10 Best Sectional Final Matchups

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Friday night may be the best single night of hoops all year.&nbsp; I love watching all the games and scores throughout the night.&nbsp; Monitoring upsets and seeing big time prospects go at it!&nbsp; With so many quality games it is tough to narrow it down, but here are our <strong>10 Best Sectional Final Matchups</strong>!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><u>4A</u></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Bolingbrook vs Downers Grove North (East Aurora Sectional)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We watched the sectional semis of both of these teams.&nbsp; Each looked good in their wins against tough opponents.&nbsp; Bolingbrook has star inside/outside duo [player_tooltip player_id='1385301' first='JT' last='Pettigrew'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2323624' first='Davion' last='Thompson'] on fire at the right time.&nbsp; DGN is playing lights out defensively along with getting shot making from [player_tooltip player_id='1285524' first='Jack' last='Stanton'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1507492' first='Alex' last='Miller'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Quincy vs Normal Community (Pekin Sectional)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two of the premier programs in central Illinois go at it with prospects all over the floor!&nbsp; Quincy has top 10 junior [player_tooltip player_id='1385298' first='Bradley' last='Longcor'] coming off a 28 point outing along with a ton of other ranked players including big man [player_tooltip player_id='1385308' first='Keshaun' last='Thomas'].&nbsp; Normal Community comes back with four prospects ranked in the top 34 of the senior class.&nbsp; Wright State commit [player_tooltip player_id='1157233' first='Jaheem' last='Webber'] is a force inside.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='1285483' first='Niko' last='Newsome'] is a Saginaw State commit who is coming off a strong game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Homewood Flossmoor vs Bloom (Rich Township Sectional)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>HF got a big test against Joliet West.&nbsp; Now they turn their attention to another veteran squad with talented wings in Bloom.&nbsp; Homewood Flossmoor junior star [player_tooltip player_id='1385293' first='Bryce' last='Heard'] and senior Columbia commit [player_tooltip player_id='1352590' first='Gianni' last='Cobb'] are clicking on all cylinders.&nbsp; Bloom has a depth of seniors, but it is really their junior combo guard [player_tooltip player_id='1545131' first='Elijah' last='Lovemore'] who is the difference maker!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Curie vs Simeon (Riverside Brookfield Sectional)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two of the elite programs in the state.&nbsp; Saw this sectional final 11 years ago between Jabari Parker and Cliff Alexander.&nbsp; Curie is the top team in the state and UIC commit [player_tooltip player_id='1157211' first='Carlos' last='Harris'] has continued his monster senior campaign through the playoffs to date.&nbsp; Simeon's backcourt of [player_tooltip player_id='1750596' first='RJ' last='McKinnie'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1385305' first='Lorenzo' last='Shields'] pushed them over Kenwood and will look to do the same vs another CPS rival.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><u>3A</u></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mt. Carmel vs De La Salle (Hinsdale South Sectional)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Caravan survived a major test against Hyde Park.&nbsp; This will be an even larger one against Chicago Catholic League foe De La Salle.&nbsp; It is all about the seniors in this game!&nbsp; Mt. Carmel has top 5 senior and Northwestern commit [player_tooltip player_id='1373436' first='Angelo' last='Ciaravino'] leading the way as the do it all forward that can put a team on his back.&nbsp; De La Salle has quite the depth of seniors and sophomores, but for them to win it will need to be [player_tooltip player_id='1285484' first='Tavariyuan' last='Williams'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1285485' first='Richard' last='Lindsey'] leading the way.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Thornton vs Brother Rice (Thornton Sectional)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two of the best teams in the Chicagoland area all season long will clash here.&nbsp; Thornton has the #1 player in the state in Illini signee [player_tooltip player_id='1157230' first='Morez' last='Johnson'] who is an absolute force.&nbsp; Their three guard trio of [player_tooltip player_id='2083269' first='Chase' last='Abraham'], [player_tooltip player_id='1158757' first='Meyoh' last='Swansey'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1285479' first='Isaiah' last='Green'] have been steady all year.&nbsp; Brother Rice counters with a perimeter duo of Lewis commit [player_tooltip player_id='1436161' first='Cale' last='Cosme'] and D1 bound junior [player_tooltip player_id='1545120' first='Marcos' last='Gonzales'].&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='1373444' first='Zavier' last='Fitch'] will try to contain Johnson inside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Metamora vs Peoria Richwoods (Pontiac Sectional)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These are two of the most talented teams in central Illinois across the board.&nbsp; It also features the #2 prospect in the senior class [player_tooltip player_id='1157231' first='Cooper' last='Koch'] (Metamora – Iowa) against #3 ranked [player_tooltip player_id='1157232' first='Lathan' last='Sommerville'] (Peoria Richwoods – Rutgers).&nbsp; Very different players as Koch is a skilled face up four man and Sommerville is a powerful low post bruiser.&nbsp; Played their freshman seasons together at Peoria Notre Dame.&nbsp; A ton of other high level prospects as well on the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Centralia vs Mt. Vernon (Triad Sectional)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Among the best rivalries in southern Illinois is this clash.&nbsp; I remember seeing this game as a kid where fans and players were into it more than I had ever seen.&nbsp; This time it is for a sectional title.&nbsp; The matchup to watch will be on the perimeter with [player_tooltip player_id='1750716' first='Cruz' last='Harlan'] directing things for Centralia while Mt. Vernon has bowling ball scoring dynamo [player_tooltip player_id='1761128' first='Navontae' last='Nesbit']!&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><u>2A</u></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Phillips vs Hansberry (Orr Sectional)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The best two Chicago 2A schools square off here.  Each team has a bonafide D1 recruit as well.  Phillips boasts [player_tooltip player_id='2321396' first='EJ' last='Horton'] who is in the midst of a breakout season!  Hansberry has the 1-2 punch of #3 ranked [player_tooltip player_id='1766460' first='Al' last='Brooks'] Jr and his brother [player_tooltip player_id='1766465' first='Ikee' last='Brooks'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Breese Central vs Benton (Benton Sectional)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These teams have been toward the top of the 2A rankings all year long and seemed destined to meet up in the sectional final.&nbsp; Zane Schrage and [player_tooltip player_id='1428864' first='Mason' last='Shubert'] are the veteran leaders for Breese while Benton has bouncy four man [player_tooltip player_id='1545126' first='Docker' last='Tedeschi'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->