Boys Basketball

Four of the seven schools in the Daily Chronicle coverage area reached sectionals. Here’s a look at one player for each team who isn’t the most high-profile player on the team but can still have a big impact.

Burlington Central senior Jake Johnson never disappointed anyone in his four seasons of varsity basketball. The 6-foot-4 forward who plans to play Division II baseball at Missouri Southern State finished his career with multiple program records.

UW-Stevens Point commit Bobby Grganto was dominant inside with 20 points, Jack Crowley hit two big threes during a second half run and Downers Grove North locked down defensively to pull away and beat West Aurora 52-45 to win the Class 4A Downers Grove South Regional title.

Wheaton Warrenville South rallied from a 17-2 deficit to beat York in overtime in the Proviso West Regional final, Glenbard East won its first regional since 2020, four area girls advanced to the state wrestling semis and Montini and IC Catholic advanced to the dual team semis.

The Bishop McNamara boys basketball team won the Class 2A Fieldcrest Regional championship game on Friday, beating the host Knights 61-45.

Montini cut the nets down for the fourth straight season following a 64-43 victory over IC Catholic Prep as they claimed another regional championship at its home gym on Friday night in Lombard.

The Bishop McNamara boys basketball team won the IHSA Class 2A Fieldcrest Regional championship game on Friday, beating the host Knights 61-45 to avenge last season's loss to Fieldcrest in the regional finals.

A late steal and layup from Erick Sotelo broke a scoring drought for both teams and ultimately proved to be the game-winner as L-P upset Streator for the championship of the 3A La Salle-Peru Regional.

Top-seeded Glenbard West (26-5) survived a scare from No. 9 Addison Trail, outlasting the Blazers, 74-73 in double-overtime to capture a Class 4A regional basketball title Friday night in Addison.

Joliet West led Bloom 27-21 at halftime in the Class 4A Joliet Central Regional, but the Tigers couldn't sustain the lead and dropped a 50-46 decision.

Despite Ray Lee's pair of first-half buzzer beaters and a halftime lead, Manteno's bid for back-to-back regional titles came up short to Southland College Prep, who won its first-ever regional Friday.

The Hinckley-Big Rock boys basketball team — led by 24 points and 18 rebounds from senior Martin Ledbetter — outlasted Serena 72-68 in overtime to win the championship of the Class 1A Marquette Regional on Friday night at Bader Gymnasium in Ottawa.

A hot start and some smothering defense led to a regional title for Eastland on Friday night. The Cougars hit their first four shots, and Newman never recovered after several early turnovers in a 55-44 loss in the Class 1A West Carroll Regional final.

Trailing most of the game Friday, Kaneland rallied in the fourth quarter to finally get past Wheaton Academy and win the Class 3A IMSA Regional Championship, 66-56, for its recording-setting 30th win. 

AJ Demirov scored 21 points, Nick Stowasser added 15 on five 3-pointers, and Crystal Lake South beat Cary-Grove 65-47 for the Class 3A Prairie Ridge Regional championship Friday night.

Kuitim Heald hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds left as Rock Falls survived a thriller to beat Riverdale 61-58 in overtime and win the Class 2A Bureau Valley Regional title. Heald finished with 28 points and set the RF career 3-point record.

Aurora Christian defeated Yorkville Christian in the Class 1A Indian Creek Regional final on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025 in Shabbona.

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

Geneva boys basketball defeated Glenbard North in the Class 4A Geneva Regional final on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025 in Geneva.

Annawan outscored Forreston 25-11 in the third quarter and 42-16 in the final period of play en route to a 67-38 win at the 1A Amboy Regional championship on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. Kendall Erdmann led the Cardinals with 14 points and Brendan Greenfield added 11 in the loss. Annawan was led by Maddux Heitzler’s 16 points.

Led by a four-steal night from Jack Hatton, Geneva held off a second-half surge from Glenbard North to secure their second Class 4A regional title in three seasons with a 42-35 victory.

JT Pettigrew had 10 points in the first quarter alone and finished with 32 to lead Bolingbrook to a regional title Friday.

Behind 31 points from Lincoln Williams and 21 more from Kenaz Jackson Jr., the Kays made it back-to-back regional titles with an 85-50 win over Sterling in Friday's Class 3A Morris Reigonal championship.

Michael Chami had 13 points and 11 rebounds to help Sycamore knock off Belvidere North to claim a regional title for the first time since 2017.

Aurora Christian kept its cool against Yorkville Christian during Friday’s Class 1A Indian Creek Regional championship game, the first game ever between the two programs. The Eagles overwhelmed the Mustangs with a 17-0 run in the third quarter, blowing the game open to win 68-48.

Behind 31 points from Lincoln Williams and 21 more from Kenaz Jackson Jr., the Kays made it back-to-back regional titles with an 85-50 win over Sterling in Friday's Class 3A Morris Reigonal championship.

McHenry couldn't overcome Jaxson Davis' 23 points and Javerion Banks' nine fourth-quarter points in a 58-45 loss to Gurnee on Friday in the Class 4A McHenry Regional championship. The Warriors finish the season 26-7.

Benet and Oswego East combined for just three field goals in the fourth quarter as the Redwings claimed a 49-40 win to collect a regional title on the Wolves' home court.

Joliet Catholic scored quickly on the first possession of the game on Friday night. It was a sign of things to come as the Hilltoppers rolled to an 81-61 win over Chicago Christian in the title game of its own Class 2A Regional.

Marquise Bolden made a heads-up play to avoid a defender and then drained a 3-pointer, the third of straight 3s, on his way to 20 points DeKalb's 57-45 win over Hononegah to claim the Harlem regional title.

Lincoln-Way East’s boys basketball team took its 74-67 Class 4A regional final loss at home to Rich Township hard.

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.

L-P beat Streator 49-46 to win the Class 3A Regional title on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025 in Sellett Gymnasium at L-P High School. L-P will play in the Class 3A Sectional on Wednesday, March 5, at Washington High School.

It’s regional finals night for high school boys. Here are area regional championships over the years dating back to the 1936 when Princeton beat DePue 32-30. Before then, there were only districts with the top two finalists advancing to sectionals.

Kankakee claimed an 85-50 victory over Sterling in the IHSA Class 3A Morris Regional championship on Friday, Feb. 28.

One of the best boys basketball seasons in Grace Christian came to an end Wednesday, a fate Cissna Park also met in Wednesday's Class 1A Milford Regional semifinals.

The Class 4A Joliet Central Regional semifinal between Joliet West and Thornwood was tight until Joliet West separated itself in the fourth quarter.

Behind Ray Lee's 37 points, Manteno got past rival Peotone in double overtime while Bishop McNamara earned a regional championship rematch and more in Wednesday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Fieldcrest boys basketball team advanced to the regional final while St. Bede saw its season end.

McHenry's Caleb Jett hit a go-ahead 3-pointer in the fourth quarter and finished with 20 points to lead the Warriors past Jacobs 46-39 on Wednesday in their Class 4A McHenry Regional semifinal.

Bureau Valley left it all on the court in the fourth quarter but came up just short against Riverdale in Wednesday's regional semifinals.

La Salle-Peru beat Dixon 53-50 in overtime in a Class 3A La Salle-Peru Regional semifinal Wednesday.

The Hinckley-Big Rock Royals and the Serena Huskers boys basketball teams defeated the Marquette Crusaders and Newark Norsemen, respectively, in Wednesday's Class 1A Marquette Regional semifinals at Bader Gym. H-BR and Serena will meet at 7 p.m. on Friday in the title game.

Indian Creek briefly took the lead in the third quarter against Aurora Christian, but the Eagles didn't stay down long and ran past the Timberwolves to reach a regional final.

Jacsen Tucker certainly chose a great time to have a breakout game, coming off the bench to score 12 points and collect eight rebounds as Oswego East held off Plainfield South 42-36 during Wednesday’s Class 4A Oswego East Regional semifinals.

Forreston downed Peru St. Bede 67-56 on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025 at the 1A Amboy Regional. Kendall Erdmann led the Cardinals with 25 points followed by Connor Politsch with 11 and Brendan Greenfield with 10. The Cardinals will play Annawan for the regional championship on Friday. Game time is 7 p.m.

Kankakee scored the first 19 points points of Wednesday's Class 3A Morris Regional semifinal against Pontiac and never looked back.

Andrew Hill scored 35 points to lead IC Catholic Prep to a record 25th win and a regional final, and York and Glenbard West were among the other teams to advance to Friday regional finals.

Kuitim Heald broke Brian Vance's 27-year-old single-single season scoring record to help Rock Falls beat Oregon in Wednesday night's Class 2A regional semifinal matchup at Bureau Valley.

A half-court buzzer-beating shot from Matt Welch proved to be the difference maker for Glenbard North as it took down Batavia 52-49 to advance to a Class 4A Geneva Regional final.