'CROWN THESE QUEENS': How Twitter reacted to Peoria Notre Dame's dramatic IHSA title win
Emy Wardle has etched her name into Peoria basketball lore.
The Peoria Notre Dame freshman hit a jumper in the final seconds to lift the Irish to a 48-46 victory in the Illinois High School Association Class 2A state championship game Saturday at CEFCU Arena.
It was the first state championship for the top-ranked program, eliciting reactions across social media all afternoon. We took a spin around X.com to see how fans reacted to the dramatic finish.
THE GAME: Peoria Notre Dame wins IHSA girls basketball state title on buzzer-beating jumper
The shot heard 'round Normal
Wardle's dramatic jumper was caught on video from multiple angles. Below are a few of those posted to X.com.
The first is from the Journal Star's Adam Duvall, who was courtside for the game-winner.
No. 1 @PNDLadyIrish wins the Class 2A state championship
PND 48, Nashville 46 Final
Emy Wardle’s jumper proves to be the game winner ⬇️#pjspreps pic.twitter.com/FUofd1r3Am— Adam Duvall (@AdamDuvall) March 2, 2024
The next is from Patrick Cunningham of WMBD-TV, who also got a great look at the handoff and screen set by PND's Kaitlin Cassidy.
The shot from Emy Wardle (@emy_wardle) that clinched Peoria Notre Dame's first state championship in program history. @PNDLadyIrish pic.twitter.com/1YblRLQMBj
— Patrick Cunningham (@pmc3_83) March 2, 2024
Peoria media stalwart Jim Mattson of WEEK 25 got a look from the opposite sideline, at court level. His look included a great reaction from the PND bench, which exploded in celebration after the shot.
"She can't drive a car yet," Mattson wrote, "but, she's now a Peoria hoops legend."
She can't drive a car yet---but, she's now a Peoria hoops legend.
Peoria Notre Dame freshman Emy Wardle with the state title game winning shot w 1.3 seconds left.
PND 48 Nashville 46 pic.twitter.com/4NADsrNMKy— Jim Mattson (@hoijim) March 2, 2024
The official IHSA account had video of the shot from behind the action. That vertical video caught a great reaction from the PND players as they mobbed Wardle at midcourt.
🏀2⃣0⃣2⃣4⃣ #IHSA GIRLS BASKETBALL STATE FINALS🏆
⁰CLASS 2⃣A | STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
🍀 Peoria Notre Dame 4⃣8⃣
🐝 Nashville 4⃣6⃣
⭐️PND-Emy Wardle (18 pts, GW shot w/ 1.3 seconds)
🥇🥈 Notre Dame wins Class 2A state championship, Nashville 2nd.
🔗Box▶️https://t.co/8VREIzwN8g pic.twitter.com/7S0v8XPCEY— Illinois High School Association #IHSA (@IHSA_IL) March 2, 2024
Feeling at home in Normal
Longtime Bradley fan Tony Seghetti shared a video from the Bloomington Pantagraph's Randy Reinhardt and pointed out that those named Wardle have had some recent success inside CEFCU Arena in Normal, also home court for Illinois State University.
The Irish roster includes Mya and Emy Wardle, the daughters of Bradley men's basketball coach Brian Wardle — who has won his last two visits to the Normal campus.
Now, the Wardle sisters are a very important recent 2-0 — as in two games at the state finals.
The Wardle family OWNS Redbird Arena*
*or whatever the hell it’s called now https://t.co/KBV8yRvjUK— Tony Seghetti (@TSeghetti11) March 2, 2024
Basketball names offer up some congratulations
Speaking of Wardle, the BU coach was in the crowd at CEFCU Arena. After the game, his oldest daughter Mya — a first-team all-stater — said she wanted the final shot to go to Emy.
"Future coach," Wardle posted, with a laugh. "All she ever cared about is winning and making everyone around her better,"
Future coach lol! All she has ever cared about is winning and making everyone around her better. @mya_wardle https://t.co/aMT0h1h5XZ
— Brian Wardle (@BrianMWardle) March 2, 2024
Peoria Notre Dame alum Mitch Gilfillan, who played his college ball at Lehigh and is now an attorney, posted his congratulations to the Irish.
"CROWN THESE QUEENS!," he posted along with crown and basketball emojis. "Team for the ages!"
CROWN THESE QUEENS! 👑 🏀
Congrats @PNDLadyIrish on their 1st Illinois HS State Championship in women’s hoops. Freshman, Emy Wardle, with the GAME WINNER! Team for the ages! @IHSA_IL@pndathletics @mya_wardle @emy_wardle @LexiBaer15 @BrigidDooley5 @kaitlincass21 @julia_mingus— Mitch Gilfillan (@mitchgilfillan) March 2, 2024
Peoria hoops icon Curley "Boo" Johnson, the former Harlem Globetrotters player, said it simply and directly after the game, posting two words: "EMY WARDLE!!!!!!!!!!!"
Yes. That's 11 exclamation points.
EMY WARDLE!!!!!!!!!!! https://t.co/uleDOQAVun
— Dr. Curley Boo Johnson (@BooCurley) March 2, 2024
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA basketball: Twitter reaction to Peoria Notre Dame buzzer-beater, state title