Curtain rises on girls state tournament for Class 3-4A teams
It's almost time for the Class 4A state girls basketball tournament to begin - and no team has been more excited than Wheeling.
Immediately after winning their second straight Mid-Suburban League championship on Wednesday, the Wildcats began thinking about the state tourney.
"We got part one down," said Purdue-bound Ashley Wilson, referring to the league crown. "Now it's time to get to part two."
Part two has been the second goal of coach Shelly Wiegel's state-ranked (No. 9) Wildcats - going after the state crown.
It all begins in their own regional Tuesday night, which is part of the Barrington sectional.
Area teams will participate in three different sectionals. All play-in games are at the respective regional sites.
Barrington sectional
Wheeling regional: It's state-ranked Wheeling trying to win the first sectional in school history.
The top-seeded Wildcats (27-1) will face the winner of Monday's play-in game between No. 16 Lake Forest and No. 18 Zion-Benton at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
The other semifinal matches No. 9 St. Viator (18-11) and No. 8 Round Lake.
Lake Zurich regional: No. 15 Buffalo Grove (10-20) kicks off play Monday against No. 19 Waukegan in a 7:30 p.m. play-in game.
The winner faces No. 2 seed Lake Zurich at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. The second semifinal at 8 p.m. matches No. 7 Libertyville vs. No. 10 Stevenson.
Highland Park regional: Mid-Suburban East co-runner-up and No. 4 seed Hersey (21-8) will start on Wednesday at 6 p.m. against the winner of Monday's play-in between No. 13 Grant and No. 17 Highland Park.
MSL West third-place finisher, fifth-seeded Barrington (18-10), plays in the second semifinal Wednesday against No. 12 Carmel.
Warren regional: No. 20 Palatine (5-25), which has won two straight, opens in Monday's play-in game against No. 14 Deerfield.
The winner advances to Tuesday's 6 p.m. semifinal against No. 3 Mundelein. The 8 p.m. semifinal matches No. 6 Cary-Grove and No, 11 Warren.
West Chicago sectional
West Chicago regional: No. 8 Conant (14-13) opens on Wednesday at 8 p.m. against No. 9 Proviso West. The 6 p.m. semifinal matches No. 1 Geneva against Monday's play-in winner between No. 14 West Chicago and No. 17 Glenbard North.
Lake Park regional: No. 15 Schaumburg (7-20) meets No. 19 Addison Trail in a play-in game at 7:30 p.m. Monday.
The winner meets No. 3 Lake Park in Tuesday's semifinal at 6 p.m., followed by No. 6 Glenbard West and No. 11 Glenbard East at 8 p.m.
York regional: No. 2 Hoffman Estates (24-3), which held state-ranked Wheeling to a season-low 49 points in Wednesday's MSL title game, opens this Wednesday at 6 p.m. against the winner of Monday's play-in between No. 16 Rolling Meadows (9-21) and No. 18 York.
The second semifinal at 8 p.m. matches No. 7 Bartlett and No. 10 Proviso East.
Elk Grove regional: No. 4 Fremd (17-9) gets under way in Tuesday's 6 p.m. semifinal against the winner of Monday's play-in between No. 13 Willowbrook and No. 20 Leyden.
No. 5 Wheaton North and No. 12 Elk Grove (14-11), on a four-game winning streak, face off in the 8 p.m. semifinal.
Niles West sectional
Glenbrook South regional: No. 4 Prospect (17-9) opens on Tuesday in the 6 p.m. semifinal against the winner of Monday's play-in between No. 13 Lane Tech and No. 19 Steinmetz. The host Titans (No. 5) meet No 12 Lincoln Park in the 8 p.m. semifinal.
Resurrection regional: No. 9 Maine West (17-13), coming off a share of the Central Suburban North title with Deerfield, opens against No. 8 Resurrection at 8 p.m. on Tuesday.
The 6 p.m. semifinal features No. 1 Loyola against the winner of Monday's play-in between No. 16 Taft and No. 17 Maine East.