BOLINGBROOK - Talia Norman, a transfer forward from St. Louis, led with 14 points, while point guard Kiyoko Proctor added 13 as the seventh-grade girls basketball team from Alton Middle School won its second consecutive Illinois Elementary School Association state Class 4A championship 39-28 over Canton Ingersoll Thursday night at Brooks Middle School in Bolingbrook, a northwest suburb of Chicago.
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The Junior Redbirds extended their winning streak to 50 straight games with to go along with the championship. The last time Alton lost was on Nov. 20, 2017, in the regional final, losing to Bethalto Trimpe Middle School 22-10.
The Junior Redbirds led all the way through in the final, holding a 10-7 lead at the end of the first quarter, then going to a 22-13 advantage at halftime, and extending it to 32-18 after three quarters.
Proctor, a very good outside shooter, hit Alton's only three balls on the night, scoring twice from behind the arc, as part of her 13-point evening.
In addition, Jarius Powers scored eight points, Kaylee Lacy had four points, and Mayonna Banks hit for two points in helping Alton to the championship.
Allison Wheeler was Ingersoll's leading scorer with 10 points, with Ella Damier having eight points, Natalie Downing had six points, and Milly Oswald four.
Other members of the Alton team include Ava Harris, Kyridas Orr, McKenna McNamee, Jailiyah Wallace, Zariyah Gilmore, Jaylynn Smiley, Morissa Stark and Kya Ingram.
In the third- and fourth-place game, Taylorville won over New Lenox Marino 34-11.
The Junior Redbirds' eighth-grade team will be playing in their state finals this coming weekend at Macon Meridian High School in the Decatur area, playing in the first quarterfinal game at 10 a.m., and in the semifinals at 5 p.m. should they win. The final is set for Dec. 19 at 7:30 p.m.
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