10 Best: Tuesday Sectional Semi Preview

Tuesday night will be the first evening of sectional semis across the state of Illinois.  Here we look at the top ones to see in 10 Best: Tuesday Sectional Semi Preview!

4A

Kenwood vs Bloom (St. Rita Sectional)

Kenwood will get their first major test of the tournament against a Bloom team that likes to play up and down just like them.  The difference should be the interior presence and depth of big men Kenwood can throw at Bloom in Calvin Robins Jr Calvin Robins Jr 6'5" | PF Kenwood | 2024 State IL , Solomon Mosley Solomon Mosley 6'8" | C Kenwood | 2023 State IL , and Jaden Smith Jaden Smith 6'9" | C Kenwood | 2024 State #249 Nation IL .  Love the guard matchup between Kenwood’s veteran Darrin Ames Darrin Ames 6'1" | PG Kenwood | 2023 State #99 Nation IL and Bloom sophomore star Elijah Lovemore Elijah Lovemore 6'2" | SG Bloom | 2025 State IL !

Whitney Young vs Downers Grove North (Hinsdale Central Sectional)

First of two stacked Hinsdale Central semis.  Whitney Young has the experience in the backcourt with Dalen Davis Dalen Davis 6'0" | PG Whitney Young | 2023 State #167 Nation IL and Marcus Pigram Marcus Pigram 6'3" | SG Whitney Young | 2023 State IL along with the upside of Antonio Munoz Antonio Munoz 6'6" | SF Whitney Young | 2025 State IL .  Daniel Johnson Daniel Johnson 6'6" | SF Whitney Young | 2023 State #231 Nation IL is ready to show out in the tournament as the only top 30 uncommitted prospect in 2023.  DGN might be a year ahead of schedule but the sharp shooting of Jack Stanton Jack Stanton 6'2" | SG Downers Grove North | 2024 State IL and Jake Riemer Jake Riemer 6'6" | C Downers Grove North | 2024 State IL inside could take down the CPS power.

Normal Community vs Moline (Moline Sectional)

Just like their last games for each squad the big men will be where most focus as top 10 posts battle as Iowa commit Owen Freeman Owen Freeman 6'10" | C Moline | 2023 State #179 Nation IL will duel inside with Normal Community junior Jaheem Webber Jaheem Webber 6'10" | C Normal Community | 2024 State #156 Nation IL .  The guard matchup will be just as intriguing with a pair of D1 guards in Hawkeyes signee Brock Harding Brock Harding 6'0" | PG Moline | 2023 State #222 Nation IL for Moline and fast rising junior two guard Braylon Roman Braylon Roman 6'3" | SG Normal Community | 2024 State IL on the opposite side.  Being at Moline they have the edge.

Quincy vs O’Fallon (Moline Sectional – Game at Alton HS)

This game will be played at a neutral site of Alton High School and the winner will play Friday in Moline.  Quincy is loaded with young talent especially top 10 sophomore Bradley Longcor Bradley Longcor 6'3" | SG Quincy | 2025 State IL and top 30 junior Camden Brown Camden Brown 6'5" | SF Quincy | 2024 State IL .  O’Fallon has a core four upperclassmen of Jaeden Rush Jaeden Rush 6'0" | PG O'Fallon | 2024 State IL , Rini Harris Rini Harris 6'3" | SG O'Fallon | 2024 State IL , Jalen Smith Jalen Smith 6'3" | SG O'Fallon | 2023 State IL , and big man Koby Wilmoth Koby Wilmoth 6'8" | PF O'Fallon | 2023 State IL who have carried them here.

Joliet West vs Lincoln Way East (Bolingbrook Sectional)

The Fears brothers move on to their next test as the top ranked senior ( Jeremy Fears Jeremy Fears 6'1" | PG Joliet West | 2023 State #31 Nation IL ) and sophomore ( Jeremiah Fears Jeremiah Fears 6'2" | PG Joliet West | 2025 State IL ) are the headliners.  Justus McNair Justus McNair 6'3" | SG Joliet West | 2024 State IL and Matthew Moore Matthew Moore 6'7" | PF Joliet West | 2023 State IL are the x-factors for how far this team goes.  LWE is led by senior George Bellevue George Bellevue 6'5" | PF Lincoln Way East | 2023 State IL who is one of the more productive and not talked about 2023 posts along with super versatile 2023 small forward Kyle Olagbegi Kyle Olagbegi 6'5" | SF Lincoln Way East | 2023 State IL .

3A

Simeon vs St. Laurence (Glenbard South Sectional)

Next up on the Rob Smith farewell tour is St. Laurence.  These two are opposites of each other with Simeon all seniors and St. Laurcene focused around sophomores.  Wolverines size of Miles Rubin Miles Rubin 6'7" | PF Simeon | 2023 State #243 Nation IL and Wesley Rubin Wesley Rubin 6'8" | PF Simeon | 2023 State IL should be the difference.  EJ Mosley EJ Mosley 6'0" | PG St. Laurence | 2025 State IL , Zerrick Johnson Zerrick Johnson 6'2" | PG St. Laurence | 2025 State IL , and Jacob Rice Jacob Rice 6'4" | SG St Laurence | 2025 State IL want to make their names known on Tuesday shocking the state’s top team for St. Laurence.

East St. Louis vs Centralia (Centralia Sectional)

East. St. Louis comes in struggling a bit going 3-4 in February before the playoffs, but they have the talent to end up in Champaign.  Led by the ultra productive Kansas State commit Macaleab Rich Macaleab Rich 6'4" | SF East St. Louis | 2023 State #261 Nation IL and Cal State Fullerton 3 & D wing Antwan Robinson Antwan Robinson 6'5" | SF East St. Louis | 2023 State IL .  The talent gap is enormous, but Centralia has perhaps the best strategic coach in the state in Lee Bennett who just wins especially on his home floor.  He has a wizard at PG too in 2024 Cruz Harlan Cruz Harlan 5'9" | PG Centralia | 2024 State IL .

De La Salle vs Fenwick (De La Salle Sectional)

Pair of Catholic League squads meet up here.  This is the easiest path to Champaign in the state in 3A.  Which one will take advantage?  De La Salle has the veteran group mixed in with some youth.  Senior Evan Jackson Evan Jackson 6'7" | SF De La Salle Institute | 2023 State IL was excellent last time we saw him a few weeks back.  Fenwick has a ton of wings and forwards to throw at DLS led by Darshan Thomas Darshan Thomas 6'5" | SF Fenwick | 2024 State IL and Damion Porter.

2A

Perspectives vs Chicago U-High (Julian Sectional)

Perspectives is our pick to take home the crown in 2A.  They have so much athleticism and depth led by Jakeem Cole Jakeem Cole 6'0" | PG Perspectives | 2023 State IL and Gianni Cobb Gianni Cobb 6'0" | PG Homewood Flossmoor | 2024 State IL in the backcourt.  Harvard commit Xavier Nesbitt Xavier Nesbitt 5'10" | PG Chicago U-High | 2023 State IL will have to carry his U-High squad on the other side.

St. Joseph Ogden vs Pontiac (Herscher Sectional)

Pontiac has had it’s best season in a long time as they pointed to this campaign to make noise.  St. Joseph Ogden has the top senior in the 2A field in Illinois State signee Ty Pence Ty Pence 6'4" | SG St. Joseph Ogden | 2023 State IL who is ready to take over this tournament.