2015 IHSA basketball finals at Carver Arena in Peoria, IL. Photo by Jack McCarthy

Illinois’ high school state basketball finals will continue to play in Peoria.

Contracts for championship tournaments at Peoria’s Carver Arena and Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena were unanimously extended through 2020 by the Illinois High School Association board last Saturday.

The board reviewed host proposals from the University of Illinois, Bradley University and the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates.

In the end, the board backed five-year extensions beginning in 2016 in Peoria (boys) and Normal (girls).

“We felt that being centrally located is important,” said Dan Klett, Wauconda High School Principal and IHSA Board President. “There is incredible support from the venues, communities and volunteers for both of these tournaments. We were grateful to have excellent alternatives, but it was clear to our board that remaining at Redbird Arena and Carver Arena were the best option.”

Each venue hosts two tournaments, with smaller schools (Class 1A and 2A) and larger (Class 3A and 4A) playing on succeeding weekends.

The final tournament in this year’s state series and current deals— the Class 3A and 4A boys finals — concluded last Saturday in Peoria.

In addition to current locations, proposals included boys basketball at University of Illinois’ State Farm Center in Champaign, a pitch to host Class 3A and 4A boys finals at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates and a plan for the girls finals at Bradley University’s Renaissance Coliseum.

“The decision made by our board of directors was not an easy one,” said Kurt Gibson, IHSA associate executive director at a press conference. “Each venue and community made strong cases in their proposals.”

Redbird Arena has hosted the IHSA Girls Basketball State Finals since 1992, while the first Boys Basketball State Finals were contested in Peoria in 1996 after a lengthy run at the University of Illinois and then former Assembly Hall.