Bloomington High School earns long-awaited state finals berth

Posted on March 14, 2017

By Eric Stock

DeKALB – The Bloomington Purple Raiders clinched the boys basketball teams’ first state finals berth since 1975 with a convincing 69-46 win over Marengo in the Class 3A Super-Sectional at the Convocation Center at Northern Illinois University.

The No. 4-ranked Purple Raiders jumped out to a 20-6 first half-lead before the Indians responded with a 13-0 ruin sparked by a 30-foot shot from Mike Volkening as Marengo trimmed Bloomington’s edge to 25-24 at halftime.

PODCAST: Listen to the postgame interview with BHS coach Micheal Mosley on WJBC.

BHS (26-4) used it depth and full-court pressure to force 26 Marengo turnovers and outscore the Indians 29-10 in the fourth quarter.

Bloomington was led by Dazon Farris’ who scored 22 points. Patrick Fisher added 15.

Volkening led Marengo with 20 points, four below his season average. The Indians shot 33 percebt from the field while the Purple Raiders connected on 44 percent of its field goal tries.

The Purple Raiders will meet Oak Park (Fenwick) in the Class 3A semifinals at 11 a.m. Friday.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].

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