Spring Valley JFK seventh-grade girls basketball to play for state championship

The Spring Valley seventh-grade girls are making the most of their first trip to the IESA Class 2A State Basketball Tournament.

The Wildcats have played their way to the state championship game with a pair of wins on Saturday at Riverton High School and two clutch free throws by Vivi Verucchi.

Yaz Mandujano hit a 3-pointer to tie the game and Verucchi made two free throws with four seconds left to send the the Wildcats to Thursday’s state finals with a 33-32 win over Springfield Christian in Saturday’s semifinals.

Mandujano (19) and Verucchi 13) accounted for all the JFK scoring in the game.

JFK opened with a 32-25 win over Sidell Salt Fork on Saturday morning. Mandujano led the Wildcats with 12 points, Verucchi had 10 points, Brynn Pellegrini had seven points and Miracle Wright added three points.

The Wildcats (27-1) will face Mt. Sterling Brown County (26-0) in the state championship game at 7:30 p.m. Thursday back at Riverton High School. Brown County beat Effingham St. Anthony 51-28 and Bloomingto Corpus Christi 43-17 on Saturday.

This is the first sectional championship and state appearance for the JFK girls.