The number of teams opting out of the IHSA’s plan to continue with high school basketball this winter continues to grow, and that number includes four schools in the Big 12 Conference.
Last night, the Peoria Public Schools voted to follow state recommendations where basketball would be delayed until the spring. Last week, the Peoria Catholic Diocese also decided to opt out of playing winter basketball and follow state guidelines. Schools under Diocese control include Peoria Notre Dame, Bloomington Central Catholic, St. Thomas More and Schlarman.
Three Peoria public schools are part of the Big 12—Peoria High School, Manual and Richwoods.
The Peoria decisions leave only seven of the 11 Big 12 Conference teams still planning on playing this winter. Practices for the basketball season are set to begin on November 16th and games beginning in December.
Several school districts in the state, including public schools in Chicago and Decatur, have decided not to play high school basketball in the winter due to a substantial increase in COVID-19 cases around the state.
