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By Joe Henricksen
Regional play tips off today across the state for Class 4A and Class 3A schools. Here is a look at the best teams for each seed in Class 4A.
Best No. 1 seed: Benet Academy
Top-ranked team in the state and a perfect 26-0.
Runner-up: Simeon
Heavy favorite in Argo Sectional and still a bonafide state title contender despite losses to Benet and Young.
Best No. 2 seed: Downers Grove South
Has won 16 straight games and blessed with balance, athleticism and some size.
Runner-up: Lyons Twp.
Playing extremely well and boast a senior-dominated team.
Best No. 3 seed: Farragut
Surprise team in the city will have hands full in regional final with Morton.
Runner-up: Glenbard East
Rams have three losses this season to teams with a combined record of 72-5.
Best No. 4 seed: Whitney Young
Has played for a state championship in each of the last two years and has the talent to return.
Runner-up: Mt. Carmel
Behind the trio of Tracy Abrams, Malcolm Hill-Bey and xxx Austin, Caravan playing best basketball of the season.
Best No. 5 seed: Bogan
Well prepared from Red-South battles.
Runner-up: St. Ignatius
Has played a very tough schedule, won 19 games and boasts an all-state player in Nnanna Egwu.
Best No. 6 seed: Morton
Always the scrappy team no one wants to face. And Jeff Jarosz arguably the area's best-kept secret.
Runner-up: Loyola Academy
Put together a strong second half and has played a rugged overall schedule.
Best No. 7 seed: New Trier
Young players stepping up, Austin Angel returned a month ago and Trevians a threat to make a sectional run.
Runner-up: Proviso West
Team with speed, athleticism and just enough balance and talent to put a scare into rival Proviso East in regional final.
Best No. 8 seed: Marist
Young, dangerous 19-win team with an ability to shoot the three and stay in games.
Runner-up: York
Of all the No. 8 seeds, the Dukes may be playing the best by going 13-2 down the stretch.
Best No. 9 seed: Naperville North
The Huskies are 11-5 since the return of 6-6 Matt LaCosse, a physical and athletic presence inside.
Runner-up: Hinsdale South
Beat Morton earlier this season and in the last few weeks has played competitively in losses to Proviso East, Lyons and Morton.
Best No. 10 seed: Wheaton South
Tigers have won eight straight games and are finally healthy after slow start, due mostly to football team's playoff run.
Runner-up: Waukegan
Has played a very difficult schedule and has the athleticism, quickness and a player in Akeem Springs to give higher-seeded teams fits.
Best No. 11 seed: Deerfield
Overachieving Warriors went 7-1 down the stretch, including a 48-46 loss to conference champ Niles North.
Runner-up: Niles West
After a dreadful January (6-game losing streak), coach Bob Williams' club has played some good basketball by closing out the year with five straight wins, including victories over Waukegan and Glenbrook North.
Best No. 12 seed: St. Rita
Tough schedule and injuries have beaten down a young Mustangs team. But St. Rita could give No. 5 seed Bogan trouble on its home floor this week.
Runner-up: Metea Valley
In the last few weeks has beaten higher seeded teams East Aurora, Neuqua Valley and Waubonsie Valley. Could get another crack at Neuqua in regional semis.
Cell Phone Alerts
Joe what are your thoughts on Peoria Notre Dame? I know they don't get much coverage up here because of where they from but I've heard that they got a scary team. Are they still undefeated?
Joey ... Yes, they are unbeaten at 26-0 and are legit. They are a serious Class 3A state title contender. They are smart, play together, well coached and have a big man in Max Bielfeldt who can dominate at the high school level. The Irish have a tough road through the Peoria Sectional, but I think they get through and make it to the final day of the season in Peoria. ... Joe H
Benet is 27-0.
You think Deerfield could actually make a run and surprise people? They seemed well coached. But idk
Joe, I noticed that someone asked you if you had a preference to players who are black the other day and I found that funny. But what should be asked is: Do you show a preference to North Shore/Northwest suburban teams? I've noticed that you talk about those squads a lot. Look at who you have as the "Best of Each Seed". I've seen Loyola, New Trier, Niles North (who without that kid who pulled back from Los Lobos wouldn't beat a CPL Blue team), Deerfield and Niles West. Now Joe, those teams aren't the best of ANYTHING! You mean to tell me that Vocational isn't even a runner-up as the top 11 seed, which they shouldn't have gotten. I'll take Hyde Park over Loyola for the 6th spot and Curie for the 3rd. St. Rita, who you have had a love-fest with all season...barely beat a Gage Park team who doesn't even practice. The unfortunate thing is that in that Argo region, the suburban teams seeded to have the top CPL teams knock each other out. Curie, Hyde Park and Vocational would beat most of the teams in any other section. Then, there's Simeon. You need to see more games out south during the grind. And not just the "hi-profile" games.
B. Cream ... Funny you mention that as in past weeks I've been told I don't pay enough attention to the north suburbs! In hindsight, B. Cream, you are right in that if I did this again I would have Thornwood listed as the No. 11 seed. But at the time I couldn't get the taste of Thornwood's dismantling they took against Rock Island out of mind or the loss to Bradley in January. But they have played well down the stretch and are deserving of that spot. No, I'm not taking Hyde Park over Loyola, a team that is much better right now than it was a month or two ago and has played a very tough schedule. And what 12 seed in 4A do you suggest over St. Rita? Steinmetz? A team that lost to Oak Park by 45 points and lost to Bogan by 56 points? Mather has wins but who have they played? You could make an Andrew argument, but not sure if that's a no-brainer. I like Curie, but it has played one ranked team all year -- Brooks -- and lost. And the second best team it faced, Danville, they lost by 15. Plus, Curie beat Wheaton North by two points; the same Wheaton North that lost last week to another No. 3 seed, Glenbard East, by 30-plus points. Thanks for your comments, B. Cream! .... Joe H
Trey .... Deerfield has certainly overachieved and isn't what you would call a "looker." I would not expect a run out of them, but an upset over No. 6 Buffalo Grove would not be out of the question. Thanks Trey! ... Joe H
Wait a minute, I watched Vocational LOSE to Niles West. And Evanston. And Lake Forest. And Glenbrook North. My suggestion is for Vocational to stay out of the north suburbs. And fast!!!!!!!
Stop the Insanity: Too Funny!
Joe,
Will we be seeing your 3A and 4A prections for the state tournament?
hshoopsfan ... All my picks for every regional and sectional champ, along with various media members' picks, are in this week's state tournament preview issue of the City/Suburban Hoops Report, which went out to subscribers this week. But I will probably put up some of my picks this week. Thanks. ... Joe H
Oh, B. Cream! Where are you? You had to know this was coming! Bogan the number 5 seed and from the South Side lost tonight to?????? RITA!!!!!!!!!!
Rich South Sectional will be the hottest ticket in town!
Hillcrest, Morgan Park, Brooks, and possibly T.F. North, what a week on Sauk Trail!