All seeds aren’t quite the same.
A No. 6 seed in one sectional can be a whole lot different than a No. 6 seed in another sectional.
There are top seeds that will roll through the regional, while other No. 1 seeds might be sweating a bit upon seeing the release of the brackets.
Quality sectional depth matters. Read through this and you’ll certainly know which sectional is the deepest and toughest.
Here are the best, most dangerous teams in every seed position through the top 15 in the Class 4A bracket.
No. 1 seed: Curie (Riverside-Brookfield Sectional)
Fresh off winning a city title, the Condors are flying high with a reliable, go-to senior leader in Carlos Harris. He sets the tone, tearing apart opponents at the point of attack in moments that matter. The Condors are the 4A favorites with just one in-state loss — to Lindblom.
Throw in the fact Curie was shocked in the regional last year and they’ll be ready for either St. Ignatius or Lyons.
No. 2 seed Downers Grove North (East Aurora)
Remember, the Trojans have a nucleus that has been through this before, finishing fourth in the state in Class 4A a year ago.
Jack Stanton is a momentum-changing game-wrecker with his shooting and the mentality he brings to this team. But it’s a loaded sectional they’re up against with Bolingbrook at the top and the next two on this list.
But before that sectional gauntlet, DGN must tangle with either Neuqua Valley or Downers Grove South.
No. 3 seed: Waubonsie Valley (East Aurora)
The Warriors stumbled a bit late in the season after beginning the year with 23 straight wins. So we’ll see what type of impact those late-season losses to Bolingbrook and Neuqua Valley have mentally. But it’s a team with versatility in its defense and offense, along with a talented lead guard in junior Tyreek Coleman.
No. 4 seed: Benet (East Aurora)
Youth hasn’t prevented the Redwings from occasionally flashing hints of brilliance. The young, dangerous team now has a full season under its belt. The Redwings were banged up down the stretch but enter regional play healthy. Coach Gene Heidkamp is also no stranger to deep state tournament runs with three state runner-up finishes.
No. 5 seed: Niles North (Maine South)
You never want to be the opposite of the best No. 5 seed (sorry, New Trier!). It’s a junior-dominated team whose fast, attacking style can put points on the board. Coach Glenn Olson’s team averaged 79 points a game over its final 10 games of the season.
No. 6 seed: Evanston (Maine South)
A strong second half of the season has seen the Wildkits impress, beating New Trier, De La Salle, St. Patrick and Rolling Meadows. Coach Mike Ellis also knows how to win in the postseason. The Wildkits could face a very familiar foe in the regional final: Glenbrook South, a team it lost to twice.
No. 7 seed: Oak Lawn (Riverside-Brookfield)
Choosing the best, most dangerous seven seed was the most difficult of all the seeds. There are several, including Lane and Conant, but Oak Lawn has 21 wins — 11-2 since the start of 2024 — and has the guard play with Donte Montgomery and Corey Lee.
Also, don’t underestimate emotion. The Spartans are riding the momentum of a conference championship win over Eisenhower in the final week of the regular season.
The downside is Oak Lawn would have to go on the road and win at No. 2 seed Kenwood to capture its first regional title in 36 years.
No. 8 seed: Yorkville (East Aurora)
The second half of the season has produced wins over Oswego East, Metea Valley, Romeoville, Joliet West and Whitney Young. It’s a senior-dominated team, featuring 6-10 Illinois recruit Jason Jakstys. And the Foxes will be playing on their home floor.
Now, does this team have enough shooters to pull off an upset of an elite team? The other big problem for Yorkville is it didn’t exactly get a vulnerable top-seeded team as Bolingbrook is rolling.
No. 9 seed: West Aurora (East Aurora)
As you can see, these 8-9 seeds listed here will meet in what should be the best regional semifinal game in the area next week. Both teams have had their share of up-and-down moments, mostly due to player absences throughout the season.
But West Aurora has talent. The Blackhawks beat New Trier on the road while shorthanded late in the season, won 20 games and grabbed a share of the Southwest Prairie Conference West title.
No. 10 seed: Downers Grove South (East Aurora)
For starters, this is a No. 10 seed with 23 wins on the year and a hot streak of nine straight wins to close out the regular season. A double-seeded team doesn’t typically roll into the regional with those win totals.
The Mustangs may not have the résumé-type wins, but they won a conference championship and would like nothing more than another crack at rival Downers Grove North in the regional final; DGS played DGN very tough back in December. But getting by No. 6 seed Neuqua Valley and Luke Kinkade will be tricky.
No. 11 seed: Plainfield North (East Aurora)
Closing out the season with wins over West Aurora and Yorkville is the type of positive momentum that can carry over. Also, the experience of playing some really good teams tough throughout the year has prepared this low-seeded team well.
Jeffrey Fleming (21 ppg, 10 rpg) is a statistical force who can pose a lot of problems.
The Tigers will get No. 7 seed Metea Valley in the regional semifinal.
No. 12 seed: Oak Park (Maine South)
Bad news for the best No. 5 seed on this list, Niles North, because the Vikings will likely have to play the most dangerous No. 12 seed — on that 12 seed’s home floor — to win a regional.
Oak Park’s record won’t jump out at anyone. The Huskies, though, have played a tough schedule and have some weapons. They can put a player who can score at about every position in Max Johnson, Alex Gosseett, Alex Vincent and Justin Bowen. That makes this a scary team for a high seed.
No. 13 seed: Lincoln-Way West (Rich)
A very much improved team over the second half of the season, the Warriors went 6-2 down the stretch with wins over Stagg, Andrew and Bradley-Bourbonnais — three teams they lost to the first time they played. Lincoln-Way West also hosts the regional where it will play No. 4 seed Rich on Wednesday.
No. 14 seed: Lincoln-Way Central (Rich)
Although the Knights finished dead last in the Southwest Suburban Red, it’s another team that finished strong. They went 8-3 in their final 11 games after an 8-11 start to the year. Can they put a scare into third-seeded Bloom?
No. 15 seed: Thornwood (Rich)
A tough schedule led to a 12-17 season. But the Thunderbirds played — and lost — 14 games against teams that were ranked this season. Yes, they’ve been beaten down but are a well-prepped No. 13 seed. Plus, they have a terrific talent in junior Arden Eaves. Thornwood will play Shepard in the Monday play-in game before getting a shot at No. 2 seed Marist on its home floor in the regional semifinal.
