The Harlem Wizards played a game against local Princeton Elementary School teachers and principals on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025 at Pannebaker Gymnasium at Logan Jr. High School. The Harlem Wizards began in 1962 by founder Howie Davis. The event was a fundraiser for the PES PTO to support school activities like field trips, assemblies, and teacher stipends. The Harlem Wizards won the game by a score of 87-76.

This event will feature one-on-one matchups between youths in grades four through 10, vendors, music and family-friendly activities.

Longtime local hoops coach Alex Renchen's 815 Basketball skills camp returns later this month.

Sauk Valley Community College will dedicate its basketball court to longtime athletic director and men’s basketball coach Russ Damhoff during a special ceremony.

The GPS Parent Series: Navigating Healthy Families will host three-time Chicago Bulls NBA Champion Bill Cartwright in a program based on his memoir, “Living Life at the Center.”

Justus McNair, 19, is the founder of the Joliet-based Justus League Hoop Inc., which supports mental health in student-athletes.

Bureau Valley High School held the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Basketball Camp on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. The camp hosted boys and girls entering third through eighth grade. The camp included skills and competitive play, devotion and Bible lessons. Each camper will receive a Bible and T-shirt.

Wintrust Crossroads Sports Complex is a $70 million, 31-field complex at the crossroads of Interstates 355 and 80, next to Silver Cross Hospital, 45 minutes southwest of Chicago.

Dundee-Crown senior Jared Russell earned All-Fox Valley Conference honors in three sports, setting school records in basketball and baseball. He also posted a 4.0 GPA and is the 2025 Northwest Herald Boys Athlete of the Year.

With school out for the summer, kids across the Sauk Valley have extra time and energy to burn. The Sterling Park District is offering a variety of summer sports camps to keep them active and engaged.

The Wintrust New Lenox Crossroads Sports Complex of New Lenox has attracted half million dollars’ worth of sponsors. Tournaments

The Boys and Girls Club of Joliet recently renovated its second floor as a community space for teens and a dedicated location for teen programming.

The gym and field house at DeKalb High School were filled Saturday with kids ages 7-18 having fun and learning skills at the A'Jah Davis Foundation Basketball Camp and Wellness Day.

Lincoln-Way East's Rich Kolimas taught English and coached the boys basketball team for 23 years. Now, he's putting away the playbook while leaving the door open for future opportunities in the classroom

A pair of former area standout student-athletes are in the latest class of CHISOX Athletes, the Chicago White Sox's NIL program.

Area basketball players compete in the boys’s game of McHenry County Area All-Star Basketball Extravaganza on Sunday, April 13, 2025, at Alden-Hebron’s Tigard Gymnasium in Hebron.

Area basketball players compete in the girl’s game of McHenry County Area All-Star Basketball Extravaganza on Sunday, April 13, 2025, at Alden-Hebron’s Tigard Gymnasium in Hebron.

After spending this season at Kansas, former Kankakee boys basketball standout AJ Storr will hit the transfer portal for the third time in as many years, as first reported by ESPN's Jeff Borzello.

Rich Zinanni, Fred LeSage, Irish O'Reilly, Jack Sikma, Ben Zobrist and Michelle Bartsch-Hackley are the six people with local ties that will be inducted into the new Illinois Sports Hall of Fame in June.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais Special Olympics Unified basketball team won its second state championship in the past three years Saturday.

The Bradley-Bourbonnais Special Olympics Unified basketball team won its second IHSA State championship in three years Saturday, defeating Mt. Vernon 43-34 in the Division 1 title game.

Manteno High School senior Ava Peterson, a three-sport standout, was selected to the IHSA All-State Academic team last week.

Paschal: Eastland will represent the Sauk Valley in the state tournament this weekend in Champaign. Clearly talented with a top-notch coach calling the shots, the team definitely has a chance to bring back the hardware.

Shutter to Think: A selection of basketball photos from the 2024-25 season in the Sauk Valley.

Crystal Lake South faces Kaneland in the IHSA Class 3A Rochelle Sectional championship basketball game on Friday, March 7, 2025, at Rochelle High School.

Rock Falls defeated Princeton 49-43 to win the Class 2A Sectional final on Friday, March 7, 2025 at Marengo High School. Rock Falls wins their first Sectional since 2006. Princeton ends their season with a record of 21-12.

Cissna Park defeated St. Edward 50-44 to win the Class 1A third place game on Friday, Mary 7, 2025 at CEFCU Arena in Normal. The Lady Timberwolves finish the season 30-5 and St. Edwards wraps up their season winning fourth place with a record of 26-10.

Eastland went on the road and defeated top seeded Pecatonica on their home floor to take the Sectional Friday, March 7, 2025. Photos. by Erin Henze - Shaw Local News Network

Rock Falls meets Princeton Friday, March 7, 2025, in the boys basketball Class 2A Sectional final in Marengo. Rock Falls took the win 49-43 for their first Sectional since 2006.

Montini Catholic played Quincy Notre Dame on Thursday, March 6, 2025 at CEFCU Arena in Normal. Montini will play St. Ignatius College Prep for the Class 3A State championship on Saturday at 6p.m.

Two Plainfield School District middle school Special Olympic basketball teams will compete in the state championship games this weekend.

Eastland and Dakota face off in the boys basketball Class 1A Sectional semifinal Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at Pecatonica High School. Eastland won 55-39.

Huntley faces Loyola Academy in the IHSA Class 4A Gurnee Warren Supersectional girls basketball game on Monday, March 3, 2025, at Warren Township High School in Gurnee.

A look back at some of Northwest Herald photojournalist Gregory Shaver's favorite pictures in the Northwest Herald from February 2025.

Eastland beats Newman 55-44 to take the West Carroll 1A Regional title Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. Photos by Erin Henze - Shaw Local News Network

McHenry faces Warren in the IHSA Class 4A McHenry Regional championship basketball game on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, at McHenry High School.

Crystal Lake South faces Cary-Grove in the IHSA Class 3A Prairie Ridge Regional championship basketball game on on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, at Prairie Ridge High School in Crystal Lake.

Rock Falls and Riverdale face off for the Class 2A Regional title at Bureau Valley Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. Rock Falls won a thriller 61-58 in overtime on a Kuitim Heald 3-pointer with one second left.

Huntley defeats Libertyville in the IHSA Class 4A Huntley Sectional Championship girls basketball game on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, at Huntley High School.

Wheaton North senior Sara Abdul, who had 23 points, six steals and five assists to lead Wheaton North St. Charles North to the regional championship, is the Suburban Life Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is her Q&A with Sports Editor Joshua Welge.

McHenry faces Jacobs in an IHSA Class 4A McHenry Regional basketball game on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, at McHenry High School.

Rock Falls takes on Oregon in the semifinal of the Class 2A boys basketball Regional at Bureau Valley. Rock Falls won 58-38.

Riverdale and Bureau Valley clash on the court in the Class 2A boys basketball Regional semifinal at Bureau Valley. Riverdale won 68-59 and will take on Rock Falls on Friday.

Huntley faces Lake Zurich in an IHSA Class 4A Huntley Sectional girls basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, at Huntley High School.

Crystal Lake Central faces Prairie Ridge in an IHSA Class 3A Prairie Ridge Regional basketball game on \Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, at Prairie Ridge High School.

Newman and Milledgeville square off in a Class 1A basketball Regional quarterfinal Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, at Newman High School. Newman won 68-57.

Crystal Lake South faces Kaneland in the IHSA Class 3A Crystal Lake South Regional Championship girls basketball game on Friday, Feb. 20, 2025, at Crystal Lake South High School.

Crystal Lake Central faces Burlington Central in the IHSA Class 3A Burlington Central Regional Championship girls basketball game on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, at Burlington Central High School.

Cary-Grove faces Lake Forest in the IHSA Class 3A Cary-Grove Regional Championship girls basketball game on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, at Cary-Grove High School in Cary.

Lemont junior Gabe Sularski, who scored 17 points in Lemont’s win over Hillcrest to clinch the South Suburban Blue Conference title, is the Suburban Life Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is his Q&A with Joshua Welge.