The Normal Community boys basketball team will play for a state title Saturday night. It's their first trip to the finals since 2015.
The Ironmen defeated Palatine, 58-38, in Friday's Class 4A semifinal matchup at State Farm Center in Champaign. Normal Community's Braylon Roman led scoring with 19 points. Jaheem Webber added 15 points and had 12 rebounds and six blocks.
Normal Community will play in the championship game at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Champaign. They'll face Homewood-Flossmoor. Tickets are now available.
There will be a team sendoff starting at 4:45 p.m. Saturday as the team departs from NCHS to Champaign. The bus will turn left out of the NCHS parking lot on Raab Road and head west to Towanda Barnes Road. People are encouraged to line Raab with signs, window decorations and noisemakers. You're welcome to join the procession but all vehicles will obey the rules of the road.
NCHS coach Dave Witzig is in his 25th year as coach, reached 500 wins this year and this is their third trip to state. They took 4th in 2011 and lost in the 2015 championship game to Stevenson.
Unit 5 students and staff gave the Ironmen a royal sendoff Friday morning as they headed to Champaign:
