A pair of Iowa Hawkeyes basketball signees brought Moline to a place it has never gone before. The Maroons are Class 4A state champions in Illinois.
Moline hadn’t played for the state championship since a runner-up finish in the 1951 season. Before that, Moline registered fourth place finishes in 1934, 1935, 1945 and a third place finish in 1940.
Now, thanks to Iowa signees Brock Harding and Owen Freeman, Moline has risen above the rest. Moline (35-3) toppled Benet Academy, 59-42, to capture the school’s first state championship from inside the State Farm Center at the University of Illinois.
Harding led the way, scoring 28 points. Freeman added six points and nine rebounds for the Maroons en route to the crown.
“It still doesn’t feel real. People told me teams not from Chicago or the ‘burbs don’t win it. We came here and shut them all up,” Harding told the Chicago Sun Times afterwards.
Freeman, a 6-foot-10 forward, joined Moline this offseason. He transferred in from Bradley-Bourbonnais and brought state title hopes and expectations with him.
“It’s so special to bring the championship back to a town like Moline. The community has been great. I can’t wait to celebrate,” Freeman said.
The pair each signed with Iowa back in November alongside forward Pryce Sandfort.
Here’s some of the reaction to the state championship. Plus, another look at the pair’s recruiting profile.