Just when you think you know where your team is going...

It's that time of year when boys basketball coaches close their eyes and wish for a miracle.

Not for the holidays. They're hoping for the best from the IHSA sectional groupings.

The big unveiling arrived with the usual shake-ups, something coaches truly dread. The fear of the unknown is real.

"I wish we had a better understanding of how they create the regionals and sectionals in (Class) 3A," said Wheaton Academy coach Paul Ferguson. "We were preparing to go west and were watching those schools that were in our regional last year, and now the IHSA threw us a curve."

Wheaton Academy is off to an 8-0 start led by 6-foot-9 William & Mary-bound Tim Rusthoven. Coming off the program's second regional title last season, expectations are extremely high this year.

Last year Wheaton Academy was sent west to the more-favorable Class 3A Rochelle sectional. This season the Warriors head to the Riverside-Brookfield sectional, a meat-grinder that includes the host Bulldogs, defending sectional champion North Lawndale and St. Joseph.

Beyond the competitive challenge, which is extreme, Ferguson's squad faces the additional challenge of preparing for potential opponents. Seeding becomes tougher, and often less fair, when the teams don't know each other.

As one of only three Class 3A sectionals in the state not broken up into set regionals, it'll make seeding the 22 teams at Riverside-Brookfield even more difficult.

"I can understand large sectionals for city schools that are centrally located but the Riverside-Brookfield sectional doesn't make a lot of sense because they combine schools from the western suburbs with teams from the city," Ferguson said. "This is not ideal for seeding, scouting or travel."

Unfortunately, the news isn't much better in Class 4A.

For the second time in the three years of the four-class system, the traditional DuPage-heavy sectional is matched up in the supersectional against a Chicago-dominant sectional.

Two years ago Neuqua Valley won a sectional title, only to lose to eventual 4A state champion Richards in the supersectional. This year the Neuqua Valley sectional champion faces a similar road.

Neuqua Valley, Glenbard East, Benet and East Aurora have positioned themselves as the early favorites to grab top seeds in the sectional, but whoever emerges will face a Lyons Twp. sectional champion that's sure to be a prime contender to win the Class 4A state title.

Among the top teams at Lyons Twp. are powerhouses Simeon, Morgan Park and Mt. Carmel in addition to the host Lions. Luckily, the Neuqua Valley champion only has to face one of them.

That'll be plenty, though. As tough as the Neuqua Valley field is, imagine trying to survive a handful of games at Lyons Twp.

"That was kind of surprising," Glenbard East coach Scott Miller said of the sectional groupings. "For so long they've had this sectional head out to (Northern Illinois University). There are some really good teams on (the Lyons Twp.) side. We can't worry about that, though. We need to focus on ourselves."

That, of course, is the main mission for all the teams. The last thing anyone in the Neuqua Valley sectional will be caught doing is looking ahead to the supersectional.

It's been 45 years since Glenbard East won a sectional title, 26 years for Benet and 10 for East Aurora. Even Neuqua Valley, which has won two straight sectional titles, knows not to take it for granted.

Still, you can't help but look ahead at the possibilities ... and hope for the best.

kschmit@dailyherald.com