Prepping for the playoffs
We're close.
So close to one of the best parts of the entire school year: the basketball playoffs.
As Class 1A and 2A girls teams like IC Catholic Prep, Lisle and Westmont prepare for the start of regional play next week, Eyes on Five continues to anxiously await the madness.
1. A prelude to March Madness:
It's not yet March, of course, but the basketball postseason will kick off anyway next week when Class 1A and Class 2A girls teams start regional play.
Lisle and Westmont head to Aurora Christian's regional, and the Interstate Eight Conference rivals will meet Wednesday in the semifinals.
"You can throw out the records when Lisle and Westmont play," Lisle coach Nick Balaban said. "You never know who's going to win that game."
What we do know is Lisle won their IEC meeting Jan. 16, 32-19. The Sentinels were without 5-foot-10 junior Annie Carlson that night due to injury.
"They're middle of the pack record-wise, but Carlson and (senior Mara) Casper together, they're good enough where if they're playing their best you have to play well to beat them," Balaban said.
The winner probably will see host and top seed Aurora Christian (18-8) in the final. If No. 2 seed Lisle survives, it can go home for the sectional.
"We're in a good position here to compete for a regional championship," Balaban said.
IC Catholic Prep also will host a sectional, but it is the top seed at Walther Christian's regional. Walther Christian is the No. 2 seed.
The Class 3A and Class 4A girls pairings will be announced Friday, with regional play starting Feb. 16.
2. Decision time:
Lisle (17-9, 9-1) looks like it will claim a share of the Interstate Eight Conference girls basketball championship.
The Lions' only league loss came by 3 points at Coal City, and the Coalers suffered their first IEC loss Wednesday to Peotone, which itself has just one defeat. Lisle wrapped up the conference season Thursday night against Streator.
Glenbard South (21-3, 11-0)clinched its second consecutive Metro Suburban Conference West Division title Tuesday at Riverside-Brookfield. Montini completed its sweep of the depleted Suburban Christian Conference with Thursday's victory against St. Francis. The Broncos earned the top seed in the Class 3A Orr sectional, with Marshall, North Lawndale and Glenbard South following in order.
The DuPage Valley Conference is still wide open after Wheaton North (5-3) stopped league-leader Naperville Central (6-2) on Thursday and Naperville North (4-4) knocked off Wheaton Warrenville South (5-4). The Redhawks could have clinched the title outright had they defeated the Falcons.
The West Suburban Silver is tied after Hinsdale Central defeated Lyons Twp. on Tuesday night to draw even with the Lions at 9-2. Each plays its final Silver game Friday night.
Benet (24-3, 5-3) would have a perfect season if it didn't have to play East Suburban Catholic Conference games. Then again, the ESCC is one of the toughest leagues around.
"There's a chance that all three of our losses are to teams that could win the state tournament," Benet coach Joe Kilbride said. "Marian (Catholic) could win at 4A, (Joliet Catholic) could win at 3A, (Bishop) McNamara could win at 2A. While I'd like to have won all those games, our league is tough. There's no nights off."
3. Second time around:
When Lake Park's boys basketball team beat Wheaton North on Jan. 23 to wrap up the first half of DuPage Valley Conference play unbeaten, Lancers coach Josh Virostko showed reserved optimism.
Reserved because he knew the DVC race was far from over, even with a two-game lead.
"There are a lot more games to play," Virostko said at the time. "We're only as good as our next game."
That "next game" turned out to be last Friday's loss at Naperville North, a team the Lancers beat 40-29 the first time around. Wheaton North and the Huskies are now both within a game of Lake Park with four to play.
The difference from the first meeting? The Huskies - starting three sophomores - are way more experienced than they were in early December.
Same with just about every other team in the DVC including Wheaton North, which also has three sophomores in its rotation. It'll make clinching a title much tougher for Lake Park.
The Lancers returned nearly their entire rotation from last season and it allowed them to hit the ground running. Their senior leadership and their ability to fiercely defend still make them a tough out from the DVC's top spot, but they'll be pushed much more than the first half of the season.
They'll be ready. That's the benefit of experience.
But that experience is starting to spread throughout the DVC.
"Our conference is only getting better, because it's young," Virostko said. "Guys the second half are going to be better than the first half, and that's going to be a challenge."
4. Who's No. 1?:
The broken hand suffered Jan. 23 by Hinsdale Central leading scorer Matt Rafferty was a devastating loss for the Red Devils, but it's still too early to say how devastating.
The Red Devils upset St. Joseph the next day without Rafferty, but last weekend they suffered back-to-back West Suburban Silver losses to Oak Park and Glenbard West.
Where does that leave us? Great question.
Before Rafferty's injury, Hinsdale Central looked like an easy choice for the No. 1 seed in the Class 4A East Aurora sectional and a favorite to reach Peoria. Now the top spot - like the entire sectional itself - is up for grabs.
At 17-4 Hinsdale Central still has a shot, but don't be surprised if Lyons Twp. and Benet get strong consideration. The situation, though, goes way beyond seeding.
Picking a favorite to emerge from the East Aurora sectional was tough enough before. Now it's near impossible.
5. Stat time:
They're not afraid to shoot in the DuPage Valley Conference.
The Wheaton North and Lake Park girls combined for 99 shots Tuesday in the Falcons' 70-59 victory. Of those shots, 42 were from behind the 3-point arc.
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