later that night, things went much better for the Lancers, as they took a 16-8 lead after the first quarter, then led the Mustangs at halftime 20-14, and expanded the lead to 36-20 at three-quarter time. Rolling Meadows outscored East in the final quarter 10-5, but the Lancers prevailed in the end, taking the 43-.30 win and third place in the state.

Young led East in the game with 16 points, while Gray added 12 points, Bartelheim scored eight points, Willis had four points, and Vanessa Stacey hit for three points.

The Lancers end their season 30-6, while the Mustangs finish up at 22-12. The Roadrunners are now 34-3. and will play for the state championship against Wilmettte Loyola Academy, who won the second semifinal over Rolling Meadows 46-33, in the state final Saturday evening at 6 p.m. The Ramblers are now 34-2.

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