IHSA's March Madness -- Boys Tournament

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Boys Tournament

COUNTRY Insurance & Financial Services 3 pt. Showdown

COUNTRY Insurance & Financial Services continues to sponsor the exciting statewide basketball three-point shooting contest being conducted during both the girls and boys state tournament series.

COUNTRY Insurance & Financial Services Three-Point Showdown™ is the name of the contest, which was inaugurated in the 1992 boys state tournament series. It has become a significant vehicle in providing additional recognition for students who play basketball for their school.

Competition in 2008 begins for girls and boys in the Class 1A/2A and Class 3A/4A series at the regional tournament level and concludes with the crowning of the state's Queen and King of the Hill at the respective Class State Final Tournaments. This year the final class competition will be the weekend of the respective state final tournaments. The schedule will be: Class 1A/2A Girls February 21 and February 23; Class 3A/4A Girls February 28 and March 1; Class 1A/2A Boys March 6 and 8; and Class 3A/4A Boys March 13 and 15. Queen of the Hill will be Class 3A/4A weekend at Redbird Arena on Saturday, March 1. King of the Hill will be Class 3A/4A Boys State Final Tournament weekend at Carver Arena in the Peoria Civic Center on Saturday, March 15.

"The people at COUNTRY Insurance & Financial Services have taken great pride in being able to help us showcase the young people who represent so enthusiastically their schools and communities in the state basketball tournaments," said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman. "When we decided to develop some contests using the skills of the sport of basketball, the three-point shooting competition was a natural. Never in our wildest dreams did we envision the reception it would receive from basketball fans throughout our state. But you can sure tell how important the three-point shot has become in the game of basketball. I can't wait for the shooting to begin again this year."

Each school entering the 2008 IHSA girls and boys basketball tournament series this season may enter up to four (4) shooters in the competition. Prior to each game in the regional and sectional tournaments, and prior to each game in the sectional complex games, eight (8) shooters will compete against one another with the top four (4) scorers advancing to the next round. Rounds will be conducted in the bracket order of the respective level(s) of the tournament series. The shooters advance in the COUNTRY Insurance & Financial Services Three-Point Showdown independent of their team. Eventually, four (4) qualifiers from each of the Class 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A sectional tournaments will advance to their respective State Final Tournament.

A total of 64 shooters in each class will battle in the Thursday evening prelims of the COUNTRY Insurance & Financial Services Three-Point Showdown at the respective State Final Tournaments. The Class 1A/2A girls preliminary shooting will be on Thursday, February 21. The Class 3A/4A Girls preliminary shooting will be on Thursday, February 28. The Class 1A/2A boys preliminary shooting will be Thursday, March 6 and the Class 3A/4A Boys preliminary shooting will be Thursday, March 13. The field of shooters will be paired from 64 to 4 in each Thursday evening preliminaries.

In both the girls and boys series, the respective Class finals will be conducted between the games of the state tournament on Saturday afternoon. The overall COUNTRY Insurance & Financial Services Three-Point Showdown winner will be crowned each Saturday night.

"The involvement of the COUNTRY Insurance & Financial Services with basketball in our state is one we greatly appreciate," said Hickman. "I think that says a lot about the character of this company and the organizations with which IHSA associates. Many of the young people of our state who otherwise would never have a chance to compete on the hardwood at Redbird Arena or Carver Arena now do. Thanks to the tremendous support of those who work for COUNTRY, we can give the opportunity to experience March Madness® to many, many more young people."

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