Let the March Madness begin

Are Glenbrook North boys basketball fans in panic mode?

The Spartans are back again as the No. 1 seed in their sectional, this time at Niles West, but a repeat of last year’s trip to the Class 4A supersectional could be tougher than last year. The downbeat feeling among GBN fans came after Maine South beat GBN 52-49 in Northbrook in the regular season finale Feb. 23. Maine South is the No. 3 seed at Niles West.

GBN has played only one other top seed in the Niles West Sectional, losing 70-65 to No. 4 Von Steuben at Proviso West Dec. 30. In that game, GBN’s Notre Dame-bound Alex Dragicevich (pictured) scored a career-high 37 points.

“(Maine South) was a good game for us in terms of being a learning experience,” Dragicevich said. “In terms of us losing, we came out flat and they came out ready to play.”

The sectional’s hottest team is probably No. 2 New Trier, which won five consecutive to end the regular season and 11 of of its last 12. California-bound Alex Rossi and 6-foot-9 Fred Heldring helped the Trevians beat Maine South twice for second place in the CSL South. New Trier won 45-37 on Feb. 12 and 49-45 on Jan. 8. New Trier seeks its 15th sectional title and first since 2005.

The sectional’s five regional quarterfinal games begin Monday. The sectional’s first semifinal is March 9 and the second semifinal is March 10. The final is March 12. All times at 7:30 p.m.