Robinson girls advance to basketball state finals
Feb. 27—The Robinson Maroons girls basketball team has advanced to the Illinois High School Association State Finals for the first time in school history.
Coach Scott Zane's squad beat Peotone 45-36 on Monday night to win the Class 2A Tolono Unity Super-Sectional title. Robinson's record improved to 28-5, while Peotone finished 27-5.
The victory sends the Maroons into the IHSA state finals at CEFCU Arena in Normal, Ill., where they'll face Nashville at 3:45 p.m. CST in the semifinals. In the other Class 2A semifinal, Wilmette Regina Dominican faces Peoria Notre Dame at 2 p.m. CST Thursday.
The semifinal losers play the consolation game at 7:45 p.m. Thursday. The winners advance to Saturday's 1 p.m. championship.
"We're just incredibly thrilled to be here," Maroons coach Scott Zane said during a state finals teleconference Tuesday morning.
In Monday's Super-Sectional, Robinson got 16 points from Elizabeth Shea, 14 from Katelyn Jones and 13 from Marisa Zane. The Maroons rallied from a 9-6 first-quarter deficit to lead Peotone 22-18 at halftime and 33-28 after three quarters of play. Madi Schroeder was Peotone's lone double-digit scorer with a game-high 19 points.
Robinson's state finals semifinal opponent, Nashville, carries a 32-3 record after winning the Class 2A Vandalia Super-Sectional on Monday, topping Camp Point Central 41-32. Nashville plays in the Southern Illinois River-to-River Mississippi Conference.
Nashville, ranked No. 3 in the final Class 2A poll, was led by sophomore Emma Behrmann with 14 points in Monday's Vandalia Super-Sectional win.
Robinson, a member of the Little Illini Conference, and Nashville have a common opponent this season — Fairfield. The Maroons beat Fairfield twice, 40-36 in overtime Nov. 24 and 38-23 on Feb. 12. Nashville beat Fairfield 54-17 on Nov. 29.
Mark Bennett can be reached at 812-231-4377 or mark.bennett@tribstar.com.
