NIU signee Frank Clair, of Leo High School, led his team to a Class A state title Saturday over Winnebago.

In the 65-57 triumph, Clair had 25 points (10-of-13 shooting) in 24 minutes for his Chicago Catholic League squad.

“I’m speechless,” Clair said after the game, with eyes puffy from crying and emotion pouring out of him. “We’ve been together, most of us, for a long time. I’m proud of these guys. We’ve been looking forward to getting to this point and I can’t say how great it feels.”

At 6-foot-6, Clair got most of his points near the basket but also used a mid-range jumpshot. He also added six rebounds, two steals, two blocks and a couple of thunderous dunks in traffic.

Clair was his team’s leading scorer in both the championship game and the semifinals with 17 points in a win over Quincy Notre Dame High School.

Currently, Clair is the only player in Illinois’ Class A who has signed with a Division-I university.

Leo finished the season with a 27-5 record and second place in the Catholic League South, behind Brother Rice High School.

NIU assistant coach Donald Whiteside is an alumnus of Leo and was instrumental in the recruitment of Clair.

Clair is one of four NIU signees along with Homewood-Flossmoor’s 6-foot-8 power forward Cyrus Tate and Schaumburg’s duo of 6-foot-5 shooting guard Zach Pancratz and 6-foot-8 power forward Craig Reichel.

All three participate in the Illinois’ Class AA – the larger population schools.

Pancratz and Reichel ended their high school careers Friday when Hoffman Estates High School topped Schaumburg High School (23-6) in the sectional championship.

Tate leads Homewood-Flossmoor High School against Thornton Township High School at the Chicago United Center Supersectional on Tuesday, where the winner will advance to the Elite Eight in Peoria. Homewood-Flossmoor’s (28-2) last regular-season game was a loss to Thornton, conference rivals in the SICA East.