3A & 4A State Finals Preview

The state tournament will continue on Friday with the big schools going at it in the semis of 3A and 4A! We preview the matchups and prospects to watch here!   3A 10:00 AM Sacred Heart Griffin vs St. Ignatius SHG comes into this at 33-3 and has only lost one game to Normal Community since November. They have a core four group of juniors. [player_tooltip player_id="989267" first="Jake" last="Hamilton"] is their star as the lefty is a creative scorer that can get buckets from multiple levels netting 15.3 points per game. Really like what strong bodied small forward [player_tooltip player_id="1113521" first="Zack" last="Hawkinson"] brings as an inside/outside threat at 15.8 points per game. Keshon Singleton has a burst with the rock in his hands getting to the rim and Will Hamilton is the perfect glue guy! St. Ignatius played a tough schedule and it has prepared them for this moment. They have two senior leaders in Air Force commit [player_tooltip player_id="925217" first="Kolby" last="Gilles"] and wing [player_tooltip player_id="863613" first="AJ" last="Redd"]. Gilles is a junk yard dog that brings versatility and is the heart and soul of this team. Redd is a silky smooth scorer that gets to the rim for 11.9 points per game. Their top prospect is junior [player_tooltip player_id="989270" first="Richard" last="Barron"]. Strong bodied wing that can shoot it leading them in scoring at 15.2 points per game. The x-factor is junior big man [player_tooltip player_id="939066" first="Jackson" last="Kotecki"].   11:30 AM Simeon vs Metamora The Wolverines are a mainstay in the final four whether it is 3A or 4A. Simeon is led by their three guard lineup of [player_tooltip player_id="771517" first="Jaylen" last="Drane"], [player_tooltip player_id="925193" first="Avyion" last="Morris"], and [player_tooltip player_id="939059" first="Jalen" last="Griffith"]. Each bring a little bit different look, but they mesh well and are tough as nails! Drane averages 17.4 a game as one of the state’s top uncommitted seniors. Up front the Rubin twins have been unleashed! [player_tooltip player_id="1048306" first="Miles" last="Rubin"] is a bouncy lefty that alters shots and plays above the rim. [player_tooltip player_id="1048305" first="Wesley" last="Rubin"] is a skilled right handed post who is an elite passer. Its all about the three headed monster for Metamora! Junior [player_tooltip player_id="939065" first="Ethan" last="Kizer"] is the highest ranked prospect as a bouncy combo forward with elite athleticism! He went for 12.2 points a game this year. On the perimeter their guard duo of Zach Schroeder and [player_tooltip player_id="1371068" first="Tyson" last="Swanson"] each can carry Metamora for stretches.     Ranked Prospects 2022 #24 [player_tooltip player_id="771517" first="Jaylen" last="Drane"] (Simeon) #52 [player_tooltip player_id="925217" first="Kolby" last="Gilles"] (St. Ignatius – Air Force) #53 [player_tooltip player_id="863613" first="AJ" last="Redd"] (St. Ignatius) #64 [player_tooltip player_id="925193" first="Avyion" last="Morris"] (Simeon) #96 [player_tooltip player_id="771553" first="Lance" last="Rodgers"] (Simeon) #97 Nikolas Robinson (Simeon) #117 [player_tooltip player_id="1049101" first="Zack" last="Schroeder"] (Metamora) #124 [player_tooltip player_id="863622" first="JayQuan" last="Adams"] (Simeon) #221 [player_tooltip player_id="1210403" first="Luke" last="Defrance"] (Metamora)   2023 #9 [player_tooltip player_id="1048306" first="Miles" last="Rubin"] (Simeon) #10 [player_tooltip player_id="1048305" first="Wesley" last="Rubin"] (Simeon) #16 [player_tooltip player_id="939059" first="Jalen" last="Griffith"] (Simeon) #19 [player_tooltip player_id="989270" first="Richard" last="Barron"] (St. Ignatius) #37 [player_tooltip player_id="939065" first="Ethan" last="Kizer"] (Metamora) #55 [player_tooltip player_id="939066" first="Jackson" last="Kotecki"] (St. Ignatius) #76 [player_tooltip player_id="1215288" first="Steve" last="Turner"] (Simeon) #89 [player_tooltip player_id="1371068" first="Tyson" last="Swanson"] (Metamora) #90 [player_tooltip player_id="989267" first="Jake" last="Hamilton"] (Sacred Heart Griffin) #119 [player_tooltip player_id="1113521" first="Zack" last="Hawkinson"] (Sacred Heart Griffin)     4A 2:30 PM Whitney Young vs Barrington Whitney Young captured a monster win over Kenwood to move to the state final four. The Dolphins are super deep and talented. Up front their top 10 duo of Miami commit [player_tooltip player_id="771516" first="AJ" last="Casey"] and NIU bound [player_tooltip player_id="863585" first="Xavier" last="Amos"] are versatile mismatches that can post up, handle, shoot, and play defense. Really like the way junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="939057" first="Dalen" last="Davis"] is playing as the top 5 junior is the man that runs the show. X-factors for this group are juniors [player_tooltip player_id="1048324" first="Daniel" last="Johnson"] and [player_tooltip player_id="939072" first="Marcus" last="Pigram"] who are coming off injuries. Barrington shocked the world with a win over Glenbrook South. Now they try to upset the CPS power in this semi. Washington University commit [player_tooltip player_id="1106946" first="Will" last="Grudzinski"] is a versatile power forward that can stretch the floor at a 19.1 points clip. Combo guard [player_tooltip player_id="1106932" first="Daniel" last="Hong"] is a dead eye mid-range pull up shooter. [player_tooltip player_id="1106935" first="Nathan" last="Boldt"] will anchor inside as a rebounder and shot blocker. 4:00 PM Glenbard West vs Bolingbrook Best team since 2013 Simeon? If they win two more the answer is yes for Glenbard West who comes in 35-1. Gonzaga commit [player_tooltip player_id="925183" first="Braden" last="Huff"] is the star for the well balanced squad at 16.2 points per game. Princeton commit [player_tooltip player_id="996060" first="Caden" last="Pierce"] and top uncommitted senior [player_tooltip player_id="863598" first="Bobby" last="Durkin"] are high level shot makers and playmakers as passers. Army commit [player_tooltip player_id="1106936" first="Ryan" last="Renfro"] and [player_tooltip player_id="996070" first="Paxton" last="Warden"] are elite level glue guys for this Fab 5! Bolingbrook seems to make deep playoff runs every year! This year is no different! Their most productive player is [player_tooltip player_id="1210405" first="Michael" last="Osei-Bonsu"] who is a wide bodied post that can score in the paint with the best of them at 11.8 points. Junior [player_tooltip player_id="939035" first="Donaven" last="Younger"] is a higher ranked college prospect and this is a big time opportunity for him. [player_tooltip player_id="989271" first="Mekhi" last="Cooper"] is another junior that can really shoot it and runs the show. [player_tooltip player_id="1048730" first="Jaydin" last="Dunlap"] is one of the more underappreciated guards in the state.   Ranked Prospects 2022 #2 [player_tooltip player_id="925183" first="Braden" last="Huff"] (Glenbard West – Gonzaga) #4 [player_tooltip player_id="771516" first="AJ" last="Casey"] (Whitney Young – Miami) #9 [player_tooltip player_id="863585" first="Xavier" last="Amos"] (Whitney Young – Northern Illinois) #16 [player_tooltip player_id="996060" first="Caden" last="Pierce"] (Glenbard West – Princeton) #18 [player_tooltip player_id="863598" first="Bobby" last="Durkin"] (Glenbard West) #43 [player_tooltip player_id="1106946" first="Will" last="Grudzinski"] (Barrington – Washington University) #45 [player_tooltip player_id="1048717" first="Marcus" last="Overstreet"] (Whitney Young) #46 [player_tooltip player_id="1106936" first="Ryan" last="Renfro"] (Glenbard West – Army) #61 [player_tooltip player_id="1048715" first="Matt" last="Somerville"] (Whitney Young) #63 [player_tooltip player_id="1048730" first="Jaydin" last="Dunlap"] (Bolingbrook) #68 [player_tooltip player_id="1210405" first="Michael" last="Osei-Bonsu"] (Bolingbrook) #69 [player_tooltip player_id="996070" first="Paxton" last="Warden"] (Glenbard West) #95 [player_tooltip player_id="1048714" first="Jordan" last="Streeter"] (Whitney Young) #109 [player_tooltip player_id="1106932" first="Daniel" last="Hong"] (Barrington) #119 [player_tooltip player_id="863589" first="Kanye" last="Smith"] (Whitney Young) #135 Danny Walker (Bolingbrook) #143 [player_tooltip player_id="1106935" first="Nathan" last="Boldt"] (Barrington) #160 [player_tooltip player_id="1210396" first="MJ" last="Langit"] (Bolingbrook) #211 [player_tooltip player_id="1210410" first="Hunter" last="Racic"] (Bolingbrook) #247 [player_tooltip player_id="1364858" first="Jack" last="Cardwell"] (Glenbard West)   2023 #5 [player_tooltip player_id="939057" first="Dalen" last="Davis"] (Whitney Young) #7 [player_tooltip player_id="1048324" first="Daniel" last="Johnson"] (Whitney Young) #27 [player_tooltip player_id="939035" first="Donaven" last="Younger"] (Bolingbrook) #31 [player_tooltip player_id="939072" first="Marcus" last="Pigram"] (Whitney Young) #38 [player_tooltip player_id="939048" first="Keon" last="Alexander"] (Bolingbrook) #51 [player_tooltip player_id="989271" first="Mekhi" last="Cooper"] (Bolingbrook)