Wisconsin vs. Illinois Border Battle Set for January 30, 2027

After battling to a 4-4 deadlock a year ago, the annual Wisconsin vs. Illinois returns in 2027 on January 30th at The Prairie School in Racine. Seven teams from Wisconsin will take on seven teams from Illinois with the Badger State looking to add on its to current 31-25 lead in the series.

Following is a breakdown of each contest:

Wisconsin vs. Illinois Border Battle
January 30, 2027
At The Prairie School (Racine)

Game One
11:00 a.m. -- Brookfield Academy (WI) vs. Unity Christian Academy (IL)
Brookfield Academy is one of the top teams in the Midwest Classic Conference and features senior triplets Lazar Djilas Lazar Djilas 6'8" | SF Brookfield Academy | 2027 State WI (6-8), Pavle Djilas Pavle Djilas 6'7" | CG Brookfield Academy | 2027 State WI (6-7) and Nikola Djilas Nikola Djilas 6'3" | PG/CG Brookfield Academy | 2027 WI (6-3). All three are capable double-figure scorers with diversified skill sets and form a rock-solid nucleus for veteran coach Pat Clarey. Junior guard Eli Petropoulos Eli Petropoulos 5'11" | CG Brookfield Academy | 2028 State WI (5-11) also returns for the Blue Knights, who finished 11-15 last season. Brookfield Academy sustained a bit of a blow in late summer when transfer Omar Aliesa Omar Aliesa 6'8" | PF Brookfield Academy | 2027 WI , a 6-foot-8 forward from Kuwait, tore his ACL and later transferred to Greendale. Aliesa is expected to miss the entire 2026-27 season. Unity Christian Academy plays an independent schedule and is located in South Holland, Illinois on Chicago's far southside. The Phoenix are led by senior guard Donovan O’Neil Donovan O’Neil 6'1" | SG Unity Christian Academy | 2027 State IL Jr. (6-0), the son of head coach Donovan O’Neil Donovan O’Neil 6'1" | SG Unity Christian Academy | 2027 State IL Sr. Also back from last year's 18-9 squad are seniors Vincent Allen Vincent Allen 6'6" | PF Unity Christian Academy | 2027 State IL (6-6) and junior Dylen O'Neal (6-0).

12:30 p.m. -- Homestead (WI) vs. Glenbard North (IL)
A matchup of two programs loaded with collegiate prospects. Homestead, 13-12 a year ago, comes to the plate with senior point guard Michael Rogers Jr. Michael Rogers Jr. 6'0" | PG Homestead | 2027 State WI , a dynamic 6-foot-0 playmaker and shot maker who has committed to NCAA Division I Northern Illinois. The Highlanders of coach Sean Crider also boast one of the top shooters in the state's 2027 class in wing Oliver Belot Oliver Belot 6'0" | SG Homestead | 2027 State WI (6-0). Talented juniors wings Nick Grice Nick Grice 6'4" | SF/PG Homestead | 2028 State WI (6-3) and Jaylen Trotter Jaylen Trotter 6'3" | CG Homestead | 2028 State WI (6-3) will look to take a major step forward this winter as will junior forward Ben Hills Ben Hills 6'5" | SF Homestead | 2028 State WI (6-5). Glenbard North, which went 24-8 last season and won the DuKane Conference title, is led by a pair of top 10 players in Illinois' class of 2027 in No. 6-ranked Oturo Redento Oturo Redento 6'6" | SF Glenbard North | 2027 State IL (6-6) and No. 9-ranked Lamari Carpenter Lamari Carpenter 6'4" | SG Glenbard North | 2027 State IL (6-4). Glenbard North has an enrollment of just under 2,000 students and is led by coach first-year coach Nick Healy.

2:00 p.m. -- The Prairie School (WI) vs. Chicago Perspectives Leadership (IL)
Another marquee matchup of teams with plenty of college players stepping onto the court. The Prairie School has three experienced seniors and some talented underclassmen and looks to contend for the Metro Classic Conference championship under coach Jason Atanasoff in 2026-27. The Hawks are led by seniors Chandler Perry Chandler Perry 6'3" | PG/CG The Prairie School | 2027 State WI (6-3), Dalton Ahlensdorf Dalton Ahlensdorf 6'5" | SF The Prairie School | 2027 State WI (6-5) and Ryan Vanoss Ryan Vanoss 6'5" | CG The Prairie School | 2027 State WI (6-5) along with junior Emmett Wassil Emmett Wassil 6'3" | SF/CG The Prairie School | 2028 State WI (6-3). All four started a year ago for a 10-16 squad. Junior Hunter Greb Hunter Greb 5'11" | PG/SG The Prairie School | 2028 WI (5-11), senior Owen Jedlicka Owen Jedlicka 6'5" | PF The Prairie School | 2027 WI (6-6) and freshmen Damar Bell Damar Bell 6'0" | SG WI (6-4) and Brady Remington Brady Remington 6'4" | SF The Prairie School | 2030 WI (6-4) also figure to play key roles for the Hawks. Chicago Perspectives Leadership competes in the highly regarded Red Central Division of the Chicago Public League. First-year coach Justin Rhymes boasts some talented backcourt performers in seniors Mikey Woods Mikey Woods 6'1" | PG Chicago Perspectives | 2027 State IL (6-1), ranked No. 7 among prospects in Illinois' 2027 class, and Jaden Taylor (5-10). Sophomore Aaron Harrington Aaron Harrington 6'2" | PG Chicago Perspectives | 2029 State IL (6-2) is another guard looming as a key contributor for the Warriors, who finished 17-11 last winter.

3:30 p.m. -- Oak Creek (WI) vs. Waukegan (IL)
Located just 53 miles apart but in two different states, Oak Creek and Waukegan figure to compete in a highly entertaining contest with both teams boasting plenty of collegiate prospects. Oak Creek is led by junior wing Ja’Quan Turner Ja’Quan Turner 6'5" | SF/SG Oak Creek | 2028 State WI (6-4), an athletic and versatile player who can soar to the basket while also making some perimeter shots. Sharpshooting senior guard Tyson Busch Tyson Busch 6'1" | SG Oak Creek | 2027 State WI (6-1) can get hot in a hurry and is more than capable of knocking down multiple three-point shots in any given contest. Junior forward Colton Brukwitzki (6-3) gives the Knights some physical strength and toughness around the basket. Coach Eric Hollow also looks to get contributions from seniors Lincoln Hanson Lincoln Hanson 6'3" | SF Oak Creek | 2027 WI (6-3), Mason Botsch Mason Botsch 6'1" | SG Oak Creek | 2027 WI (6-1) and Carson Peterburs Carson Peterburs 6'4" | SF/SG Oak Creek | 2027 WI (6-3), among others. Waukegan, a public school with a listed enrollment of 3,880, went 24-8 a year ago and finished second in the North Suburban Conference. However, the Bulldogs did graduate all five starters and 11 of 15 varsity players. Still, Waukegan has great tradition and should field another highly competitive squad under coach Ron Ashlaw.

5:00 p.m. -- Waukesha West (WI) vs. Prospect (IL)
Coach Don LaValle's Waukesha West Wolverines look to put together another successful season after finishing 14-12 in 2025-26. A pair of starters return in senior Ben Arnold Ben Arnold 6'0" | SF IL (6-4) and junior Will Still Will Still 6'1" | PG Waukesha West | 2028 State WI (6-1). Arnold and Still will be cornerstone pieces for Waukesha West, but they figure to get plenty of help from senior Tyler Cattarozzle Tyler Cattarozzle 6'0" | CG Waukesha West | 2027 WI (6-0), who missed last year with an injury, and talented juniors Noah Didion Noah Didion 6'3" | SG/SF Waukesha West | 2028 State WI (6-3), Logan LaValle Logan LaValle 6'3" | PG/SG Waukesha West | 2028 WI (6-3) and Jordan Guilette Jordan Guilette 6'4" | PF/SF Waukesha West | 2028 WI (6-3). Prospect defeated Milwaukee South Division 68-54 in last year's Wisconsin vs. Illinois Border Battle, but the Knights welcome back just one starter in forward Danny Simon Danny Simon IL (6-6), ranked among the top 100 players in Illinois' 2027 class. In addition to Simon, key reserves Quinn Zinzer Quinn Zinzer 6'0" | PG Prospect | 2027 State IL (6-0) and Connor Fack (6-0) also return for the Knights, who finished 14-17 last winter and compete in the Mid Suburban -- West Conference.

6:30 p.m. -- West DePere (WI) vs. Niles North (IL)
You better put your toughness on full display when you take on Niles North as the Vikings come to play from the opening tip each time out. Coming off a 23-10 season that included a 69-50 loss to New Berlin West in last year's Border Battle, Niles North brings back four of its top eight players in seniors Aidan Avila Aidan Avila 6'4" | PF/C Niles North | 2027 State IL (6-4), Collin Tobin Collin Tobin 6'3" | SG Niles North | 2027 State IL (6-3) and Dominic Mann Dominic Mann 6'1" | SG/PG Niles North | 2027 State IL (6-0) along with talented junior point guard Enzo D'andrea (5-10). Tobin is ranked as the No. 30 prospect in Illinois' 2027 class by Prep Hoops Illinois. Niles North is coached by Glenn Olson and plays in the Central Suburban -- North Conference. Over at West DePere, coach Todd Deschane has yet another talented group of players and a lineup that boasts one of the top backcourt duos in the Fox River Classic Conference in senior point guard Carson Samson Carson Samson 6'0" | PG West De Pere | 2027 State WI (6-0) and senior off guard Cooper Borowicz Cooper Borowicz 6'4" | CG West De Pere | 2027 State WI (6-4), a Northern Michigan football recruit. Up front, senior Jack Wilichowski Jack Wilichowski 6'7" | PF/C West De Pere | 2027 State WI (6-7) has taken big strides in his game and figures to give the Phantoms a dependable scorer and rebounder near the basket.

8:00 p.m. -- Racine Case (WI) vs. Buffalo Grove (IL)
Buffalo Grove features a top five player in Illinois in senior Alex Sirbu Alex Sirbu 6'9" | C Buffalo Grove | 2027 State IL , a versatile 6-foot-9 forward who has committed to NCAA Division I Columbia. Junior Edwin Karnauchovas Edwin Karnauchovas 6'0" | PG Buffalo Grove | 2028 State IL (6-0) poured in 29 points as a sophomore at the Border Battle in a 75-69 loss to Oak Creek and also returns form coach Kevin Geldon. Seniors Dylan Ronczkowski Dylan Ronczkowski 6'0" | CG Buffalo Grove | 2027 IL (6-2) and Nathan Freheit (6-11) also played big minutes for a team that went 13-19. Racine Case must replace three double-digit scorers from last year's 22-6 squad, but coach Jake Berce has some intriguing pieces back in senior Michael Lewis Michael Lewis 6'2" | PG/SG Racine Case | 2027 State WI (6-2) and juniors Jayden Searcy Jayden Searcy 5'11" | CG Racine Case | 2028 WI (5-11) and Charlie Kwapil Charlie Kwapil 6'5" | SF Racine Case | 2028 State WI (6-5). Incoming freshmen Amar’e Ozier Amar’e Ozier 6'0" | CG Racine Case | 2030 WI (6-0), Rashaud Ashley Rashaud Ashley 5'10" | PG Racine Case | 2030 WI (5-10) and Terry Brumby Terry Brumby 6'0" | CG Racine Case | 2030 WI (6-0) could also factor into the playing rotation for the Eagles.