Marquette 7th grade boys basketball team finishes IESA 7-1A runner-up

At East Peoria on Thursday night, Marquette Academy’s seventh grade boys basketball team dropped a 40-32 decision to West Lincoln-Broadwell in the IESA Class 7-1A championship game at East Peoria Central Junior High School.

Bradyn Hermann led the Knights with a game-best 14 points, followed by Tate Hopkins with 12, Baron Hellman with four and Jerard with two.

The Knights, with a roster including Mario Bernabei, Noah Novotney, Cash Biba, Hunter Heuser, Griffin Novotney, Bradyn Hermann, Isaac Bullock, Baron Hellman, Tate Hopkins, Jerard Cooper and William Biggins, finish the season with a record of 23-3.

Marquette’s eighth grade boys basketball team – 20-1 on the season after winning regional and sectional titles – also qualified for the IESA’s Class 8-1A State Tournament hosted by Warrensburg-Latham. Marquette’s 8s open with a Saturday afternoon quarterfinal matchup against Pana Sacred Heart. With a win, Marquette would play in the 6:30 p.m. semifinals, with the finals scheduled for Thursday.