Titans defeat Trinity, set up state finals matchup with Washington

Glenwood defeated Trinity 46-35 Friday in the IHSA Class 3A girls basketball semifinal at CEFCU Arena. Alexis Neumann led the Titans with 20 points and 11 rebounds.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Ava Bobb makes a pass after diving for a loose ball in Glenwood's semifinal game against Trinity. Bobb, who finished the game with two points, a rebound, and three assists, contributed to the Titans' defensive pressure that held the Blazers to just 11 points in the first half.
NORMAL - A fast start and steady interior play carried the Glenwood Titans into the IHSA Class 3A state championship game Friday afternoon.

Glenwood built a commanding early lead and never looked back, defeating the Trinity Blazers 46-35 in the Class 3A semifinal at CEFCU Arena on the campus of Illinois State University. The Titans will face the Washington Panthers in Saturday’s championship game.

The Titans seized control early, outscoring Trinity 28-11 in the first half and setting the tone for the remainder of the contest. Junior Alexis Neumann led all scorers with 20 points and added 11 rebounds in a dominant performance. Neumann was flawless in the opening half, hitting all seven of her field-goal attempts, and finished the afternoon 10-for-13 from the floor. She also contributed five steals to help fuel Glenwood’s defensive effort.

Jemma Lamb added 16 points for the Titans, knocking down the team’s lone 3-pointer and converting 7 of 9 attempts from the free-throw line. Five additional Glenwood players chipped in points, while Stella Lopp provided work on the glass with six rebounds.

Glenwood led from the start after Neumann scored the game’s first basket just 25 seconds into the contest. The Titans’ advantage continued to grow throughout the game, reaching its peak at 23 points in the fourth quarter following a Neumann layup midway through the period.

Trinity struggled to find its offensive rhythm early, shooting just 22% from the field in the first half. Keyera Gamble paced the Blazers with 10 points and nine rebounds while also recording three blocks. Zaria Goins added eight points and two steals, and Destiny Sacluti finished with six points.

The Blazers, now 25-10, move into the third-place game where they will face St. Viator Lions, which fell to Washington 55-34 in the other semifinal.

Two years ago, Glenwood finished second after falling 60-44 to the Lincoln Railsplitters. With Friday's victory, Glenwood advances to Saturday’s Class 3A championship game today with a chance to complete its state tournament run with the program's first state title.


Photo Gallery

FINAL: Glenwood 46 - Trinity 35

More basketball coverage

TAG: Glenwood Trinity Class 3A semifinal recap, IHSA Class 3A girls basketball state tournament Glenwood win, Alexis Neumann Glenwood state semifinal performance, Glenwood Titans girls basketball state finals matchup Washington, CEFCU Arena Class 3A state semifinal game recap
Published on

Mt. Pulaski advances to Class 1A state title game with overtime win

Lady Hilltoppers punch their ticket to the Class 1A state championship game with a 47-40 overtime win.


NORMAL - The clock had already stretched past regulation when Mt. Pulaski found the moment it had been waiting for. The Lady Hilltoppers kept their nose to the grindstone in overtime Thursday to defeat Brown County 47-40 at CEFCU Arena and secure a place in the IHSA Class 1A girls basketball state championship game.

With the score tied 38-38 at the end of regulation, Mt. Pulaski wasted little time seizing control in the extra period. Audrey Cooper drilled a 3-pointer early in overtime to break the deadlock and shift the momentum to the Lady Hilltoppers. Mt. Pulaski pushed its advantage to five points before Brown County’s Kenzie Kassing answered with a pair of free throws on two separate trips to the line, trimming the deficit to 43-40.

From there, the Lady Hilltoppers leaned on composure at the stripe. Ella Martin and her sister, Elayna Martin, each sank two free throws in the final 36 seconds, sealing the victory and sending Mt. Pulaski to the program’s first state title game appearance in more than a decade.

The last time the Lady Hilltoppers reached the state finals came 13 years ago in 2013, when they fell 55-46 to Aquin High School in the Class 1A championship game.

Alyson Murphy led Mt. Pulaski’s offense with 18 points, while Elayna Martin added 14. Martin also helped control the boards, grabbing nine rebounds alongside teammate Olivia Smith, who matched that total.

Brown County now turns its attention to the third-place game, where it will face Rockford Christian. The Royal Lions were defeated 48-35 by Dee-Mack in the other semifinal Thursday.

Maggi Henry paced the Lady Hornets with 11 points and a game-high 16 rebounds, while Kenzie Kassing finished with nine points and five rebounds.

Mt. Pulaski will meet Deer Creek-Mackinaw in the Class 1A championship game Saturday morning, the first of four IHSA state title contests scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.


More basketball stories

TAGS: Mt Pulaski Brown County overtime state semifinal recap, IHSA Class 1A girls basketball state tournament CEFCU Arena, Mt Pulaski vs Brown County girls basketball overtime game, Lady Hilltoppers state championship game Deer Creek Mackinaw, Mt Pulaski girls basketball state finals appearance 2026
Published on

Resilience in the paint: Dee-Mack’s decisive victory the epitome of March basketball

In a performance defined by sheer willpower, Dalia DeJesus made her presence was felt on both ends of the floor in Dee-Mack's opening statement in their Class 1A state semifinal game.
Photos by Alan Look Photography
See more photos from this game.

Deer Creek-Mackinaw senior Dalia Dejesus dribbles past Rockford Christians' Shea Ludwig during their state semifinal game on Thursday at CEFCU Arena. Dejesus led the Chiefs with 31-points in the rout.
by Alan Look
Best Look Magazine


NORMAL - The beauty of March basketball isn’t always found in the fluidity of a fast break or the perfection of a swish. Sometimes, it’s found in the grit of a defensive stance and the steady hand of a player who refuses to blink under the bright lights of CEFCU Arena. On Thursday afternoon, the Deer Creek-Mackinaw girls' basketball team embodied that resilience, securing a 48-35 victory over the Rockford Christian to claim a Class 1A semifinal win.

While the Royal Lions jumped to an early five-point lead in the opening minutes, the narrative of the game quickly shifted toward the Chiefs’ interior dominance. The story of the afternoon belonged to Dalia DeJesus. In a performance defined by sheer willpower, DeJesus recorded a double-double, scoring 31 of Dee-Mack’s 48 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Her presence was felt on both ends of the floor as she added four blocks and four steals, effectively anchoring the Chiefs’ defensive effort.

Photos by Alan Look Photography
See more photos from this game.

Shea Ludwig takes a shot for Rockford Christian. The senior forward scored a team-high 11 points in the semifinal contest. Later, the Royal Lions faced Brown County in the third-place game, falling 59-47 to finish fourth in Class 1A.

Rockford Christian struggled to find a consistent rhythm against that pressure, shooting just 27.3% from the field for the game. Shea Ludwig provided a spark for the Royal Lions with 11 points, while Lucy Gargani added nine, but the team’s outside shooting went cold, finishing 2 of 14 from beyond the arc.

Dee-Mack’s separation occurred in the third quarter, a period when it found its offensive stride by shooting 56%. By the 4:06 mark of the third, the Chiefs had extended their lead to 16 points, a margin that proved too high for Rockford Christian to overcome. Despite a late push by the Royal Lions, Dee-Mack’s composure at the free-throw line, led by DeJesus’ 12-of-15 performance, sealed the result.

It was a game where the intangibles outweighed the aesthetics. Dee-Mack controlled the boards 29-24 and capitalized on second-chance opportunities to keep the Royal Lions at bay. For the Chiefs, this wasn’t just a win; it was a statement of poise. They led for more than 26 minutes of the contest, proving that when the stakes are highest, they have the defensive edge to match their offensive focal point.


Alan Look is a Central Illinois photographer with more than two and a half decades of experience documenting sports, agriculture, automotive subjects, editorial assignments, and commercial projects across the Midwest. His work blends high‑impact action photography with long‑form documentary coverage, creating a visual record of regional sports history, rural life, and the people and industries that define Central Illinois.

To view the complete visual story from the DeeMak-Rockford Christian game, visit the game gallery from Alan Look Photography.

More area basketball stories

Published on

Photo of the Day |
Aggressive rebound, SJO falls in first trip to state

Ashley [Runck] Krisman playing basketball for St. Joseph-Ogden
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Normal - St. Joseph-Ogden's Ashley Runck snatches a loose ball away from Breese Central's Lauren Budde during their Class 1A state quarterfinal game at Redbird Arena on January 23, 2007. In the final year of the girls' two-class system, the Spartans fell to the eventual state champion Cougars 56-39 in the state quarterfinals. It was deepest post season run for SJO since the start of the girls' basketball program in 1973. Runck led the Spartans (29-4) in the loss with 12 points. Twelve years later, the St. Joseph-Ogden girls' basketball program returned to Redbird, finishing third in Class 2A.


Past Photos of the Day

TAGS: Photo of the Day, St. Joseph-Ogden girls basketball team, SJO girls' basketball at state, Breese Central Cougars,IHSA basketball state finals
Published on

Redbird girls basketball team win program's first trophy at state, Alton defense suffocates Loyola in third-place game

Talia Norman holds up the team's third-place state trophy
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

A-Town's Talia Norman holds up the team's third-place state trophy after defeating Loyola Academy, 54-44. The Alton Redbirds celebrated taking home the program's first state trophy last week.
NORMAL - The Alton girls' basketball team etched its name in school history by defeating defending champions Loyola Academy 54-44 in the Class 4A third-place game at the IHSA Girls Basketball State Finals. Led by seniors Kiyoko Proctor, Jarius Powers, and Talia Norman, the Redbirds secured their first state trophy on Saturday, March 8, on the ISU Redbirds' home court.

"We've been chasing this moment for a long time," said Alton head coach Deserea Howard, surrounded by her team during the postgame conference. "Our biggest battle initially was just getting in the gym. This morning, we decided we would end on a win, and that's exactly what we did."

Howard emphasized that this season's team had prepared by adapting to various styles of play, stating, "You never know what to expect in a state championship (game)."

Since 2019, Alton's girls' basketball program has transformed from a four-win season to consistently achieving 30-plus wins the past three season under Howard. Despite being located in southern Illinois among a handful of Class 4A schools, Howard has molded the Redbirds into a formidable force.

Alton vs Loyola Photo Gallery

Reflecting on their journey, Howard noted the team's determination to finish on a high note after a hard-fought 61-65 loss to Kenwood in the semifinals.

"Yesterday, we discussed the pace and physicality of the game, which is our style. We knew it would be tough, but today we came out and played Alton basketball," Howard said.

Loyola struggled from the start against Alton's speed and size, managing just four points in the first quarter while shooting a dismal 14% from the field. Despite a fourth-quarter resurgence led by Emily Naraky, whose scoring sparked a shooting percentage increase to 63%, it wasn't enough to overturn Alton's strategic lead.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Loyola's Ellie Thompson pleads with an official to reverse a call during second half action against Alton in the Class 3A third-place game.

The moment was not lost on Howard and team members.

"It means a lot because I know how hard we've worked all these years," said Powers, who led the game with 16 points, eight rebounds, and two steals. "We definitely deserve this. I'm proud of how we executed."

Joining Powers in double figures were Proctor with 11 points, and Ja'Kayla Steen and Norman each contributing 10 points. Alton wrapped up the season with an impressive 34-3 record. For Loyola (34-4), seniors Aubrey Galvan and junior Marycait Mackie both scored 11 points, with Naraky adding 10 in their final game of the season.


More Sentinel Stories

Published on

State Basketball |
Peoria Notre Dame 32 minutes away from a repeat state title, Mt. Carmel sets sights on finishing 3rd

NORMAL - Peoria Notre Dame continued its dominance on the biggest stage, rolling past Mt. Carmel 61-35 in the Class 2A state semifinal at the IHSA Girls Basketball State Finals on Thursday at CEFCU Arena on the campus of Illinois State University.

The Irish, defending Class 2A champions, extended their winning streak to 15 games and remain undefeated in back-to-back state finals appearances. They advance to face the winner of the other semifinal between Phillips and Nashville in Saturday's championship game.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Peoria Notre Dame's Lexi Baer drives to the paint backdoor during the second half. The junior led all scorers with 18 points to help the Irish advance to Saturday's Class 2A title game.
Lexi Baer led the charge with 18 points and nine rebounds, powering Notre Dame's offense in key moments. Emy Wardle added 15 points, connecting on three of her four attempts from beyond the arc, while Julia Mingus chipped in 10 points to round out the team's top scorers.

Up by just three points at halftime, the Irish found another gear in the third quarter. Baer scored six points in the frame, while Alli Stickelmaier and Cora Heinz each contributed four points to help Notre Dame stretch its lead to 15. That surge put the game out of reach and sent the Irish back to the title game with a chance to repeat as state champions.

For Mt. Carmel, Maycee Randall delivered a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds, while Madison Stevens added eight points and seven boards. The Aces were making their first-ever appearance in the Final Four after a convincing 61-42 victory over Kankakee McNamara at the Unity Supersectional.

Despite keeping pace through the first half, Mt. Carmel struggled to contain Notre Dame's offensive pressure after the break. The Irish's ability to spread the scoring across multiple players and tenacious defense left little room for a comeback.

The Aces are back on Doug Collins Court Friday evening, hoping to take home the division's third place trophy at 6:30 PM on Friday.

Published on
Subscribe to: Comments (Atom)

Editor's Choice

Another season, another trophy, Rockets take third at state!

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks CHAMPAIGN - Members of the Unity Rockets basketball team hoist their third-place trophy after defeating Far...

More Sentinel Stories