The 1983-84 Taylorville Tornadoes Boys Basketball Team Coached by Lee Emery and assisted by Brian James finished their season as Charleston Holiday Tournament Champions, Apollo Conference Co-Champions, Salem Regional Champions and a record of 22 wins against  6 losses.

Taylorville’s roster, already one of the taller Tornadoes teams to be fielded in years, was

enhanced by German transfer student, 7’0” center Jens Kujawa.  Joining Kujawa in the back court were returning starters, Joe  Champley (6’4”), Jeff Scroggins (6’2”), Pat Lane (6’4”) and sharp shooting guard, John Emery. 

The Tornadoes opened the season defeating Pana 47- 29, then absorbed losses to Lanphier and Effingham. They then rolled off ten straight wins with the streak being broken by a second loss to Effingham 36-35 in double overtime! 

Emery’s charges closed out the regular season winning six of their last eight games, losing only to Paris and then Chatham Glenwood in the last game of the regular season. Taylorville entered the Salem Regional with a 19 and 5 record but had to face Effingham who was waiting for a third victory over the Tornadoes.  But this time Taylorville upended the Flaming Hearts 44-39, winning the Regional Championship and advancing to the Sectional Tournament . After defeating Charleston in the opening game , the Tornadoes lost a heart breaker in overtime to Benton 52-49 in the championship game.

Members of the 1983-84 Tornadoes were John Emery, Pat Lane, Joe Champley, Jens Kujawa, Mike Scroggins, Jeff Scroggins Jack Lawrence, Kelly Evans, Jeff Freese, Kenny Althoff, Mike Marsaglia, and Jeff Smith.