Despite slow starts, top-seed Woodland and No. 2 seed Marquette eventually earned quarterfinal triumphs on Monday at the 99th Tri-County Conference Boys Basketball Tournament in R.M. Germano Gymnasium at Putnam County High School in Granville.

Marquette defeated Midland 66-57 during the Tri-County Conference Tournament on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026 at Putnam County High School.

Woodland defeated Henry-Senachwine 61-45 during the Tri-County Conference Tournament on Monday, Jan. 26, 2025 at Putnam County High School.

Seeds and schedules are set for the 2026 Little Ten Conference Boys Basketball Tournament, hosted by Somonauk High School.

DePaul recruit Mason Lockett heated up after a slow start to score 24 points, but New Trier overwhelmed Oswego East 82-51 in the first of four games at the When Sides Collide Shootout on Saturday at Benet.

Jayden Wright scored 21 points to lead all five Benet starters scoring in double figures, and the Redwings beat Warren 67-60 in the finale of the When Sides Collide Shootout to take the rematch of last year's state championship game.

York and Downers Grove North boys basketball won games at Batavia Night of Hoops, and Willowbrook boys basketball and Nazareth girls basketball were also winners in Saturday's roundup.

Using some stout defense and good shooting, Batavia won its ninth game out of its last 10 with a 55-37 victory over Hinsdale Central to end out the 32nd annual Jim & Sylvia Roberts Night of Hoops.

A strong second half from Neuqua Valley's dynamic duo of Cole Kelly and Mason Martin was enough to help lift the Wildcats to a 75-69 win over Bolingbrook at the When Sides Collide Shootout at Benet Academy on Saturday.

Adam Bauer had 22 points and 13 rebounds, and Cary-Grove's boys basketball team stayed perfect in the Fox Valley Conference with a 61-53 win over two-time defending FVC champ Crystal Lake South on Friday night.

An early double-digit deficit didn't worry Glenbard West's boys basketball team in an eventual 66-52 triumph over Downers Grove North.

The Venckus twins combined for 38 points as Lockport's boys basketball team continued its special season with a 56-36, Southwest Suburban Conference victory over Lincoln-Way East. 

Batavia's boys basketball team held off a furious Glenbard North fourth-quarter comeback Friday to win the DuKane Conference matchup 48-43.

Reed-Custer downed Illinois Central Eight Conference opponent Herscher for its fourth straight win, Gardner-South Wilmington improved to 8-1 in River Valley Conference play and more in Friday's Daily Journal roundup.

A strong defensive effort lifted Wilmington to a 47-42 overtime win over Coal City as Ryan Kettman had 14 points and eight rebounds

Grant Smith scored 19 points to lead Lyons to a 65-38 win over Oak Park-River Forest, and Glenbard West girls basketball rolled past Downers Grove South. That and more in Friday's roundup.

Cary-Grove faces Crystal Lake South in a Fox Valley Conference boys basketball game on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, at Crystal Lake South High School.

Kishwaukee College is surging, having won five of its last six games, and Sycamore grad Ben Larry is a big part of the success. The freshman had his first career triple-double at any level last week.

Braydon Porter scored 10 of his 12 points in the first half, including a monster dunk to start the second quarter that shook the basket support, and Yorkville went on to a 54-30 win over Minooka in the Southwest Prairie Conference.

The Marquette boys basketball team used a solid game from all five starters, a huge night on the boards and a 16-4 third-quarter advantage to top host Newark 56-41 on Thursday night. It's the third straight win for the Crusaders and eighth in their last 10 outings.

Michael Nee scored a game-high 12 points, and Glenbard East did not let a slow pace slow it down in blowing past West Chicago 49-15 for its eighth straight win.

Cameron Mercer scored 21 of his game-high 24 points in the second half, while sophomore Noah VanTholen added nine of his 12 points as Riverside-Brookfield shook off some early cold shooting and rallied for a 53-46 Upstate Eight East victory at Glenbard South.

St. Anne made it eight straight wins in boys basketball, Coal City wrestling stayed perfect on the season and more in Thursday's Daily Journal roundup.

The Kishwaukee College men's basketball team played a home game against the Rockford University JV team Thursday night in Malta.

Hall of Fame basketball coach Russ Zick, who coached for 40 years, led Rochelle to six regional titles and also coached at Ashton-Franklin Center and Kaneland, died at age 72 on Jan. 13. He is remembered by former players and colleagues. 'He impacted so many people.'

In light of the recent fire that impacted two businesses on Riverside Drive in McHenry, McHenry Athletics is spearheading a fundraiser. Plus, news on Dundee-Crown and Crystal Lake South in the Northwest Herald boys basketball notebook.

Eli Loeding scored a game-high 14 points, Johnny Kemp came off the bench to hit a big fourth-quarter 3-pointer, and Prairie Ridge held off visiting Huntley 38-34 in a Fox Valley Conference boys basketball game Wednesday night.

Drake Been, Luke Gouty, Eiden Kubilius and Ryan Hagji all scored in double figures for Lincoln-Way West in a 70-60 win over Bremen on Wednesday.

Ty Steponaitis delivered a powerful, rim-and-backboard rattling dunk early in the fourth quarter Wednesday night. The momentum of that play, combined with a stellar defensive effort by the Blue Streaks, led them to a 54-45 Kishwaukee River Conference victory over Johnsburg.

Huntley faces Prairie Ridge in a Fox Valley Conference boys basketball game on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, at Prairie Ridge High School in Crystal Lake.

Morton is riding a strong group of guards to a potential 15-plus season, most notably the play of juniors Angelo Lazo and Jeramyah Tucker. That, plus notes on Downers Grove North and Glenbard West from Bob Narang.

Luis Maldonado's full-time return to the basketball court as he nears and end of cancer treatments has given the Grant Park community reason to celebrate one of their own.

A look at the boys basketball statistical leaders in the NewsTribune area.

Blake Renfro's clutch 3-pointer, his only basket of the night, forced overtime, and McHenry's boys basketball outlasted upset-minded Dundee-Crown 50-44 Tuesday night in a Fox Valley Conference game.

Joliet Catholic and Joliet Central traded the lead six times in the first quarter, but the Hilltoppers outscored the Steelmen 18-5 in the third to earn a dominant victory.

Colby Wylde scored 27 points off the bench, helping Hiawatha erase an early five-point deficit and take control for a 69-59 win against DePue on Tuesday.

Newman used a strong start to gain momentum for a comfortable win over Rock Falls on Tuesday.

Playing its fifth game in eight days, LaSalle-Peru struggled early Tuesday but pulled away for a 69-46 victory over Dixon.

Hayden Schroeder poured in 33 points to lead Wheaton Academy to a triple overtime win over Christ the King, Brady Johnson scored 19 and Josh Abushanab 18 in Glenbard West's win over OPRF, Nazareth boys basketball won its fourth straight and more in Tuesday's roundup.

Morton's boys basketball team – especially its guards – spread out the scoring against Willowbrook in a West Suburban Gold Division game, prevailing 55-38 Tuesday.

L-P defeated Dixon 69-46 on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026 in Sellett Gymnasium at L-P High School.

The Hiawatha boys basketball hosted DePue Tuesday night in Kirkland.

Mendota honored its 1995-96 state team, Putnam County has increased its win total, freshmen are making an impact and more in the NewsTribune boys basketball notebook.

Cody Rader secured a steal that led to a go-ahead 3-pointer from Nathan Palmer with 28.8 seconds remaining to help Geneva secure a 45-43 victory over West Aurora to close out the MLK Day of Hoops

Bolingbrook prefers an up-tempo game but the rigorous nature of Monday's game with Lincoln Park forced them to find a more prudent path to a 66-61 victory.

Neuqua Valley did not shoot well from outside Monday, but the Wildcats played strong defense, rebounded and scored inside to pull away from Wheaton Warrenville South in the WWS Martin Luther King Basketball Showcase.

It probably had a few more twists and turns than the coaching staff would have liked, but Joliet West eventually found the right path in collecting a 58-55 victory over Thornton on Monday at the Homewood-Flossmoor MLK Dream Classic.

Johnsburg senior guard Jayce Schmitt surpassed 1,000 career points on Jan. 10 and has helped lead the Skyhawks to the top of the Kishwaukee River Conference standings. Schmitt is the Northwest Herald Athlete of the Week.

Seneca defeated Sandwich 64-56 on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026 at Seneca High School. Check out photos from the game by Tom Sistak.

Cameron Mercer scored 21 points to pace Riverside-Brookfield past Lyons, Emma Briggs tallied 21 to lead Benet past Glenbrook South at the Coach Kipp Hoopsfest and more in Saturday's roundup.