No easy route: A look at four of the toughest sub-sectionals for Central Illinois basketball teams
- Jonathan Michel
- Jan 8
- 6 min read
March will be here in the blink of eye, which means the return of one of Central Illinois' most beloved traditions: playoff basketball.
Yet again, there are multiple state contenders in boys and girls hoops in and around the Peoria and Bloomington/Normal area. There have been at least one boys and girls basketball team from the area that has reached the IHSA State Finals in each year since the COVID-19 pandemic and any team that can continue that trend in 2026 will do so via one of the most battle-tested routes there is.
The IHSA says that its state series “is designed to determine a State Champion. The State Series is not intended to necessarily advance the best teams in the state to the State Final.”
As a result, several area squads who may be one of the state’s best could be eliminated as early as the regional championship due to Central Illinois’s strength.
Below is a look at four sub-sectionals involving area teams that look to provide highly-competitive pathways to CEFCU Arena and the State Farm Center.
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