Schutt Sports and the Illinois High School Association today announced that the “Official Rim of IHSA Basketball” is being manufactured by the Central Illinois company.

Rims manufactured by the Litchfield-based company will be used in both the IHSA Girls and Boys State Final Basketball Tournaments, and on the baskets at the center courts and interactive venues in the March Madness Experience in the Peoria Civic Center during the weekends of the two boys tournaments. Schutt Sports is sponsor of the Thunder Zone venue. And the company is now sponsor of the Schutt Sports Slam Dunk Spectacular competition held in conjunction with the boys state finals.

“We are excited about this new relationship with another company whose roots are deep into interscholastic athletics, particularly America’s Original March Madness,” said IHSA Executive Director Dr. Martin L. Hickman. “Many of the innovations in athletic equipment are the result of the imagination of people who played on or coached IHSA teams. Schutt Sports brings that history not only to students in IHSA schools, but to high school athletes across America.”

Schutt Sports, with corporate headquarters in Litchfield, is one of the nation’s leading sports equipment companies. Bill Schutt, the company’s founder, started the business building basketball rims in 1918. Today, the company manufactures a series of basket assemblies, backboards and rims for gymnasiums and another series of hoops for driveways and backyards as well as football, baseball, and softball equipment.

“Basketball rims are an important part of Schutt’s history as a sporting goods manufacturer,” said Julie Nimmons, President and CEO of Schutt Sports. “Some of the earliest basketball rim patents were developed at Schutt. This partnership with the Illinois High School Association brings together two organizations who are dedicated to excellence and innovation.”