4A State Tournament Preview

<p>The state tournament is almost here!  The 3A and 4A playoffs will be getting underway this week.  Here is our preview of the <strong>4A Illinois State Tournament</strong> and our picks!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><u>Tournament Favorite</u></strong></p> <p>Well you have to start off with the two teams that met for the championship last season.  That would be Whitney Young and Belleville West.  Both teams return the majority of their squads that met a year ago.  This year they would meet in the semis if they make it that far.  Curie and Bloom are both serious contenders as well.  They have been consistently dominant throughout the season.  Others worth monitoring include Evanston, Bolingbrook, Geneva, Rockford East, and Marian Catholic. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><u>Best Potential Defining Games in Tournament Prior to Supers</u></strong></p> <p>Evanston vs New Trier in Niles North Sectional Final<br /> Waukegan vs Fremd in Waukegan Sectional Semi<br /> Naperville North vs Glenbard West in Glenbard West Regional Semi<br /> Benet vs DeKalb in DeKalb Regional Final<br /> Downers Grove North vs Downers Grove South in Downers Grove South Regional Final<br /> Bolingbrook vs Oswego East in Aurora East Sectional Final<br /> Collinsville vs Alton in Collinsville Regional Final<br /> Belleville West vs Collinsville/Alton in Moline Sectional Semi<br /> Belleville West vs Danville/Normal/Rock Island/Moline in Moline Sectional Final<br /> Simeon vs Brother Rice in Brother Rice Regional Final<br /> Simeon/Marian Catholic &amp; Homewood Flossmoor/Bloom in Eisenhower Sectional Semis<br /> Simeon/Marian Catholic vs Homewood Flossmoor/Bloom in Eisenhower Sectional Final<br /> Curie vs Fenwick in Fenwick Regional Final<br /> York vs OPRF in York Regional Final<br /> Whitney Young vs Curie in Proviso West Sectional Final</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><u>5 Questions</u></strong></p> <p><em>What Stars Will Step Up?</em></p> <p>The majority of the superstar players in the state are in 4A.  It all begins with the reigning Mr. Basketball EJ Liddell (Belleville West).  The most dominant force in high school basketball will try to lead his team to back to back state titles.  Whitney Young has a trio of big time guards in senior Myles Baker along with the stud juniors DJ Steward and Tyler Beard.  Curie’s Dajuan Gordon can put his team on his back in March.  Bloom is so balanced that any of their 2020 D1 prospects could step up.  Others on title contenders to watch are Lance Jones (Evanston), Tyler Cochran (Bolibgbrook), Jack McDonald (Geneva), Chris Burnell (Rockford East), and Ahron Ulis (Marian Catholic).  Players that could go off early in the tournament and cause an upset are Marquise Kennedy (Brother Rice), Tom Welch (Naperville North), Donovan Clay (Alton), Ray’Sean Taylor (Collinsville), and Bryce Hopkins (Fenwick).</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em>Who are the Best Unsigned Seniors?</em></p> <p>There are a lot of uncommitted 2019s that can elevate their stock.  Here are the prospects that are still on the board in the top 50.  Myles Baker (Whitney Young), Antonio Reeves (Simeon), Martin Macenis (Stagg), Bryant Brown (Waukegan), Kejuan Clements (Simeon), Deng Reng (Wheaton North), Kendrick Tchoua (Benet), Mitch Mascari (Geneva), Deonte Billups (Moline), Sean Houpt (Danville), Christopher Burnell (Rockford East), Chris White (Marian Catholic), Trey Boston (Downers Grove North), and Artese Stapleton (Kenwood).</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em>What is Easiest Sectional?</em></p> <p>This is a tight race between the Waukegan Sectional and Rockford Sectional.  We will give the slight edge to Waukegan Sectional.  The Chicago northern suburbs just didn’t have many great teams this season.  Overall the bracket is weak, but a final between Stevenson and Waukegan could be fun.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em>What is the Hardest Sectional?</em></p> <p>This is a close race between the Eisenhower, Moline, and Proviso West Sectionals.  The top two teams are better in the Proviso West Sectional, but overall I will go with the depth seen in the Eisenhower Sectional.  You have powerhouse programs Bloom, Homewood Flossmoor, Simeon, St. Rita, Marian Catholic, and Brother Rice.  Only one of them will make it to the supers.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em>Toughest Road for Top Teams?</em></p> <p>Out of the premier title contenders of Belleville West, Whitney Young, Curie, and Bloom who has the toughest road?  Here are their potential paths to a title game from the regional final on.  None of them got easy draws with many potential stumbling blocks along the way!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Curie:</p> <p>Fenwick (@ Fenwick), Lincoln Park/Riverside Brookfield, Whitney Young, Bloom/Marian/Simeon, Belleville West, Championship Game</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Whitney Young:</p> <p>Lane, York/OPRF, Curie, Bloom/Marian/Simeon, Belleville West, Championship Game</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Bloom:</p> <p>Richards/Thornwood, Homewood Flossmoor/St. Rita, Marian Catholic/Simeon, Whitney Young/Curie, Belleville West, Championship Game</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Belleville West:</p> <p>Chatham Glenwood, Collinsville/Alton, Danville/Normal/Moline (In Quad Cities), Bolingbrook/Oswego East, Curie/Whitney Young/Bloom/Simeon/Marian Catholic, Championship</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><u>Predictions<br /> <br /> </u></strong></p> <p><em><u>Regional Finals</u></em></p> <p>Evanston over Niles Notre Dame<br /> Glenbrook South over Niles North<br /> New Trier over Glenbrook North<br /> Maine South over Rolling Meadows<br /> Stevenson over Hersey<br /> Mundelein over Deerfield<br /> Fremd over Barrington<br /> Waukegan over Prospect<br /> Geneva over Wheaton Warrenville South<br /> Lyons over Naperville North<br /> Benet over DeKalb<br /> Downers Grove South over Downers Grove North<br /> Rockford East over Rockford Boylan<br /> St. Charles East over St. Charles North<br /> Cary Grove over South Elgin<br /> Harlem over Crystal Lake South<br /> Bolingbrook over Plainfield East<br /> Oswego over West Aurora<br /> Lockport over Waubonsie Valley<br /> Oswego East over Romeoville<br /> Belleville West over Chatham Glenwood<br /> Collinsville over Alton<br /> Danville over Moline<br /> Normal Community over Rock Island<br /> Bloom over Richards<br /> Homewood Flossmoor over St. Rita<br /> Marian Catholic over Thornton<br /> Simeon over Brother Rice<br /> Curie over Fenwick<br /> Riverside Brookfield over Lincoln Park<br /> Whitney Young over Lane<br /> York over OPRF<br /> <br /> </p> <p><em><u>Sectional Semis</u></em></p> <p>Evanston over Glenbrook South<br /> New Trier over Maine South <br /> Stevenson over Mundelien<br /> Waukegan over Fremd<br /> Geneva over Lyons<br /> Benet over Downers Grove South<br /> Rockford East over St. Charles East<br /> Cary Grove over Harlem<br /> Bolingbrook over Oswego<br /> Oswego East over Lockport<br /> Belleville West over Collinsville<br /> Danville over Normal Community<br /> Bloom over Homewood Flossmoor<br /> Marian Catholic over Simeon<br /> Curie over Riverside Brookfield<br /> Whitney Young over York<br /> <br /> </p> <p><em><u>Sectional Finals</u></em></p> <p>Evanston over Maine South<br /> Waukegan over Stevenson<br /> Geneva over Benet<br /> Rockford East over Cary Grove<br /> Bolingbrook over Oswego East<br /> Belleville West over Danville<br /> Bloom over Marian Catholic<br /> Whitney Young over Curie</p> <p><em><u> </u></em></p> <p><em><u>Super Sectional</u></em></p> <p>Evanston over Waukegan<br /> Rockford East over Geneva<br /> Belleville West over Bolingbrook<br /> Whitney Young over Bloom<br /> <br /> </p> <p><em><u>Final Four</u></em></p> <p>Evanston over Rockford East<br /> Whitney Young over Belleville West</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em><u>Championship</u></em></p> <p>Whitney Young over Evanston</p>