4A State Preview: Top Half of Bracket

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Hoops Illinois has you covered with everything you need to know heading into the state playoffs!&nbsp; We breakdown the tournament sectional by sectional!&nbsp; Our next one is <strong>4A Preview: Elgin, Guilford, Aurora East, and Pekin Sectionals</strong>!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><u>Elgin Sectional</u></strong><br><br><strong>Team to Beat</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Barrington and Palatine I would say are pretty much co-favorites heading into this sectional.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Contenders</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stevenson, Lake Zurich, Rolling Meadows</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sleepers</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prospect, Conant</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Prospects</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1845354' first='Oliver' last='Gray'] (Barrington)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1541230' first='Connor' last='May'] (Palatine)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1432254' first='Jack' last='Dabbs'] (Stevenson)<br>Anton Strelnikov (Lake Zurich)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1385299' first='Ian' last='Miletic'] (Rolling Meadows)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Under the Radar Players Who Could Impact Sectional</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1522301' first='Alec' last='Schmidts'] (Barrington)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1564889' first='Aidan' last='Bardic'] (Stevenson)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1440697' first='Atticus' last='Richmond'] (Stevenson)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1750613' first='Nick' last='Popovic'] (Lake Zurich)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1545134' first='Jack' last='Duffer'] (Rolling Meadows)<br><br><strong>Best Potential Regional Finals</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rolling Meadows vs Lake Zurich.&nbsp; Great matchup here of two quality squads that are well coached and have talent.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Best Potential Sectional Finals</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Barrington vs Palatine.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='1845354' first='Oliver' last='Gray'] vs [player_tooltip player_id='1541230' first='Connor' last='May']!&nbsp; Sign me up!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Toughest Path for Top Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lake Zurich gets a tough draw with a Rolling Meadows team that has the best prospect in the sectional in [player_tooltip player_id='1385299' first='Ian' last='Miletic'].&nbsp; If they get past to advance then it is most likely Palatine followed by Barrington.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><u>Rockford Guilford Sectional<br></u></strong><br><strong>Team to Beat</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Warren comes in as the top seed and deservingly so.&nbsp; They have had a stellar season led by their star freshman [player_tooltip player_id='2323571' first='Jaxson' last='Davis'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Contenders</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>DeKalb, Auburn, Guilford</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sleepers</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McHenry, Mundelein</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Prospects</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2323571' first='Jaxson' last='Davis'] (Warren)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1874672' first='Alex' last='Daniels'] (Warren)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1545123' first='Sean' last='Reynolds'] (Dekalb)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2105355' first='Davon' last='Grant'] (Dekalb)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1845353' first='Amir' last='Danforth'] (Auburn)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2105407' first='Champ' last='Parker'] (Auburn)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1282464' first='Malachi' last='Johnson'] (Guilford)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1552440' first='Adam' last='Anwar'] (McHenry)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1385286' first='Derek' last='Bishop'] (Mundelein)<br><br><strong>Under the Radar Players Who Could Impact Sectional</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2321424' first='Immanuel' last='Brown'] (Warren)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2291830' first='Javerion' last='Banks'] (Warren)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2326964' first='Jackson' last='Kees'] (Dekalb)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2105424' first='Brian' last='Harper'] (Auburn)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Best Potential Regional Finals</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dekalb vs Rockford Auburn</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Best Potential Sectional Finals</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Warren vs Rockford Guilford</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Toughest Path for Top Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dekalb gets their first two at home, but a path of Rockford Auburn/Warren/Guilford is super tough.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><u>Aurora East Sectional</u></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Team to Beat</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is a great sectional field!&nbsp; I would put Bolingbrook and Downers Grove North as the co-favorites in this one.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Contenders</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Yorkville, Benet, Waubonsie Valley</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sleepers</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oswego East, West Aurora, Neuqua Valley, Metea Valley</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Prospects</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2323624' first='Davion' last='Thompson'] (Bolingbrook)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1385301' first='JT' last='Pettigrew'] (Bolingbrook)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1285524' first='Jack' last='Stanton'] (Downers Grove North)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1507492' first='Alex' last='Miller'] (Downers Grove North)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1285496' first='Jason' last='Jakstys'] (Yorkville)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1552393' first='Gabriel' last='Sularski'] (Benet)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1598682' first='Daniel' last='Pauliukonis'] (Benet)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2105376' first='Colin' last='Stack'] (Benet)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2326960' first='Tyreek' last='Coleman'] (Waubonsie Valley)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1157349' first='Jehvion' last='Starwood'] (Oswego East)<br>Mason Lockett (Oswego East)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1545116' first='Terrence' last='Smith'] (West Aurora)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1285497' first='Luke' last='Kinkade'] (Neuqua Valley)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1978583' first='Will' last='Ashford'] (Metea Valley)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1545139' first='Jake' last='Nosek'] (Metea Valley)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2374459' first='James' last='Parker'] (Metea Valley)<br><br><strong>Under the Radar Players Who Could Impact Sectional</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1541243' first='DJ' last='Strong'] (Bolingbrook – North Park)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1295497' first='Josh' last='Aniceto'] (Bolingbrook – Augustana)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2104960' first='Owen' last='Thulin'] (Downers Grove North)<br>Jake Reimer (Downers Grove North)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2049703' first='Bryce' last='Salek'] (Yorkville)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2105390' first='Jayden' last='Wright'] (Benet)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1598658' first='Blake' last='Fagbemi'] (Benet – Injured?)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2326966' first='Moses' last='Wilson'] (Waubonsie Valley)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1285522' first='CJ' last='Savage'] (West Aurora)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1295535' first='Jordan' last='Brooks'] (West Aurora)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Best Potential Regional Finals</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Honestly you could pick any of the four.&nbsp; I will go with Bolingbrook either playing Yorkville at Yorkville featuring Illini commit [player_tooltip player_id='1285496' first='Jason' last='Jakstys'] or West Aurora with their three stars!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Best Potential Sectional Finals</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bolingbrook vs Downers Grove North would be a thriller!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Toughest Path for Top Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For a top seed Bolingbrook they have a heck of a road to go to reach the supers.&nbsp; Yorkville at home or high powered West Aurora in the regional final.&nbsp; Then Benet or Oswego East in sectional semis.&nbsp; In the bottom half of the bracket Downers Grove North or possibly Waubonsie Valley could be waiting for them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><u>Pekin Sectional</u></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Team to Beat</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Normal Community and Quincy come into this as co-favorites both with hopes to win the state championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Contenders</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>O'Fallon, Moline, Bradley Bourbonnais</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sleepers</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Belleville East, Belleville West, Edwardsville, Pekin</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Prospects</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1157233' first='Jaheem' last='Webber'] (Normal Community – Wright State)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1172774' first='Braylon' last='Roman'] (Normal Community)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1285483' first='Niko' last='Newsome'] (Normal Community – Saginaw Valley State)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1285481' first='Noah' last='Cleveland'] (Normal Community)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1385298' first='Bradley' last='Longcor'] (Quincy)<br>Dom Clay (Quincy)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1750594' first='Camden' last='Brown'] (Quincy)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1385308' first='Keshaun' last='Thomas'] (Quincy)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1373443' first='Rini' last='Harris'] (O'Fallon – McKendree)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1157355' first='Jaeden' last='Rush'] (O'Fallon)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1545132' first='Treyvon' last='Taylor'] (Moline)<br>Braeden Freeman (Moline)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1545117' first='Nick' last='Allen'] (Bradley Bourbonnais)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2105171' first='Savion' last='Mitchell'] (Belleville East)<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Under the Radar Players Who Could Impact Sectional</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1373449' first='Ralph' last='Wires'] (Quincy)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2318278' first='Tyler' last='Sprick'] (Quincy)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2318169' first='Will' last='Brown'] (O'Fallon)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1429130' first='Vinablo' last='Adjahoungbeta'] (Moline)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2105429' first='Wood' last='Cary'] (Moline)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1874870' first='Tallis' last='Lowery'] (Belleville East)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1978595' first='Christian' last='Jenkins'] (Belleville East)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='2176042' first='Myles' last='Liddell'] (Belleville West)<br>[player_tooltip player_id='1157350' first='Matthew' last='Jurgens'] (Pekin)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Best Potential Regional Finals</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Quincy vs O'Fallon.&nbsp; Rematch of semis from Collinsville Tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Best Potential Sectional Finals</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Quincy vs Normal Community.&nbsp; Ton of highly ranked central Illinois prospects on both sides.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Toughest Path for Top Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What a route for Quincy.&nbsp; They have to travel to the metro east to play their first three games which could be Alton, O'Fallon, and Collinsville all in their back yards.&nbsp; If they complete that trek of the 618 then it is the beast that is Normal Community most likely.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->