Scouting DuPage County girls basketball sectionals
What: Class 4A Neuqua Valley sectional.
When: Tuesday semifinals, No. 1 Bolingbrook (25-1) vs. No. 4 Neuqua Valley (23-6), 6 p.m. and No. 2 Benet (24-6) vs. No. 3 Waubonsie Valley (25-2), 8:10 p.m.; Thursday championship, 7:30 p.m.
Scouting Bolingbrook-Neuqua Valley: The Wildcats, playing in their first sectional since 2006, get the Herculean task of taking down the three-time defending state champs. Bolingbrook, which has won seven straight sectionals, features an incredible eight Division I-bound seniors, led by 6-foot-2 Connecticut recruit Morgan Tuck. A young Neuqua team, with four sophomores and a freshman in its regular rotation, will need the leadership of senior guard Megan Doody to hang in there. A hot-shooting Doody wouldn’t hurt, either. Neuqua is a relentless rebounding team, but the going will be tough on the glass against 6-2 Tuck, 6-3 Illinois recruit Nia Moore and 6-foot Cabriana Capers, committed to Auburn. Neuqua can create havoc with its pressure, spurred by sophomores Malia Smith and Nikki Lazar, and its best chance might be to get Bolingbrook into a frenetic pace to negate the size disparity.
Scouting Benet-Waubonsie Valley: These two aren’t strangers. Benet beat Waubonsie in last year’s sectional semifinal and did it again 56-37 at the McDonald’s Shootout in January in what was a close game for all but the third quarter. If a contrast in styles makes for intriguing matchups, this is one. The Redwings, which won 18 games in a row at one point this year, is a great shooting team that can put up points in a hurry behind sisters Sidney and Christen Prasse. Those two combined for 42 points and eight 3-pointers in the regional final win over Plainfield East. Waubonsie’s advantage here is in its strength inside, led by 6-3 Radford recruit Rachael Ross and junior Gratia Brooks, who combined for 27 rebounds in the regional final. Benet’s ball pressure limited those two to 13 points in January. Waubonsie has won 10 straight since then. Benet isn’t expected to have 3-point ace Madeline Eilers, out with an ACL injury. “We need to shoot the ball well,” Benet coach Peter Paul said, “we have to rebound and we have to keep Ross under control.”
What: Class 4A Hoffman Estates sectional.
When: Monday semifinals, No. 1 Bartlett (28-1) vs. No. 5 West Chicago (16-12), 6 p.m. and No. 2 Geneva (24-5) vs. No. 3 Wheaton Warrenville South (27-3), 8:10 p.m.; Thursday championship, 7:30 p.m.
Scouting Bartlett-West Chicago: New year, different outcome? The Wildcats, back in sectionals for the first time since 2007, hope so. Bartlett beat West Chicago 77-49 on Dec. 17. Any chance of the Wildcats springing an upset must start with hot shooting from its outstanding guard trio of Claire Monroe — who averaged 14.4 points per game with 75 3s at a 40 percent clip during the season — Laura Panicali and Allie Tapanes. Size is a tipping point in Bartlett’s favor; West Chicago’s tallest starter is 5-10, but Bartlett has three 6-footers, led by Indiana recruit Haley Videckis and Kristin Conniff.
Scouting Geneva-WW South: The Tigers want what the Vikings have. WW South, in its first sectional since 2007, squares off with Geneva, winner of three straight sectional titles. Geneva beat WW South 65-58 Dec. 17 during probably the Tigers’ worst weekend of basketball this season. Since then WW South is 17-1 behind sophomore point guard Meghan Waldron and senior Kasey Gassensmith. Sophomore Maggie Dansdill was great in regionals, averaging 14 points and 9.5 rebounds. Geneva is 8-2 since losing Marquette recruit Ashley Santos to an ACL tear. Junior Sami Pawlak is an aggressive post player, and the Vikings also have a good guard tandem in senior Rachel Hinchmann and sophomore Michaela Loebel. Key for WW South is limiting Geneva’s easy baskets off pressure, and second-chance opportunities. The Tigers turned it over 22 times in the first meeting. “We are playing a lot better now than we were then,” WW South coach Rob Kroehnke said. “The girls are excited about winning regionals, but they know there’s a lot more out there if they want it.”
What: Class 3A Glenbard South sectional.
When: Tuesday semifinals, No. 1 Montini (28-5) vs. No. 5 De La Salle (18-8), 6 p.m. and No. 2 St. Joseph (21-10) vs. No. 3 Glenbard South (17-11), 8:10 p.m.; Thursday championship, 7:30 p.m.
Scouting Montini-De La Salle: The Broncos, aiming for their eighth straight sectional title this week, take on newcomers to the party. De La Salle beat Riverside-Brookfield last week for its first regional title behind Kelly Crowley’s 31 points and seven 3-pointers. Renee Jones, who had 20 against R-B, and Javonna Smith are athletic kids with good size. “They are dangerous if you allow them to be dangerous,” Montini coach Jason Nichols said. The Meteors scored 67 points to beat R-B, but points aren’t easy to come by against a Montini team giving up 33.9 a game — amazingly, even fewer points than last year’s state champs allowed. Broncos junior guard Nikia Edom has been coming on of late, scoring 14 points in the regional final. “For us it’s simple,” Nichols said. “When we share the ball and get good movement we have success. When we control the defensive glass teams just can’t score on us.”
Scouting St. Joseph-Glenbard South: The Raiders get second crack at the Chargers, this time on their home floor. St. Joseph beat Glenbard South 63-49 on Feb. 7 in Westchester. Sophomore Stefani Bazigos, one of many young Raiders getting their first taste of the playoffs, scored 14 in the first game and 10 in the regional final. Senior Patrice Hicks stepped up big against Nazareth and needs to again to give the Raiders a shot. Briya Wilborn and Donna Koerber, both back from injuries, lead St. Joseph.