Basketball Hall of Fame

Coached by Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Famer Chuck Buescher, Peoria High School won back-to-back Class AA state championships in his final two seasons at the helm.

Future NBA champion and Hall of Famer Shaun Livingston starred on both teams, but he had all-star support in 2002-03 from all-state point guard Daniel Ruffin, who would play for Bradley University, and in both seasons from defensive stalwart Brandon Lee, who signed with Northwestern.

In 2003-04, PHS finished 31-2 and was ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation. Among the Lions’ victims that season was Santa Ana (California) Mater Dei, ranked No. 2 by USA Today. Their only losses were to reigning Indiana state champ Indianapolis Pike and Aurora West. The IHSA Elite Eight was loaded, with all eight teams ranked in the final regular-season poll. Lee scored 21 points and sank the winning free throws in a 42-40 quarterfinal win over Chicago Farragut. The Lions then knocked off Carbondale in the semifinals and Homewood-Flossmoor in the championship game, when Livingston posted 27 points, 9 rebounds and only 1 turnover. Livingston, Lee and Jacob Motteler were named to the all-tournament team.