Tipped Off: Michael O’Brien’s hoops notebook

Joliet Central’s Eddie McElrath holds the ball in front of Lincoln-Way Central’s Colton Johnson. | Larry Kane~For Sun-Times Media

We are the Steelmen and the Steelmen are great

Kudos to Joliet Central, a team that basically cobbled itself together last season out of the ashes of the combined Joliet Township program (most of the players went to Joliet West). The Steelmen are 5-2 after beating Lincoln-Way Central last night. Joliet Central coach Jeff Corcoran has his young team ready to win every night.

What’s happening at Warren?

The Blue Devils were expected to be one of the few reliable, stable, high-level teams this season. They lost to a young Stevenson team on Tuesday. Then on Friday, they beat Mundelein, but played without Darius Paul and Roman Schultz, who were apparently suspended for disciplinary reasons. Not good. Will be interesting to see what seed they get in the Pontiac Tournament. Seeds come out on Sunday.

Two more unbeatens fall

The ranks of the undefeated are getting slimmer daily. Glenbrook North was upset by Deerfield last night and Marist was beat by another team with a few young stars, Notre Dame.

Orris returns

Might be time to get Crete-Monee back into the Super 25. Illinois-bound guard Michael Orris is back after missing the beginning of the season with an ankle injury. He scored 26 points and had five steals in his second game of the season last night, a win over Rich East.

Sectional assignments released

The IHSA released the sectional assignments last night, and boy are coaches in the city unhappy about it. The TBA Sectional, which features most of the Chicago teams, is loaded. Young, Simeon, Curie, De La Salle, Vocational, Bogan, Hyde Park, Marist and St. Rita are all in it.