The 13th Annual MaxPreps Tour of Champions presented by the Army National Guard continued onward through Illinois on Thursday, Apr. 26 to honor
Belleville West (Belleville, Ill.) High School and its boys basketball team for winning a state championship and earning a high national ranking.
Photo By Precision Sports Entertainment
Having upended Whitney Young 60-56 in the
IHSA Class 4A state championship contest, the 32-2 Maroons claimed their first boys state basketball title, earned the No. 13 ranking in
MaxPreps' National Rankings and claimed a spot in the
MaxPreps Xcellent 25 Writers' Poll at No. 16!
MaxPreps and the Illinois Army National Guard joined forces in celebrating the basketball accomplishments of the Maroons, who completed their 101st boys basketball season by winning their final 15 contests. MaxPreps representative Ray Dungee kicked the school assembly off by recapping Belleville West's winningest basketball season yet. The Maroons smashed the single-season record for wins by eclipsing the 28 triumphs Belleville West claimed during the 2003-04 campaign.
Dungee then introduced Staff Sergeant Aaron Gentile of the Illinois Army National Guard, who talked briefly about teamwork, commitment to a cause and perseverance, all shared character traits of a state championship basketball team and the Army National Guard.
After receiving the Army National Guard national ranking trophy and nationally ranked rafter banner from SSG Gentile, Maroons head coach Joe Muniz was grateful, saying he was looking forward to next season and hopefully another invitation to the TOC. Muniz then expressed his gratitude and thanked MaxPreps and the Army National Guard for the prestigious award and the national recognition.
Congratulations to Coach Muniz and the Belleville West boys basketball team on a great season and for winning your first boys state basketball championship! Click
here to view the Belleville West TOC photo gallery and for more information about the Basketball TOC, please visit the
MaxPreps Tour of Champions site.
Photo By Precision Sports Entertainment
Photo By Precision Sports Entertainment
