It’s bracket season and, as the fans across the nation make their picks, we want to give a special shoutout to an amazing group of YMCA hoopers that represented Greater Joliet Area YMCA branches at the Illinois YMCAs Statewide 2-Ball Tournament Finals over the past two weekends.

Now in its second season, the Illinois YMCAs Statewide 2-Ball Tournament is made possible thanks to a dynamic collaboration between Illinois State Alliance of YMCAs, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), and the Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA).* Teams of two were able to “Shoot for State” by competing in a qualifying round hosted by a local YMCA, with finalists getting a chance to show off their skills under the bright lights of the IHSA Girls and Boys Basketball State Championships held at Illinois State University in Normal and the University of Illinois in Champaign.

We want to congratulate Morris YMCA Hospital YMCA members Ellie Porter and Remi Rickmon for sharing the 9U Girls Division title, as well as Morris Hospital YMCA members Andrew Wiley and Kaeden Martin (12U Boys Divsion) and C.W. Avery Family YMCA members Vinh Hasan and Mac Packard (10U Boys Division) for runners-up honors.

*Under the statewide theme, “The Dream Starts Here,” this collaboration brings together the resources and expertise of YMCAs across Illinois, the IHSA, and the IESA to inspire a new generation of leaders and athletes by promoting participation in youth sports statewide. Additionally, the initiative encourages young people to consider jobs and volunteer opportunities at the Y where they can gain valuable skills and hands-on experience to pursue career pathways in sports-related fields like coaching, officiating, and sports administration.