Scouting 3A / 4A Fox Valley playoff basketball
Class 4A Jacobs sectional
Top 4 seeds: Elgin (20-6), South Elgin (14-12), Huntley (22-4), Rockford Auburn (22-4)
Regional hosts: Larkin, St. Charles East, Prairie Ridge, Rockford Jefferson
At Larkin: Monday: No. 4 Streamwood (8-18) vs. No. 5 Larkin (4-22), 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday: No. 1 Elgin (20-5) vs. Streamwood-Larkin winner, 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday: No. 2 Jacobs (16-12) vs. No. 3 Dundee-Crown (12-13), 7:30 p.m.; Friday: Championship game, 7:30 p.m.
Outlook: Top seed Elgin is the outright champion of the Upstate Eight River and the favorite to win its 41st regional title overall and second in four years under coach Mike Sitter. Elgin is led by juniors Kory Brown (16.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 3.0 apg), Dennis Moore (11.2 ppg) and Arie Williams (10.9 ppg) and senior guard Jordan Dean (9.7 ppg). However, the Maroons are not unbeatable. Streamwood proved as much Friday when they knocked off Elgin by 2 points. "You want to win them all and you want to hit every shot, but that doesn't always happen," Sitter said Saturday. "Our effort is good and our mindset is good, and those are the things as a coach you worry about. If we're good there, then we should do all right." Streamwood, led by forward Bobby Post (8.9 ppg.) and guard D.J Mustari (7.3 ppg.), could draw a rematch with Elgin in a semifinal, but the Sabres must first beat Larkin on its home court in the play-in game. Streamwood beat the Royals by 14 points in Elgin earlier this season, but Larkin came within 3 points of beating Streamwood on Feb. 18. The Royals are paced by 6-0 junior forward Ian Fluhler (8.1 ppg) and improving sophomore guards Vincent Sarangaya (7.6 ppg) and Quantice Hunter (6.7 ppg). Elgin swept both meetings with the Royals by an average of 21 points. The other semifinal between District 300 rivals Jacobs and Dundee-Crown is the proverbial toss up. "We both won on each other's home courts this season, so it's been pretty competitive," Dundee-Crown coach Lance Huber said. Jacobs has strong guard play in seniors Nick Hofman (18.5 ppg) and Mike Peterson (10.1 ppg, 5.3 apg). Dundee-Crown counters with a strong frontcourt of seniors Ryan Smith (13.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and Jamel Kimbrough (10.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg). Jacobs seeks its fifth regional title and first since 2008. Dundee-Crown will vie for its eighth regional title and fourth in Huber's eight seasons.
At St. Charles East: Monday: No. 4 St. Charles East (13-13) vs. No. 5 DeKalb (7-19), 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday: No. 1 South Elgin vs. St. Charles East-DeKalb winner, 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday: No. 2 St. Charles North (14-13) vs. No. 3 Bartlett (16-14), 7:30 p.m.; Friday: Championship game, 7:30 p.m.
Outlook: South Elgin enters this wide-open regional as the No. 1 seed, led by senior Sammy Sutter (19.6 ppg) and sophomore point guard Jake Maestranzi (8.0 ppg), a 90-percent free-throw shooter. The Storm, who seek the program's first regional title, have gotten used to opponents regularly defending Sutter with a box-and-one or the implementation of a triangle-and-two designed to limit Sutter and Maestranzi. "When teams do that it shows great respect for Sam, but we have to have other guys make plays when teams do that," South Elgin coach Chaz Taft said. "They all know what we do and we know what everyone else does, so it will come down to the mental part of the game." South Elgin will play the St. Charles East-DeKalb winner. The Saints are led by 6-5 sophomore guard Kendall Stephens (18.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg), who recently committed to Purdue. Bartlett had its 6-game winning streak halted at Waubonsie Valley Friday, but the Hawks are playing their best basketball of the season as the playoffs approach, led by 6-foot-3 sophomore guard Lance Whitaker (16.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.8 apg) and senior guard Matt Chaltin (12.8 ppg, 58 3-pointers). Bartlett and semifinal opponent St. Charles North did not play this season. The North Stars finished second in the UEC River. Led by 6-4 senior forward Josh Mikes and 6-4 sophomore guard Quenten Payne, the North Stars enter the postseason having lost 3 of their last 4 games.
At Prairie Ridge: Monday: No. 4 Cary-Grove (11-15) vs. No. 5 Prairie Ridge (6-18), 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday: No. 1 Huntley vs. Prairie Ridge-Cary-Grove winner, 6 p.m.; No. 2 McHenry (14-9) vs. No. 3 Crystal Lake South (15-11), 8:10 p.m.; Friday: Championship game, 7:30 p.m.
Outlook: Top seed and FVC Valley outright champion Huntley enters the postseason on a 10-game winning streak. The Red Raiders have won 20 games for the third time in coach Marty Mannings five seasons, led by 6-3 senior guard Tyler Brunschon (13.4 ppg) 6-3 senior forward Dylan Neukirch (10.4 ppg), 6-2 junior forward Justin Frederick (8.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and 5-11 guard Troy Miller (12.0 ppg). They seek the fifth regional in school history and the third under Manning. Huntley went 7-0 against teams in this regional field, but both wins over Crystal Lake South were close. The Gators were short-handed in both games due to suspensions to key players, but they've gone 4-1 since the original starting lineup returned to action. The Gators and Red Raiders were considered co-favorites heading into the FVC Valley schedule and could well face each other in the final for ultimate bragging rights. Cary-Grove and Prairie Ridge play for the second time in four days. The Trojans won Friday's playoff preview 38-26. C-G is led by senior point guard Nick Richter (14.7 ppg, 3.1 apg) and senior guard Jon Guay (8.6 ppg). McHenry has lost 5 straight games.
At Rockford Jefferson: Monday: No. 4 Harlem (11-18) vs. No. 5 Jefferson (9-18), 6 p.m.; No. 3 Boylan (21-5) vs. No. 6 Guilford (10-17), 8:10 p.m.; Tuesday: No. 1 Auburn vs. Harlem-Jefferson winner, 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday Hononegah (22-6) vs. Boylan-Guilford winner, 7:30 p.m.; Friday: Championship game, 7:30 p.m.
Outlook: Auburn is the clear-cut favorite in this all-NIC 10 regional featuring only Rockford-area teams. The Knights went undefeated (16-0) in the NIC 10 and won the league title by 3 games over perennial power Boylan (13-3). However, one of Auburn's 4 losses came at the hands of another team in this sectional Elgin beat the Knights on Dennis Moore's buzzer-beating 3-pointer in overtime at the Elgin Holiday Tournament. Auburn is led by veteran do-it-all guard Fred Van Vleet (18.9 ppg). The Knights seek the program's 13th regional title and second in two seasons. Boylan, which lost in a sectional final at home to Bartlett last year, is led by 6-7 senior Armani Flannigan (16.9 ppg)
Advancement: The Larkin regional winner will play the Prairie Ridge regional on Tuesday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m. The St. Charles East regional winner will play the Jefferson regional winner on Wednesday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. The Jacobs sectional championship game takes place on Friday, March 11 at 7:30 p.m.
The Jacobs sectional winner advances to the Northern Illinois University supersectional on March 15 to play the winner of the East Aurora sectional. The top four seeds at East Aurora are Benet (27-0), Downers Grove South (23-3), Glenbard East (22-3) and East Aurora (21-5).
Class 3A Woodstock North sectional
Top 4 seeds: Crystal Lake Central (22-4), Marian Central (11-16), Rochelle (17-10), Rockford East (16-11)
Regional hosts: Hampshire, Woodstock, Sycamore, Belvidere
At Hampshire: Monday: No. 1 Crystal Lake Central vs. No. 4 Burlington Central (16-10), 6 p.m.; No. 2 Hampshire (20-5) vs. No. 3 Marmion Academy (14-12), 8:10 p.m.; Friday: Championship game, 7:30 p.m.
Outlook: There isn't a more loaded Class 3A regional field anywhere in the state, thanks to the IHSA's policy of pre-assigning regional participants whenever schools from outside the Chicago collar counties are involved. At least one 20-win team is going home without hardware. "I think the four teams in that regional would have been placed in the top seven in the entire sectional," said ninth-year Hampshire coach Bob Barnett, whose Whip-Purs are Big Northern East champs for the second time in three years. "It's a tough one, no doubt about it. It might help that it's at our place. We lost one game there this year, and that was without Watz." Barnett was referring to his 6-7 junior center Tyler Watzlawick, who missed a home game against Burlington Central last week due to an ankle injury. Watzlawick (13.0 ppg, 8.9 rpg) returned to action Saturday in a win at South Elgin and scored 15 points to go with 6 rebounds. The Whip-Purs also count on senior guard Pat Azizi (11.8 ppg), 6-6 sophomore forward Shane Hernandez (10.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg) and sophomore guard Tyler Crater (9.8 ppg). Burlington Central split won at Hampshire eight days ago when Watzlawick was inactive. The Rockets are paced by the 1-2 punch of senior forward Sam Klein (8.8 rpg) and junior guard Ray Hunnicutt (6.9 rpg). Both players are averaging 16.8 ppg. The Rockets will have their hands full with CL Central, champions of the FVC Fox. The Tigers are led by 6-2 guard/forward Joe Pijanowski, 6-7 senior center Matt Gleixner, and 6-6 senior forward Jake Chrystal. Marmion has won 4 straight entering the postseason. That's the longest winning streak of the season for the Cadets.
Advancement: The Hampshire regional winner will face the winner of the Belvidere North regional on Tuesday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m. The Woodstock regional winner will play the Sycamore regional winner on Wednesday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. The sectional championship game is scheduled for Friday, March 11 at 7:30 p.m.
The Woodstock North sectional winner advances to the Northern Illinois University supersectional on March 15 to play the winner of the Peoria sectional. he top four seeds at Peoria are Streator (13-11), Rock Island (23-3), Peoria Notre Dame (26-0) and Peoria Manual (19-6).