Super Tuesday!!!!!! Supersectionals in Class 3A and 4A

Super Tuesday in Illinois!!!!! Supersectional Time!!!!! This is the round in Illinois that is the big game in the playoffs if you make it this far. 32 minutes(or more) from State Finals, 32 minutes(or more) from "Going Downstate" as we call it here.  Downstate is Peoria the State Semifinals. Most exciting day of the basketball year(Sectional Finals a close 2nd to me) in Illinois. Games are now in college gyms from here on in which could make a difference on who wins the games. My breakdown of some of the games will be Class 4A starting with: CHICAGO STATE- Evanston Township vs Whitney Young: Both teams have won all their playoff games by double digits. Both team have been on a tear the last two weeks. Evanston has All-Area Nojel Eastern, Chris Hamil, Elijah Williams, and Whitney Young transfer Malcolm Townsel all seniors. They also have who I call the triple sophomore monsters in Lance Jones, Jaheim Holden,and Ryan Bost all small, quick, and active guards especially on defense. Whitney Young has Lucas Williamson a senior, Xavier Castaneda, Seton Academy transfer Javon Freeman and Justin Boyd juniors. Jake Kosowalski is a three point shooter coming off the bench. Eastern is a do it all player who can play outside or inside for Evanston. Eastern and Williams will have to rule the inside for Evanston to win. Chris Hamil has been lights out from three point range the last three weeks. Townsel will have to stay within himself and not try to do too much against his former teammates. The sophomores will have to put pressure on Castaneda and keep him from dribble penetration. Evanston will also have to keep Freeman from slashing to the basket and finishing. Whitney Young has an advantage of having played at Chicago State this year in the CPS Semifinals. It is also a disadvantage because they could not hit the broad side of a barn that day, and Simeon pounded them on the glass. Evanston will have to do the same and I predict will do the same. Evanston by 7. SEARS CENTRE- Fremd(Palatine) vs Jacobs(Algonquin): These teams are a combined 60-1 this season with Fremd being undefeated. Fremd does not have a lot of size but plays very well as a unit. Kyle Sliwa hit another buzzer beater to beat Conant in the Sectional Final. I think Loyola(IL) signee Cam Krutwig will be the big difference inside to turn this game to Jacobs. Fremd loses it's first game of the year. Jacobs by 8. NORTHERN ILLINOIS-Bolingbrook vs North(Naperville): Bolingbrook has lost only one game this year and that was without big man Malik Binns. Nebraska signee Nana Akenten is their star but they go 10 deep and keep up a brisk pace on the court. Naperville North has the size inside with Mitch Lewis(6'6"), Chris Johnson(6'7"). I think Bolingbrook is too deep for North and will win this game by double digits. Bolingbrook by 12. ILLINOIS STATE- Simeon vs Edwardsville: Some say this is for the defacto State Title. I disagree I think Evanston,Whitney Young, and Bolingbrook are close to their equals. For Simeon UTEP signee Evan Gillard and junior Kezo Brown will be key on the perimeter. Talen Horton-Tucker is a 6'5" big body versatile player who will be a hard matchup for Edwardsville. Iowa football commit AJ Epenesa(6'6") averages a double/double and Mr Basketball favorite Mark Smith(6'4") point guard can do it all, run a team, shoot the three, and invert him to post up in the low post. He also has shooters on the wing Oliver Stephen and junior Jack Marinko. This team plays very well together better than the sum of it's parts. Kezo Brown will be assigned to try and slow Mark Smith down. He'll make it hard for Smith but the Chicago representative has had a hard time over the years advancing out of this Supersectional. Very close game but I have Edwardsville winning....just barely and continuing the problems the city champ has winning a state title per my article written a couple of weeks ago. http://www.clutchsportsofficial.com/is-chicago-public-league-champ-jinxed-in-state-playoffs/  EDWARDSVILLE by 2. THERE YOU HAVE IT: MY PREDICTIONS FOR TONIGHT'S GAMES. HAVE FUN I PLAN ON HAVING FUN MYSELF. GOD BLESS AND PEACE TO THE CREATURES!!!!!

Class 4A Waukegan Sectional Final!!!!!!

Evanston vs Waukegan. Sectional Final. The Dog Pound. That's all that really needs to be said but I'll say more. These long time Central Suburban South rivals used to play twice a year when Waukegan was in the conference. Waukegan was in their 1st season in the North Suburban Conference this season. It was a much needed move by them for money purposes. I do miss the one time a year I used to drive up there for this game. It was always a great atmosphere no matter the records of either team. Most prefer Evanston/New Trier which is intense. I always thought this one was better though a lot in Evanston might disagree with me. The only two teams in the Division that were predominately African American dominated on both rosters. Evanston ruled this rivalry for many years. Folks said Waukegan didn't beat Evanston for like 25 years straight. Then Jereme Richmond(Evanston kid) showed up at Waukegan his sophomore year. Waukegan dominated this rivalry while he was there winning every time. When Richmond left Evanston went back to dominating the series. Waukegan leaves the conference, becomes a six seed in this years playoffs and makes a great run to the Sectional Final. I am one of the few that saw this game coming as I predicted Waukegan to be here when the playoffs started. To the game now: The stars for Evanston Seniors Nojel Eastern(All-Area, Purdue signee) is a jack of all trades player and can play all over the court. Chris Hamil is a knockdown three point shooter, Whitney Young transfer Malcolm Townsel has been a revelation late in the year. Waukegan has star seniors Carson Newsome(Wisconsin Milwaukee) signee and DeShawn Davidson who is a double figure scorer and great ball handler. I think though this game will come down to the sophomores: Lance Jones, Jaheim Holden, and Ryan Bost for Evanston, Ja'Dyn Brown, Bryant Brown and Jordan Brown for Waukegan. Evanston's sophomores provide timely offense, great defense and pressure on the ball and that something extra that most other teams do not have. The Brown's for Waukegan do a little bit of everything also offense, rebounding(Ja'Dyn Brown), blocked shots(Bryant Brown). I have thought of this and to me how these youngsters play will decide the outcome. I believe the defense of Evanston's sophomores will put their stamp on the game and turn it Evanston's way. I did not forget Elijah Williams who's rebounding could blow the game wide open. I predict a double digit win for Evanston and the Wildkits advance to the Chicago State Supersectional. See everyone tomorrow night at the Dog Pound. God Bless and Peace to the creatures.

Class 2A Sectional Guerin Sectional

This sectional final will be a great matchup. This should be the defacto State Title game in Class 2A. I know the winner will have to win 3 more games for the title, but I don't see another team beating either one of these squads. A couple of things: 1) Will freshman sensation Eliot Sieger be able to handle Orr's pressure defense in his first Sectional Final. 2) How will Dannie Smith of Orr affect the game with his versatility? 3) Can DePaul Prep keep Orr off the boards? The key players for both teams: ORR- Class of 2018 Dannie Smith(6'6"), Class of 2018 Raekwon Drake(6'5"), Class of 2017 Alex Flute(6'0"). As I mentioned Dannie Smith and his versatility has transformed this Orr team. The Lincoln Park transfer has brought a steadiness to Orr's backcourt play. He also hits the glass very hard and very well. Drake is relentless on the glass and has an improved 15 foot jumper. He also clogs the lane on defense with blocked shots. Flute is the three point shooting extraordinaire for this team. If he's open you might as well count it. Class of 2018 Brian Hernandez is key off the thin Orr bench with his three point shooting. He has to be careful with turnovers though. DEPAUL PREP-Class of 2019 Perry Cowan(6'4"), Class of 2019 Pavie Pantovic(6'6"), Class of 2020 Eliot Sieger(6'0"). Cowan is a great slasher to the basket that puts pressure on the defense, good mid range shooter, and developing three point shot. He will be key on the defensive glass for DePaul Prep tonight. Pantovic will have to keep Drake off the offensive glass tonight for DePaul Prep to have a chance to win. Sieger has been a great scorer and distributor as a freshman for DePaul Prep. He will have to handle Orr's relentless full court pressure tonight for his team to have a chance. He scores 18 a game on three pointers, drives to the basket. He's also good at drawing fouls and hitting his free throws. It is imperative that he stays out of foul trouble tonight. Also to keep a cool head as he fouled out in Catholic League Quarterfinal against St Joseph because of an unsportsmanlike technical foul. Once he fouled out DePaul Prep could not get the ball past half court vs St Joseph. This gets me to: BENCH PLAY- Neither team has a bench to speak of, Orr has the aforementioned Brian Hernandez but that's really it for both teams. This could derail State title hopes for whichever team wins this game and moves on. CONCLUSION: Both teams are young, Orr is junior laden and DePaul Prep is sophomore and freshman driven. Orr has a little more experience as they won Sectional last year with sophomore laden team. Key for tonight for Orr Drake has to stay out of foul trouble as they have no one else that plays on the interior like he does. Sieger has to stay on the floor for DePaul Prep as they can't get the ball over half court without him on the floor. As it is I predict Orr moves on, wins their Supersectional this year, gets Downstate(Peoria) and wins the Class 2A State Title. God Bless everyone and Peace to the Creatures.