Once There Were Giants: How Tiny Hebron Won the Illinois High School Basketball Championship and the Hearts of Fans Forever

By Scott Johnson and Julie Kistler. Published 2002.

Everyone loves a story about a little guy overcoming the odds and winning it big. Maybe that's why Hebron High School's rise to the state championship in 1952 struck a chord with so many fans across the state and the nation.

But no victory comes without sacrifice, without hard work, without a little drama. The Hebron story mixes talented twins, spurred on by a pro-athlete older brother; a reed-thin, 6-10½ center, coming late to basketball but getting better with every game; two hot-handed outside shooters overcoming challenges of their own; and a "Little Napoleon" of a coach, utterly focused on putting together just the right ingredients to win a state championship and more importantly, to best his mentor.

Desire, devotion, dedication -- it all came together for the Green Giants in 1952. They did what it took. They won it all.

A DVD copy of the television broadcast (second half and overtime only) is available.