Hinsdale S. threat with Griffin
No. 1
Zion Griffin’s performance— 39 points and 17 rebounds — in Hinsdale South’s victory this month against Willowbrook is what should worry higher- seeded teams in the Glenbard East Sectional.
In a sectional in which Naperville North, Benet and Wheaton Warrenville South are likely to be the top three seeds, Griffin is the one player in the sectional who can put a team on his shoulders and wreck a bracket.
With the Iowa State- bound Griffin leading the way, the Hornets ( 18- 5) have won eight of their last nine games.
Griffin is amatchup nightmare. He’s 6- 6 and an electric athlete around the rim. He also has the ability to step out and make a three- pointer, connecting on 35 this season.
Griffin, who is averaging 21.4 points and 8.7 rebounds, has averaged 29.6 points in his last three games. His dominating, dynamic performances make Hinsdale South a scary team in March.
No. 2
Bolingbrook was favored to win the Southwest Suburban Blue and has been ranked all season. There was some bold talk about LincolnWay East when the season began and after its recent upset of Bolingbrook. But it’s HomewoodFlossmoor all alone atop the conference.
Considering the Vikings have only one senior starter, a run at a conference title has been a little unexpected.
Coach Marc Condotti’s team is playing well leading up to a pivotal conference showdown Friday against Bolingbrook. H- F was a respectable 10- 6 three weeks ago but has rattled off five consecutive victories, including against Hillcrest and Lincoln- Way East.
The Vikings feature senior guard Sean Jones, who is averaging 14 points, and 6- 4 junior Maurion Scott, who fills a stat sheet. The versatile swingman has size and length and is averaging 7.1 points and 5.7 rebounds. He also leads the team in assists.
But the arrival of two transfers who have settled in and adapted to their new surroundings is what has lifted H- F to another level.
Hillcrest transfer Isaac Stanback, an athletic 6- 4 junior, is averaging a team- leading 15.4 points and 6.6 rebounds. He also has more than 40 blocks and 40 steals. R. J. Ogom, a 6- 4 sophomore who transferred in from Marian Catholic, has provided a presence around the basket and is averaging 10.3 points.
No. 3
The sectional seeds will be submitted by coaches across the state, with regional and sectional pairings to be announced this week. There are few top seeds up for grabs this week.
That’s not the case in the wideopen Lake Zurich Sectional. A key game Tuesday between two hot North Suburban Conference teams might decide the No. 1 seed.
Lake Zurich has won 10 of its last 12 games. Stevenson has won seven in a row. The winner of this rematch — Stevenson beat Lake Zurich 42- 41 in early January — becomes the favorite in what is a balanced sectional.
There are as many as 10 teams with realistic chances to make a deep run in this sectional.