Basketball

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.

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.

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

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.

Prairie Ridge faces Huntley in a Fox Valley Conference basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025, at Huntley High School.

Outwork Elite partnered with the Garrett Ramos Foundation on Monday, Feb. 17, to host a free basketball camp for kids ranging from third through eighth grade. Over 120 players from throughout the Sauk Valley and beyond attended the clinic at Newman Central Catholic High School.

The Cissna Park and Bishop McNamara girls basketball teams advanced to the championship games of the perspective regionals and more in the Monday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Agricultural students at Belvidere North High School learn a variety of skills, including how to raise and care for quail and chickens.

Johnsburg faces Woodstock in a Kishwaukee River Conference basketball game on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025, at Woodstock High School.

Sandwich faces Woodstock in a Kishwaukee River Conference basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, at Woodstock High School.

Manteno senior Ray Lee broke the program's scoring record on Tuesday against Peotone while helping lead the Panthers to a dramatic comeback victory.

Sterling boys basketball hosts the Galesburg Silver Streaks at Musgrove Fieldhouse in Sterling. The action took place on Tuesday, February 11, 2025.

The Kankakee girls basketball team dropped a tough game on the road Monday and more in Monday's Daily Journal Roundup.

Marian Central faces Rockford Christian in a nononference basketball game on Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, at Marian Central High School in Woodstock.

Hampshire faces Crystal Lake Central in a Fox Valley Conference basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Crystal Lake Central High School.

Hampshire faces Crystal Lake Central in a Fox Valley Conference basketball game on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Crystal Lake Central High School.

Wednesday's prep sports scores and results.

Woodstock faces Richmond-Burton in a Kishwaukee River Conference basketball game on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, at Richmond-Burton High School.

Burlington Central faces McHenry in a Fox Valley Conference basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, at McHenry High School.

Dixon's Darius Harrington breaks the all-time school scoring record with 1,783 points Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025 in Oregon as the Dukes' go on to win 62-40.

Johnsburg faces Marengo in a Kishwaukee River Conference basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, at Marengo High School.