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As the 1965-1966 basketball season approached, Taylorville boys basketball head coach, Jack Murphy had to believe he was entering another season that had “special” written all over it.   Two of the top three scorers from the 1965, 19 - 8 Tornadoes were returning along with a strong and experience supporting cast of players. 

The season opened with a strong showing against Springfield High School.  Lead by Terry Passoni and Ken Deck, two players who would become one of the most prolific scoring tandems in the conference, the Tornadoes stopped the Senators 65- 49.  The following game, however, brought Taylorville back to earth with a four point lost at Pana.

Seven games later, Lanphier, Shelbyville, Greenville, Hillsboro, Lincolnwood, Cumberland and Springfield Griffen all became casualties to the Tornadoes high powered offense.   Averaging 65 points a game, and holding their opponents to a 52 point average, Taylorville entered the finals of the Mattoon Holiday Tournament with an 8-1 record.  Unfortunately, the Tornadoes fell to the home team 66-63.

Following the Holidays, Taylorville dropped Litchfield 69-63 and headed to Effingham to meet conference co-leaders.  The Hearts got the best of the Tornadoes 55-48, and took a one game lead in the Mid-state standings.    Following a win against Vandalia, 93 – 52, The Tornadoes dropped a heart breaker in the Champaign Tournament 48 -47.   Bouncing back from that loss, Rantoul took the Tornadoes frustration, as Taylorville rolled up a 96 – 62 win.  This game started the season’s longest win streak.

A payback win against Pana, 65 – 47, lead to conference victories over Hillsboro, Shelbyville and Greenville.  Effingham was next on the schedule and a balance scoring attack, with all five starters scoring in double figures, placed Taylorville back into a tie for the conference lead.  Wins over Litchfield and Vandalia gave Taylorville a share of the Mid State Conference Title.

Riding an eight game winning streak, securing a conference championship and looking  ahead to the Regional Tournament, the Tornadoes stumbled in East St Louis and lost to the Flyers 71 – 57, a game closer than the score indicates.

But the first game of the Regional Tournament against Rochester  showed the power this Taylorville team possessed.  Seven players scored in double figures as Taylorville routed the Rockets, 122-61. Quarter scores of 34, 37, 36 and 25 helped set a school record for points scored in a single game.  

However, the next night, two free throws each by Deck and Al Vitali sealed a one point victory over Blue Mound and sent the Tornadoes into the Regional final game again Moweaqua, an upset winner over Pana.  Taylorville trailed until Terry Passoni scored  eleven straight points to end the third quarter, the last  a shot from the corner with only three seconds on the clock giving them a lead they would not relinquish.   A strong fourth quarter gave Taylorville a 73 -54 victory and the Regional Championship.

The Sectional Tournament was held at Illinois State University and the games were played in Horton Field House.   The first game pitted The Tornadoes against the hometown team, Normal University High School.   The game was close throughout and the victory looked in doubt when Kenny Deck fouled out of the game with 1:15 remaining in the Third period!   But the Tornadoes came out of the huddle and scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter and never looked back, earning a 68-58 victory and the opportunity to play The Runnin’ Reds of Stephen Decatur for the second straight year in the championship game.

Decatur jumped out to a 26 – 16 lead in the first quarter, but the Tornadoes clawed their way back into the game and actually held a five point lead with 2:39 remaining in the game.  But Decatur tied the game at 64 with 1:08 remaining.  Taylorville had the ball, but turned it over with a minute to go.   The Reds decided to hold for one shot and Terry Johnson hit the game winner over the outstreached hand of Phil Moss with three seconds remaining in the game. 

Taylorville finished the season with a 22-6 record.  The Team was lead in scoring  and rebounding by Hall of Famer Terry Passoni.  Following close behind was all-everything guard and also a Hall of Famer, Ken Deck.   Al Vitali, Phil Moss along with Jim Cutler and Colby Martin composed the starting five at sometime during the season.   On the bench were juniors Greg Fustin, Karl Krumseik, Dave Trost and Mike Bishop.  Dave Greeson served as assistant to Coach Murphy.