3A State Preview: Bottom Half of Bracket
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Prep Hoops Illinois has you covered with everything you need to know heading into the state playoffs! We breakdown the tournament sectional by sectional! Our next one is 3A Preview: St. Viator, Kaneland, Thornton, and Pontiac Sectionals! St. Viator Sectional…
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Continue ReadingPrep Hoops Illinois has you covered with everything you need to know heading into the state playoffs! We breakdown the tournament sectional by sectional! Our next one is 3A Preview: St. Viator, Kaneland, Thornton, and Pontiac Sectionals!
St. Viator Sectional
Team to Beat
Unequivocally the answer is DePaul Prep. They are by far and away the best team in this sectional based on resume and talent.
Contenders
Lake Forest and Deerfield
Sleepers
Carmel, Wauconda, Niles Notre Dame
Top Prospects
Jaylan McElroy
Jaylan
McElroy
6'7" | PF
DePaul Prep | 2024
State
#262
Nation
IL
(DePaul Prep)
PJ Chambers
PJ
Chambers
6'2" | SG
DePaul Prep | 2024
State
IL
(DePaul Prep)
Rashaun Porter
Rashaun
Porter
6'6" | PF
DePaul Prep | 2026
State
IL
(DePaul Prep)
Jake Pollack
Jake
Pollack
6'8" | PF
Deerfield | 2026
State
IL
(Deerfield)
Kaleb Jackson
Kaleb
Jackson
6'2" | PG
Carmel Catholic | 2024
State
IL
(Carmel)
Braeden Carlsen
Braeden
Carlsen
6'4" | SF
Wauconda | 2024
State
IL
(Wauconda – Mercer)
Brady Sehlhorst
Brady
Sehlhorst
6'6" | SF
Niles Notre Dame | 2025
State
IL
(Niles Notre Dame)
Under the Radar Players Who Could Impact Sectional
Makai Kvamme
Makai
Kvamme
6'0" | PG
DePaul Prep | 2025
State
IL
(DePaul Prep)
Robert Walls
Robert
Walls
6'2" | PG
DePaul Prep | 2025
State
IL
(DePaul Prep)
Jonas Johnson
Jonas
Johnson
6'6" | PF
DePaul Prep | 2025
State
IL
(DePaul Prep)
Evan Nagler
Evan
Nagler
6'0" | PG
Deerfield | 2026
IL
(Deerfield)
Bryce Smith
Bryce
Smith
6'7" | PF
Carmel | 2024
State
IL
(Carmel)
Ryder Raya
Ryder
Raya
6'2" | SG
Niles Notre Dame | 2025
State
IL
(Niles Notre Dame)
Best Potential Regional Finals
DePaul Prep vs Wauconda. The Rams could get a D1 player in round 2 against Wauconda’s Braeden Carlsen Braeden Carlsen 6'4" | SF Wauconda | 2024 State IL (Mercer)
Best Potential Sectional Finals
DePaul Prep vs Lake Forest
Toughest Path for Top Team
DePaul Prep’s path at the top half of the bracket is definitely tougher than the bottom half. Like we mentioned they could get a D1 player in round 2 or play on Carmel’s home floor against a well coached squad. Niles Notre Dame has shooters that if they are on can shoot to a win. Then either Lake Forest or Deerfield in final. They should navigate, but it isn’t a walk.
Kaneland Sectional
Team to Beat
Crystal Lake South. They come in with an outstanding record and are really one of the only teams that has made major noise this season.
Contenders
Kaneland and Belvidere North
Sleepers
Marmion Academy
Best Potential Regional Finals
Kaneland vs Marmion Academy
Best Potential Sectional Finals
Crystal Lake South vs Kaneland. The favorite vs Kaneland on their home floor.
Toughest Path for Top Team
None
Thornton Sectional
Team to Beat
Thornton. They have the best player in the state in Morez Johnson Morez Johnson 6'9" | PF Thornton | 2024 State #33 Nation IL and it is on their home floor! Enough said.
Contenders
Brother Rice and Marian Catholic
Sleepers
Lemont, Evergreen Park, Hillcrest, Crete Monee
Top Prospects
Morez Johnson
Morez
Johnson
6'9" | PF
Thornton | 2024
State
#33
Nation
IL
(Thornton – Illinois)
Chase Abraham
Chase
Abraham
6'0" | SG
Thornton | 2024
State
IL
(Thornton)
Isaiah Green
Isaiah
Green
6'1" | PG
Thornton | 2024
State
IL
(Thornton)
Meyoh Swansey
Meyoh
Swansey
6'3" | SG
Thornton | 2024
State
IL
(Thornton)
Marcos Gonzales
Marcos
Gonzales
6'3" | SG
Brother Rice | 2025
State
IL
(Brother Rice)
Zavier Fitch
Zavier
Fitch
6'7" | PF
Brother Rice | 2024
State
IL
(Brother Rice)
Cale Cosme
Cale
Cosme
5'7" | PG
Brother Rice | 2024
State
IL
(Brother Rice – Lewis)
James Bullock
James
Bullock
6'7" | PF
Marian Catholic | 2024
State
IL
(Marian Catholic)
Klaidas Paskauskas
Klaidas
Paskauskas
6'0" | PG
Lemont | 2024
State
IL
(Lemont)
Keshaun Vaval
Keshaun
Vaval
6'1" | PG
Evergreen Park | 2025
State
IL
(Evergreen Park)
Jaylen Ingram
Jaylen
Ingram
6'8" | C
Hillcrest | 2025
State
IL
(Hillcrest)
Max Carmicle
Max
Carmicle
6'6" | C
Hillcrest | 2026
State
IL
(Hillcrest)
Adam Page
Adam
Page
6'4" | SF
Hillcrest | 2025
IL
(Hillcrest)
Tay’Shun Russell
Tay’Shun
Russell
5'9" | PG
Crete Monee | 2024
State
IL
(Crete Monee)
Under the Radar Players Who Could Impact Sectional
Tyler Wooten
Tyler
Wooten
6'5" | SG
Brother Rice | 2024
State
IL
(Brother Rice)
Zach Sharkey (Marian Catholic)
Ryan Runaas
Ryan
Runaas
6'0" | PG
Lemont | 2024
State
IL
(Lemont)
Matas Gaidukevicius
Matas
Gaidukevicius
6'5" | SG
Lemont | 2025
State
IL
(Lemont)
Nolan Sexton
Nolan
Sexton
5'11" | PG
Evergreen Park | 2024
State
IL
(Evergreen Park)
Zyheir Gardner
Zyheir
Gardner
6'0" | PG
Crete Monee | 2026
State
IL
(Crete Monee)
Best Potential Regional Finals
Evergreen Park vs Hillcrest is definitely a coin flip game with ranked prospects on both side.
Best Potential Sectional Finals
Thornton vs Brother Rice. Could be the best team from the south suburbs and the best team from the Chicago Catholic League to just advance to a super. Either team that wins has a chance to make a run at a state title.
Toughest Path for Top Team
I would say Brother Rice. Having to go through Marian Catholic and Thornton in the south suburbs is quite a task!
Pontiac Sectional
Team to Beat
Metamora comes in as the defending state champs with a stellar starting five led by Iowa commit Cooper Koch Cooper Koch 6'8" | PF Metamora | 2024 State #81 Nation IL . They are the favorites, but they could get tested in a sectional final from whoever comes out of the bottom half of the bracket.
Contenders
Richwoods, Morton, Kankakee
Sleepers
Pontiac, Peoria
Top Prospects
Cooper Koch
Cooper
Koch
6'8" | PF
Metamora | 2024
State
#81
Nation
IL
(Metamora – Iowa)
Tyler Mason
Tyler
Mason
6'2" | SG
Metamora | 2024
State
IL
(Metamora – Winona State)
Matthew Zobrist
Matthew
Zobrist
6'5" | SG
Metamora | 2025
State
IL
(Metamora)
Lathan Sommerville
Lathan
Sommerville
6'9" | C
Richwoods | 2024
State
#85
Nation
IL
(Richwoods)
Tavie Smith
Tavie
Smith
6'1" | PG
Peoria Richwoods | 2024
State
IL
(Richwoods)
Wes Gudeman
Wes
Gudeman
6'3" | SF
Morton | 2025
State
IL
(Morton)
Larenz Walters
Larenz
Walters
6'2" | PG
Kankakee | 2024
State
IL
(Kankakee)
Lincoln Williams
Lincoln
Williams
6'5" | SF
Kankakee | 2026
State
IL
(Kankakee)
Leshawn Stowers
Leshawn
Stowers
6'4" | SF
Peoria | 2025
State
IL
(Peoria)
Under the Radar Players Who Could Impact Sectional
Luke Hopp
Luke
Hopp
6'8" | C
Metamora | 2024
State
IL
(Metamora)
Jared Jackson
Jared
Jackson
6'3" | SG
Peoria Richwoods | 2024
State
IL
(Richwoods)
Gus Rugaard
Gus
Rugaard
6'0" | PG
Morton | 2024
State
IL
(Morton)
Damontae May
Damontae
May
6'0" | PG
Kankakee | 2024
State
IL
(Kankakee)
Riley Weber
Riley
Weber
6'4" | SF
Pontiac | 2024
State
IL
(Pontiac)
Best Potential Regional Finals
Richwoods vs Morton. Two really good central Illinois teams.
Best Potential Sectional Finals
Metamora vs Richwoods. Cooper Koch Cooper Koch 6'8" | PF Metamora | 2024 State #81 Nation IL vs Lathan Sommerville Lathan Sommerville 6'9" | C Richwoods | 2024 State #85 Nation IL . Two best players in central Illinois.
Toughest Path for Top Team
Richwoods has a tricky one for sure. Morton in a regional final is insanely tough. Then Kankakee or if there are some upsets even Pontiac on their home floor in the sectional semis. Then Metamora in the sectional final.