Special Olympics crowns basketball champions

Special Olympics Illinois crowned its state champions at a state basketball tournament which was played March 14-16.

Athletes from the Union County area were among those those who received honors at the tournament.

The tournament was played at Illinois State University’s Horton Field House in Normal and Illinois Wesleyan University’s Shirk Center in Bloomington.

More than 1,600 athletes competed on 132 teams and in individual skills competition at the tournament.

Athletes participated in five categories of play and were divisioned within each category based on their age and skill level:

Senior/male: 63 teams including at least one male player 16 years or older.

Female: 20 all-female teams with players 16 years or older. 

High school: 35 teams with players of high school age.

Junior: 14 teams including male and female players under the age of 16.

Individual skills: About 225 athletes tested their abilities in dribbling, passing and shooting.

Young athletes: Seven young athletes aged 6-7 demonstrated their individual skills abilities.

To compete in the state tournament, athletes must have completed eight weeks of training.

Senior/male and high school teams qualified through district tournaments in the state. 

Winners from the Union County area are named below by category:

Basketball Senior Male Team Competition

The Panthers, a team from Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna, won first place.

Members of the team included Eric R. Baumann of Vienna, Markilos Brooks of Anna, Robert Burk of Anna, Lucas Etherton of Murphysboro, James Greenwell of Anna, Linda Higgins of Anna.

Norman Jordan of Anna, Brian Kelly of Anna, Rockwell McKean of Anna, Jasper Peterson of Anna, Stanley Tate of Anna, William Walker of Anna and Charles (Charlie) Washington of Anna.

Basketball Individual Skills

Brock Hensley of Buncombe, representing Goreville School, won first place.

Basketball Senior Female Team Competition

The Lightning Bugs from Marion won first place. Members of the team included Callie Diane Nigro of Anna and Marisa Prendergast of Anna.

Special Olympics Illinois is a not-for-profit organization offering year-round training and competition in 19 sports for nearly 21,500 athletes with intellectual disabilities and more than 18,000 young athletes ages 2-7 with and without intellectual disabilities.