High School Sports

VOTE: Who’s the best high school state basketball champion in southwestern Illinois?

Belleville News-Democrat

Vote for the Belleville News-Democrat’s Best State Basketball State Champion. Poll closes at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, March 24. To vote again, hit refresh.

To be clear, this poll is not scientific. In fact, we invite you to vote as many times as you want. It’s all for fun, BND readers. People also may submit the same athlete from week to week.

We are planning to post the results later this week after the poll closes.

Thanks for your responses! If you’re having any trouble viewing the poll, try turning off your ad blocker.

Here are the candidates:

  • 1939-40 Granite City boys: 29-5 record. Beat Herrin 24-22 in title game.
  • 1941-42 Centralia boys: 34-6 record. Beat Paris 35-33 in title game.
  • 1947-48 Pinckneyville boys: 33-1 record. Beat Rockford (East) 65-39 in title game.
  • 1960-61 Collinsville boys: 32-0 record. Beat Harvey Thornton 84-50 in title game.
  • 1964-65 Collinsville boys: 30-2 record. Beat Quincy 55-52 in title game.

  • 1974-75 Venice boys: 32-2 record. Beat Elmhurst 65-46 in Class A title game.

  • 1976-77 Madison boys: 29-3 record. Beat Aurora (Central Catholic) 71-55 in Class A in title game.
  • 1977-78 Nashville boys: 30-3 record. Beat Havana 54-38 in Class A title game.
  • 1980-81 Madison boys: 24-2 record. Beat Dunlap 58-47 in Class A title game.
  • 1981-82 East St. Louis Lincoln boys: 29-1 record. Beat Chicago Mendel 56-50 in Class AA title game.
  • 1986-87 Venice boys: 29-3 record. Beat Okawville 56-54 in Class A title game.
  • 1987-88 East St. Louis Lincoln boys: 29-4 record. Beat Chicago St. Francis de Sales 60-52 in Class AA title game.
  • 1988-89 Carlyle boys: 32-3 record. Beat Rock Island Alleman 65-56 in Class A title game.
  • 1988-89 East St. Louis Lincoln boys: 29-4 record. Beat Peoria High School 59-57 (3 OT) in Class AA title game.
  • 1989-90 Wesclin boys: 30-3 record. Beat Faibury Prairie Central 83-78 (2 OT) in Class A title game.
  • 1992-93: Staunton boys: 27-4 record. Beat Chicago Hales Franciscan 66-62 in Class A title game.
  • 1993-94 Pinckneyville boys: 33-2 record. Beat Eureka 67-65 in Class A title game.
  • 2011-12 Breese Central boys: 34-1 record. Beat Normal University 53-47 in Class 2A title game.
  • 2015-16 Althoff boys: 32-2 record. Beat New Lenox Lincoln-Way West 62-37 in Class 3A title game.
  • 2017-18 Okawville boys: 27-8 record. Beat Annawan 59-48 in Class 1A title game.
  • 2017-18 Belleville West boys: 32-2 record. Beat Chicago Whitney Young 60-56 (OT) in Class 4A title game.
  • 2018-19 East St. Louis Sr. boys: 30-6 record. Beat Chicago Bogan 68-63 (OT) in Class 3A title game.
  • 2018-19 Belleville West boys: 34-4 record. Beat Evanston Township 71-59 in Class 4A title game.
  • 2021-22 Nashville boys: 30-4 record. Beat Monticello 32-31 in Class 2A title game.
  • 1979-80 East St. Louis Lincoln girls: 31-0 record. Beat Chicago Marshall 64-47 in the Class AA title game
  • 1993-94 Okawville girls: 32-2 record. Beat Woodhull AlWood 80-68 in Class A title game.
  • 1995-96 Carlyle girls: 32-2 record. Beat Carthage 86-50 in Class A title game.
  • 1996-97 Carlyle girls: 33-0 record. Beat Teutopolis 57-48 in Class A title game.
  • 2006-07 Breese Central girls: 30-4 record. Beat Rochester 47-41 in Class A title game.
  • 2012-13 Nashville girls: 33-2 record. Beat Champaign St. Thomas More 42-29 in Class 2A title game.
Vote for the Belleville News-Democrat’s Best State Champion Since 1980. Poll closes at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, March 24. To vote again, hit refresh.
Vote for the Belleville News-Democrat’s Best State Champion Since 1980. Poll closes at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, March 24. To vote again, hit refresh. Provided

This story was originally published March 22, 2022 at 5:00 AM.

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