The Illinois High School Association’s boys basketball State Finals moved from Peoria to Champaign last year. The venue change coincided with a format change. Instead of two weekends of two days (one for Class 4A and 3A and one for Class 2A and 1A) all four classes play over three days.
Attendance was falling every year in Peoria. The last few years before the two-year COVID hiatus were particularly bleak, but the IHSA’s premier event is on the rebound.
