Ayrton Oneill
The Illinois High School Boys Basketball State Tournament is a highly anticipated annual event, with the 2025 tournament taking place from March 13 to March 15. The tournament is a chance for the top teams from across the state to compete and create lasting memories. Fans can watch the games in person by purchasing digital tickets or by tuning in via live stream on the NFHS Network, either through a monthly or annual subscription. The games will also be broadcast on specific channels depending on the location, such as WEEK NBC 25.1, WEEK ABC 25.2, and WEEK CW 25.3 for viewers in Peoria.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | March 13-15, 2025 |
| Location | State Farm Center, University of Illinois, Champaign |
| Divisions | "Feeder/School" and "Club" |
| Teams | 16 Illinois High School Association boys basketball state finalists |
| Where to Watch | In-person with $13 tickets, or on WEEK NBC 25.1, WEEK ABC 25.2, WEEK CW 25.3, and NFHS Network |
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What You'll Learn
Live streaming on the NFHS Network
The Illinois High School Basketball State Tournament is a highly anticipated event, especially for the middle school championship, which features teams from all corners of the state. The 8th Annual Illinois Middle School Basketball Championship will be held in March 2025, with the top teams competing for the title.
If you're unable to attend the tournament in person, don't worry; you can still catch all the action live from the comfort of your home! The NFHS Network will be live streaming the tournament games. The NFHS Network is the nation's leading producer of high school sports, streaming over 300,000 events each year.
To access the live stream, you will need to subscribe to the NFHS Network. They offer flexible subscription plans, including monthly and annual options. This means you can choose the plan that best suits your needs and budget. By subscribing, you'll not only have access to the Illinois High School Basketball State Tournament but also to a wide range of other high school sporting events throughout the year.
So, whether you're a dedicated fan of a particular team or just enjoy watching high school basketball, the NFHS Network subscription will ensure you don't miss a single moment of the tournament. You can watch your favorite teams and players compete from the early rounds all the way to the thrilling conclusion of the championship game. Don't miss the chance to be a part of this exciting event and see the future stars of basketball showcase their talents!
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In-person tickets
If you want to attend the Illinois High School Boys Basketball State Tournament in person, you can purchase tickets online. The host venue, the University of Illinois, sells digital tickets for the state finals in Champaign, Illinois. Tickets are priced at $13 per session, and seating is general admission within assigned school sections. You can find the link to purchase these tickets on the University of Illinois website.
Please note that guests may not exit and re-enter the venue on the same ticket. If you leave the venue for any reason, you will need to purchase a new ticket to re-enter. It is also important to be aware of the venue's clear bag policy and plan your visit accordingly.
In 2024, the tournament took place from March 7 to 9, with sessions starting as early as 9:30 am and as late as 6:30 pm. The State Farm Center, the University of Illinois, and the Champaign-Urbana community welcomed the tournament.
In 2025, the tournament dates were March 13 to March 15. All 16 Illinois High School Association boys basketball state finalists played their games at the State Farm Center on the University of Illinois campus in Champaign. Fans could watch the semifinals and championships via IHSA broadcasts or stream them on computers or mobile devices through the NFHS Network.
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Championship divisions
The Illinois High School Boys Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held every spring. It is organised by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). The IHSA celebrated 100 years of the IHSA State Tournament in the 2006-07 season.
From 1908 to 1971, the tournament was a single competition involving nearly all high schools in Illinois. In 1972, the tournament was divided into two divisions based on school size: A and AA. Each division produced a separate champion. The IHSA Girls Basketball tournament is organised in the same way as the boys' tournament, except that the girls' tournament begins two weeks earlier.
In 1992, the IHSA added a three-point contest and a slam dunk contest (collectively called "The Happening") to the boys' basketball state series. After the Class 3A and 4A champions are determined, there is a final "King of the Hill" contest among the four class champions to crown the overall winner.
In 2008, the tournament format was changed again, this time to four separate divisions: 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A (with 4A being the larger schools). Under the current four-class system, teams are assigned to a class based on student population, with adjustments made for single-gender schools and schools that are not four-year high schools.
The 8th Annual Illinois Middle School Basketball Championship, held in 2024, featured two divisions: "Feeder/School" and "Club". The 7th and 8th-grade boys' divisions competed in Bloomington, with all other divisions playing in Champaign.
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Dates and times
The Illinois High School Association’s 2025 “State Series” tournament takes place over three days, with games continuing from Thursday to Friday, and four title games on Saturday. The games will air live on the NFHS Network, which you can subscribe to monthly or annually.
- Effingham (St. Anthony) vs. Chicago (C. Hope Academy), 9:30 a.m. Thursday
- Peoria (P. Christian) vs. Lanark (Eastland), 11:15 a.m. Thursday
- Third-place game, 9:30 a.m. Friday
- Championship, 1 p.m. Saturday
- Belleville (Althoff Catholic) vs. Chicago (Christ the King), 2 p.m. Thursday
- Chicago (Dyett) vs. Peoria (Manual), 3:45 p.m. Thursday
- Third-place game, 11:15 a.m.
The 8th Annual Illinois Middle School Basketball Championship will be held on the weekend of March 21-23, 2025, in Champaign and Bloomington (7th and 8th Boys). The tournament features two Championship divisions: "Feeder/School" and "Club", with competition for boys and girls in grades 4-8. Games will begin as early as 5 p.m. on Friday, with the latest Sunday games starting at 4:10 p.m.
The Southern Illinois Junior High School Athletic Association (SIJHSAA) is one of two governing bodies of junior high sports in Illinois. It sponsors 23 "state" tournaments at the 8th-grade level in various sports, including basketball. One of its basketball tournaments has a location of Rend Lake College, 468 North Ken Gray Parkway, Ina, IL 62846.
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Locations
The Illinois High School Basketball State Tournament is held across various locations in the state. The 8th Annual Illinois Middle School Basketball Championship, for instance, took place in Bloomington and Champaign. The Bloomington area hosted the 7th and 8th Boys Divisions, with all Semifinals and Championship games played at the Shirk Center, the home arena of the Illinois Wesleyan University men's and women's teams and the NCAA Division III basketball tournament. The Shirk Center arena can accommodate around 2,400 spectators.
Champaign, on the other hand, hosted all other divisions, including the University of Illinois' 10-court "ARC", located on campus next to Memorial Stadium. The State Farm Center, situated on the University of Illinois campus in Champaign, has also served as a venue for the Illinois High School Basketball State Tournament, hosting the Illinois High School Association boys basketball state finalists.
The Illinois Wesleyan University and the University of Illinois campuses offer spectators ample opportunities to immerse themselves in the vibrant tournament atmosphere while enjoying the thrill of competitive basketball. The host venues typically provide digital tickets for sale online, making it convenient for fans to secure their seats ahead of time.
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Frequently asked questions
The Illinois High School Basketball State Tournament takes place annually in March. In 2025, the tournament took place from March 13 to March 15.
The tournament is held in Champaign, Bloomington, and Peoria, Illinois.
The tournament games are broadcast on television over-the-air on WEEK NBC 25.1, WEEK ABC 25.2, and WEEK CW 25.3. They are also streamed online on the NFHS Network, NFHS.com, and IHSA.org.
Tickets are $13 per session and can be purchased online from the host venue, the University of Illinois.
