IHSA is expected to change its basketball state finals. Here's the proposed new schedule
Critics of the Illinois High School Association basketball state finals time schedule seem to have gotten their wish.
The IHSA is expected to adopt a revised state finals schedule starting in the 2024-25 boys and girls basketball seasons, guaranteeing each semifinal team a two-day experience — semifinals on one day and a consolation or championship game on another.
The IHSA basketball advisory committee set forth this recommendation during its annual meeting in April, the minutes of which were posted May 14 at ihsa.org. The IHSA board of directors needs to approve this recommendation for it to go into effect. The board next meets in June.
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What is the new IHSA basketball state finals format?
Under the proposed format, each finals site would play six games on Thursday, five on Friday and five on Saturday. The boys finals are at State Farm Center in Champaign and the girls finals at CEFCU Arena in Normal. Contracts for both were extended last month.
The anticipated boys schedule will look like this:
Session 1: 9:30 a.m. Thursday - Two Class 1A semifinals
Session 2: 2 p.m. Thursday - Two Class 2A semifinals
Session 3: 6 p.m. Thursday - Two Class 3A semifinals
Session 4: 9:30 a.m. Friday - Third-place games for Class 1A, 2A and 3A
Session 5: 6:30 p.m. Friday - Two Class 4A semifinals
Session 6: 9:30 a.m. Saturday - Class 4A third-place game
Session 7: 1 p.m. Saturday - Class 1A and Class 2A state title games
Session 8: 6 p.m. Saturday - Class 3A and Class 4A state title games
The proposed girls schedule would be:
Session 1: 9:30 a.m. Thursday - Two Class 1A semifinals
Session 2: 2 p.m. Thursday - Two Class 2A semifinals
Session 3: 6 p.m. Thursday - Two Class 3A semifinals
Session 4: 9:30 a.m. Friday - Class 1A third-place game
Session 4: 11:30 a.m. Friday - Two Class 4A semifinals
Session 5: 6 p.m. Friday - Class 2A and 3A third-place games
Session 6: 9:30 a.m. Saturday - Class 4A third-place game
Session 7: 1 p.m. Saturday - Class 1A and Class 2A state title games
Session 8: 6 p.m. Saturday - Class 3A and Class 4A state title games
What is the old IHSA basketball state finals format?
The old format, which began with the 2022 state finals, consisted of small-school semifinals and third-place games on Thursdays followed by the large-school semifinals and consolation contests on Fridays. All four championship games were played on Saturday.
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Why is the IHSA making the change?
Pleasant Plains boys basketball coach Kyle Weber, who is on the advisory committee, said there was apprehension for teams that lost in state semifinals and then had to turn around and play a third-place game on the same night.
"I don't want to speak for everyone on the committee," Weber said, "but I know some of the concerns were for that group that played in the third-place game. One, the quick turnaround time, especially for like the (Class) 2A teams and the (Class) 4A teams ... from the semifinal loss to the third-place game, and then the whole one-day experience where this new format, if it passes, (teams) would have another day (at the state finals)."
Said the IHSA committee in its meeting minutes: "The committee continues to favor a scheduling approach that provides a two-day state finals experience for the competing teams. The committee believes this approach will be better for the student-athletes and not infringe on the final day of championship games."
Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA basketball state finals time schedule changes, two-day format all teams
