One win. That’s all it takes now for the remaining 32 teams across the state to reach the biggest stage: Champaign and the IHSA State Finals.
Here are supersectional previews and picks for Class 4A and 3A.
Class 4A
Benet (30-5) vs. Quincy (31-3) at ISU
The basketball-crazed town of Quincy is itching to see the Blue Devils reach the State Finals for the first time since 1998.
Remember, this is arguably the most tradition-rich basketball program in the state with 23 state appearances. A supersectional win would tie Quincy for the most state appearances in state history. The Blue Devils have won two state championships and have 13 state trophies sitting in their trophy case. But currently it’s been the longest state-less drought at Quincy since the early 1930s.
Now to present-day Quincy basketball. The Blue Devils are loaded with talent, experience and a senior group that has only known winning. Santa Clara recruit Bradley Longcor (18 ppg) leads the way in the backcourt, while Dom Clay (12 ppg) is a perimeter threat and 6-5, 225-pound Keshaun Thomas (15 ppg, 9 rpg) is a force.
Benet, meanwhile, has made three trips to state since 2014 — all three were state runner-up finishes — under coach Gene Heidkamp.
This year’s group has size, multiple scoring options and the most balance of any team you’ll find. The backcourt of Blake Fagbemi and Jayden Wright, along with 7-footer Colin Stack and 6-9 Southern Illinois recruit Daniel Pauliukonis, are all averaging between 12 and 12.6 points a game.
A year after a brutal last-second sectional loss to Normal, Quincy overcame those demons, survived and advanced with an overtime win over Normal on Friday. The Blue Devils find a way to return to state.
The pick: Quincy 55, Benet 53
Glenbard West (28-5) vs. Evanston (29-5) at NOW Arena
A dicey matchup when it comes to offensive flow with two teams that have really thrived on the defensive end. Evanston held Loyola to 32 points in the sectional championship win. Glenbard West limited Geneva to 33 points and to just two field goals in the second half in its sectional title victory.
Evanston is a connected team, both offensively and defensively. The Wildkits are more physical than they appear. Senior Theo Rocca is the headliner, a leader everyone follows and an efficient offensive producer. Freshman Ben Ojala gets better and more dangerous by the week.
Glenbard West’s zone defense with athletic junior guard TJ Williams on the top of its 1-3-1 is a tough adjustment for any team on the fly — in this case just a couple of days of prep time for Evanston. Just ask Geneva. The Hilltoppers limited the Vikings to 33 points in the sectional final win, including just two field goals in the entire second half.
While Williams is the catalyst with 14 points a game — he scored a career-high 32 points in the sectional semifinal win over Glenbard East — the Hilltoppers have size and length to go with him in 6-6 Logan Gloveer (10 ppg) and wing Josh Abushanab (9 ppg).
The pick: Evanston 53, Glenbard West 46
Kenwood (31-1) vs. Rich (24-8) at UIC
There will be a whole bunch of talent on the floor in this one. On paper, there are no two teams left in the state with more talent on its roster or in its starting five than these two.
Kenwood features the tandem of star sophomore Devin Cleveland (21 ppg) and 6-10 senior Aleks Alston (17 ppg), who were both all-area selections. Plus, TJ Seals, an athletic 6-5 jack-of-all-trades, was the sectional hero and steady guard Amari Edwards has been clutch all season.
Rich counters with an all-area player of its own in 6-8 Al Brooks (17 ppg, 9 rpg), a wiry and active disruptor. Jamson Coulter and Jayden Williams are talented perimeter threats who complement each other well.
That trio was clicking on all cylinders in handing Kenwood its only loss of the season back in December. Coulter scored 26, Williams 21 and Brooks 19 in the thrilling 87-84 win in the semifinals of the Big Dipper Holiday Tournament. The Raptors connected on 10 of 15 from three in the win.
Rich, meanwhile, will need to devise a better plan in slowing down Cleveland, who scored 32 points in the last matchup.
The pick: Kenwood 71, Rich 68
Rolling Meadows (30-4) vs. Warren (25-10) at NIU
These are two teams featuring bonafide stars — Ian Miletic for Rolling Meadows and Warren’s Jaxson Davis.
The Marquette-bound Militic (20 ppg, 9 rpg, 4 apg) has been sensational in the postseason. Tough-minded and versatile, the 6-7 Miletic scored a combined 72 points in the two sectional wins over Fremd and Stevenson. He’s an extremely difficult matchup.
Miletic is one of eight seniors who have played together for years and are going out with a bang. They’ve won a school record 30 games and it’s the first supersectional appearance for the Mustangs in 35 years. There always seems to be a different senior, whether it’s Jack Duffer, Lazar Lazarevic, Jaeden Warrener, Gavin Escobedo or 6-7 Patrick Coen, providing support to the star.
Davis (20 ppg, 6 apg) is the quintessential point guard who makes everything go for Warren — and makes everyone around him better.
The supporting cast is rock solid. While Davis is one of the top players in the state, big man Zach Ausburn was the unheralded hero in the sectional thriller over Waukegan. The senior big man went for 23 points and 21 rebounds in the overtime win. And it was Javerion Banks with 23 points in the regional championship game and 16 more in the sectional semis.
When it comes to Warren, it’s important to tell a team’s full story as the season reaches the final week. There isn’t a more complicated résumé in the field.
Coach Zack Ryan’s team was hobbled for much of the season with players missing time. The continuity and rhythm was absent for large stretches. But sectional wins over DeKalb and Waukegan, a team that beat the Blue Devils twice during the regular season, shows it more closely resembles the team that reached last year’s supersectional than the one that lost 10 games in the regular season.
The pick: Warren 62, Rolling Meadows 60
Class 3A
Brother Rice (29-6) vs. Peoria (29-6) at Pontiac
Anchored by the 1-2 punch of Marcos Gonzales (18 pgg) and Jack Weigus (14 ppg), Brother Rice is one win away from the program’s third straight 30-plus win season. Those two, along with the everyday workmanlike effort from 6-5 Caden Workman, propelled the Crusaders to their first sectional title since 2005.
But coach Conte Stamas’ team wants more. A win over Peoria secures this successful program its first state semifinal berth and state trophy.
Peoria, which won its 22nd sectional title in program history, has three state championships since the turn of the century. The Lions went back-to-back in 2003 and 2004 with Shaun Livingston and won a Class 3A title in 2012.
LeShawn Stowers, one of the elite players in the state, headlines a team that is scrappy and tough. Stowers, who scored 21 in the sectional final win over Metamora, can score in a number of ways. But it’s dangerous for opponents when he’s downhill in the open floor.
The Lions hit a major midseason speed bump with a 2-5 record in the first half of January. But they haven’t lost since and have impressive wins over Bolingbrook, Metamora and Morton this season.
Brother Rice’s biggest job will be finding a way to contain Stowers, a bully of a guard who does it all for the Lions. The powerful 6-3 senior, who is averaging 17.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and four assists a game, is headed to Miami-Ohio next year.
The pick: Peoria 50, Brother Rice 48
DePaul Prep (30-4) vs. Kaneland (32-1) at NOW Arena
The defending 3A state champs enter yet another postseason game as an overwhelming favorite. Coach Tom Kleinschmidt’s team has handled that bulls-eye quite well while rolling through the 3A field en route to Champaign the past two years.
The Rams are more diversified offensively with the playmaking of point guard Makai Kvamme (12.5 ppg, 5.5 apg), the scoring of guard Rykan Woo (16 ppg) and the physical inside presence of 6-7 Rashaun Porter (13 ppg, 7 rpg).
Kaneland has more size and length with 6-7 senior Freddy Hassan and 6-9 sophomore Jeffrey Hassan. The two brothers combined for 29 points, 29 rebounds and nine blocked shots in the sectional final win over Crystal Lake South. Marcus Cocroft is a scoring point guard who has been this year’s spark.
This has been a dream season for Kaneland, winning a school record 32 games and its first sectional championship since 1982. But this is a major step up for the Knights in comparison to any team they’ve faced this season.
With its most impressive win coming in a 58-54 January victory over DeKalb, this will be the first Super 25 ranked team the Knights have faced all season. By comparison, DePaul has played 15 ranked teams to go with facing out-of-state powers St. Louis Vashon and Mater Dei out of California.
The pick: DePaul 60, Kaneland 44
St. Patrick (27-7) vs. Mount Carmel (29-5) at UIC
After falling in last year’s 3A title game, Mount Carmel is looking to return to Champaign for the second straight year.
There has been a lot of winning at St. Patrick over the years, but successful veteran coach Mike Bailey’s program is in search of its first trip to state.
Mount Carmel scores at a high level with perimeter threats Grant Best, Cameron Thomas and Noah Mister. That trio combines for over 50 points a game. But the funky 1-3-1 defense St. Pat’s employs could really throw a wrench in how a high-octane Caravan team operates.
The EJ Breland and Anthony Favia combo is an underrated backcourt for the Shamrocks. They are interchangeable and can both score.
The pick: Mount Carmel 55, St. Patrick 50