In pursuit of state basketball title, Mount Carmel heads downstate for first time in 39 years

CHICAGO — Powered by a strong defense and fight back mentality, Mount Carmel High School is headed downstate for their first time in 39 years to compete for a state basketball championship.

“We found out a lot about these guys just in the past month,” said Mount Carmel boys basketball head coach Phil Segroves. “Sometimes when adversity strikes, some people crumble. Just this super sectional game on Monday night, we were down a great portion of the game. Not these guys, they won’t give up.”

In that super sectional game against St. Patrick High School, Mount Carmel trailed by four at the half and the game was tied at the end of the third and fourth quarters before the Caravan outscored the Shamrocks 14-4 in overtime to secure the victory.

Mount Carmel’s leading scorer and Northwestern University basketball commit, senior Angelo Ciaravino, said he feels a lot of pride in being a part of a team that could go on to write their names in the history books of Illinois high school hoops.

“I know we haven’t been here in so long. It’s awesome just seeing the community rally together and seeing everyone in school just getting excited about it,” Ciaravino said. “It’s just awesome being here for four years and finally being able to be a part of something special.”

The last time the Caravan made it this far in the IHSA playoffs was during the 1984-85 season. Then-Mount Carmel head coach Ed McQuillan’s squad beat Springfield’s Lanphier High School 46-44 in double overtime to win the AA boys basketball state championship.

White Sox bring back CPS Appreciation Days, free tickets for CPS families and employees

The Caravan (31-5) have a tough matchup when they arrive in Champaign Friday, as they’re set to take on a 35-1 Mount Zion squad.

But Mount Carmel will have reinforcements in the form of the team’s second-highest scorer making a return from injury.

“As soon as it happened I was like man, it might be done for me for the rest of the season,” said Lee Marks, a 6’5″ senior for Mount Carmel who was sidelined with an elbow injury back in early February. “But being with my teammates, they hyped me up and it’s feeling real good to be back.”

Mount Carmel takes on Mount Zion at the State Farm Center in Champaign, with tipoff set for 9:30 a.m. this Friday morning.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.