| The Titans are the defending
tournament champions. Monmouth-Roseville
has appeared in the last two tournament
championship games winning last year's
over Lewistown but falling to Macomb in
2006.
Only five
times since the 1985 tournament has a
team from Monmouth won their opening
round game: 1985, 1991, 1998, 2006 and
2007.
The
championship run by the Titans last year
was no cake-walk as they trailed by eight
or more points in the second half in both
the semi-final and final games.
Ben Gillen
was named as last year's tournament MVP.
The Titan
post-season run was stopped in the
Sectionals by Peoria Manual who went on
to finish 2nd in the 2008 IHSA Class 2A
State Tournament.
In 2006's
semifinal, the Titans gave Farmington
their only regular season loss.
In their
two tourney appearances since Monmouth
and Roseville consolidated at the start
of the 2005 school year, the Titans have
always had representation on the
all-tournament team. Nathan McNeely was
named in 2005, Ben Gillen and Eric Grant
were 2006 honorees and Gillen along with
Brian Thompson made the squad in 2007.
Despite
being only 19 miles away from Western
Hall, Roseville had never been part of
the tournament's field.
Fred Hayes
(Monmouth) went 13 of 13 at the line in
1981. At 100%, Hayes shares the best FT%
record with five others.
In his
senior year (2000), Monmouth's Jake
Sottos made it three-straight selections
to the All-Tournament Team.
|
