Homewood-Flossmoor Vikings Score First-Ever State Championship

On Saturday, the Homewood-Flossmoor Varsity Boys’ Basketball team made history by winning their first-ever State Championship. The Vikings defeated Normal Community High School 60-48 in the Class 4-A State Finals. Vikings junior point guard Jayden Tayler has had a big shift since Friday’s game, notching 15 points and seven rebounds in the championship game. Immediately in the first quarter, Tyler put up two 3-pointers to set the tone. But the Ironmen were able to answer back with a 3-pointer by Braylon Roman and the 6-foot-9-inch center Jaheem Webber cleaning up a missed shot in the paint. Vikings’ Bryce Heard showed and proved to be a key piece for his team by scoring 21 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. In the second quarter, he found room for a slam dunk that electrified the State Farm Center in Champaign. The first half ended with Homewood-Flossmoor taking a 31-23 lead at the half. The Vikings used their speed against Normal’s many big men on the court. Senior Gianni Cobb caught a fast break for a quick 2 points in the third quarter. With less than a minute in the game, Donald “Mac” Hagemaster caught the ball off a fastbreak pass from Tyler. Webber...