Supersectional Monday has arrived. Here’s a look at all the Class 4A and 3A games.
Class 4A
Homewood-Flossmoor (30-4) vs. Curie (31-2) at UIC
These are two of the most complete teams, and they meet up as the No. 1- and No. 2-ranked squads. But even with both playing rugged schedules, this will be the toughest test yet.
The winner emerges from the supersectional as the 4A favorite in Champaign this weekend. Gianni Cobb and Bryce Heard for H-F and Carlos Harris and Will Gonzalez for Curie will dictate which team that will be.
The pick: Curie 64, H-F 62
Palatine (27-8) vs. Warren (31-4) at NIU
Before the season, no one imagined these teams, who were unranked in the preseason, would be playing in a supersectional. They meet for the second time. Warren held off a Palatine comeback in January for a 57-56 victory.
During its road back to relevance the last two years, Palatine has surpassed many milestones, including a school-record win total, but the biggest one is right at the doorstep: the program’s first trip to the state finals and a state trophy.
Seniors Connor May and Tommy Elter lead the way for a team that overcame a 12-point sectional deficit against Stevenson.
A sensational freshman — guard Jaxson Davis — has spearheaded Warren’s re-emergence. The Blue Devils won nine sectional titles during a 25-year stretch from 1988 to 2012, but this is their first since.
The pick: Warren 55, Palatine 50
Downers Grove North (31-4) vs. Normal (30-5) at ISU
Normal is feeling good. The Ironmen won a sectional championship with a dunk at the buzzer off an improbable fluke play. Plus, they get to play the supersectional in their backyard.
But a 45-40 loss in January to Downers Grove North is in the back of their minds. DGN star Jack Stanton was hobbled in that one and held in check with only eight points.
Downers Grove North’s defense is physical and disciplined with shutdown ability, but there is some vulnerability inside that Normal hopes to exploit. With 6-10 Jaheem Webber, who is headed to Wright State, 6-8 Noah Cleveland and 6-9 Kobe Walker, the Ironmen will have that opportunity.
While Stanton is the unquestioned star for the Trojans, Owen Thulin and Alex Miller have teamed up with the Princeton-bound guard to form an outstanding trio.
The pick: DGN 42, Normal 40
Glenbard North (22-11) vs. New Trier (28-7) at NOW Arena
Both teams have reached this point thanks to clutch three-point shots at the buzzer.
New Trier, which is looking to return to Champaign for a second consecutive year, is potent offensively and has ramped up its defense with its switchable length. Sophomore guard Christopher Kirkpatrick, the buzzer-beating sectional hero, has emerged.
Glenbard North is your Cinderella. It enters supersectional play with the most losses of any team and playing without arguably its best player, injured Jalen Crues. Plus, JJ Hernandez and Jack Schager made game-winners as time expired to win two sectional games.
The pick: New Trier 53, Glenbard North 45
Class 3A
Mount Carmel (30-5) vs. St. Patrick (26-9) at UIC
Mount Carmel, led by Catholic League Player of the Year Angelo Ciaravino and a supporting cast that has settled into their roles, has lived up to the preseason hype and its postseason role as “team to beat.” The Caravan were favored to win the sectional and are favored again in the super.
The Caravan came from 13 points down in the second half to dispose of Hyde Park in a 53-50 sectional semifinal win. Ciaravino’s 35 points fueled a 73-57 title game win over De La Salle for just the third sectional championship in program history.
Coach Mike Bailey has led St. Pat’s since 1994. He’s now won four sectional championships in those 30 seasons but has yet to reach the State Finals. Here’s another chance for the veteran coach whose team is led by junior guard EJ Breland (15 ppg).
The pick: Mount Carmel 58, St. Patrick 50
DePaul Prep (32-2) vs. Crystal Lake South (31-3) at NOW Arena
Crystal Lake South, led by junior guard AJ Demirov, won its first sectional championship in over 40 years.
The defensively ferocious DePaul team is trying to return to Champaign for a third straight year — this time in Class 3A.
A team is going to have to find a way to score 40 points against DePaul to have any chance to win. But when DePaul, who brings length, size and athleticism, has allowed an average of 21 points a game through four postseason games, that’s a tall order.
In addition, Crystal Lake South hasn’t seen anything on its schedule reminiscent of what it will face in DePaul’s defense.
While DePaul is extremely balanced, senior PJ Chambers has gone from an indispensable starter to the team’s unquestioned leader and go-to guy.
The pick: DePaul Prep 51, Crystal Lake South 32
Thornton (29-4) vs. Peoria Richwoods (28-4) at Ottawa
There will be a new Class 3A state champ, thanks to Peoria Richwoods taking down reigning state champ Metamora in the sectional title game.
Richwoods, which has won 15 straight games, has probably been the least talked about best team in the state this season. The Knights have a star big man in 6-10 Lathan Sommerville and an underrated senior guard in Tavie Smith.
While Thornton’s Morez Johnson is a beast in the paint at both ends of the floor, the perimeter trio of Isaiah Green, Chase Abraham and Meyoh Swansey have taken turns rising up in support.
All eyes will be on the star-studded interior matchup of Johnson and Sommerville. Both are future Big Ten players — Johnson is headed to Illinois and Sommerville to Rutgers.
These two met way back in November with Thornton claiming a 67-65 win.
The pick: Thornton 60, Peoria Richwoods 57
Mt. Zion (34-1) vs. Centralia (32-2) at Springfield
Mt. Zion is enjoying the best season in program history and doing so with a rather young nucleus. Juniors Lyncoln Koester and Brayden Trimble led the to sectional wins, while the emergence of 6-7 sophomore JC Anderson has lifted this team to new heights.
Centralia, led by Cruz Harlan and Daryle Jones, is one of the state’s storied programs as one of the winningest programs — in the country.
The pick: Mt. Zion 59, Centralia 55
