About the Authors

Scott Johnson is an assistant executive director for the Illinois High School Association and the author of Once There Were Giants, the story of how tiny Hebron High School won the state title in 1952.

Curt Herron is a basketball historian and writer who has reported on boys' basketball for several newspapers in Chicagoland. He currently writes for The Star Newspapers in Tinley Park.

Pat Heston has researched and written about Illinois high school basketball for 45 years. His 1999 series, The Millennium Picks, took a look back at the outstanding games, coaches, and players in the IHSA tournament.

Jeff Lampe is a journalist and writer who has covered small-school hoops for three different newspapers, including the Peoria Journal Star. From 1996 to 1998, he wrote and published the Illinois Class A Weekly newsletter.

Bob Leavitt has worked as a sportswriter covering Illinois preps for 40 years. A University of Illinois grad, he’s written for the Champaign-Urbana Courier and, since 1969, for the Peoria Journal Star.