What to expect in step before Peoria
CLASS 4A SUPERSECTIONAL PREVIEW
How will Super Tuesday unfold in Class 4A? Here’s what you need to know as eight teams vie for four semifinal berths Friday in Peoria.
Normal: BellevilleWest ( 29- 2) vs. West Aurora ( 25- 4)
These are arguably the two hottest teams in any supersectional. Belleville West hasn’t lost to an in- state team all season, and West Aurora hasn’t lost since December.
West Aurora has star power in 6- 5 Jared Crutcher and ultra- athletic Camron Donatlan, but it also features key role players in Traevon Brown, Damian Virgen and Ben Young.
The matchup between the fastrising Crutcher and BellevilleWest junior E. J. Liddell will be pivotal. The long, active Crutcher has been a monster in the second half of the season. The 6- 7 Liddell is the best junior in Illinois.
The pick: Belleville West 66, West Aurora 60.
DeKalb: Larkin ( 23- 8) vs. Benet ( 27- 4)
Benet is on the cusp of reaching Peoria for the third time in the last four years. With a victory, Larkin will be making its first trip to state.
Benet has made strides all season, particularly in taking care of the basketball, and David Buh is one of the more underrated two- way players in the area. Plus, Benet’s pack- line defense is a neutralizer.
Larkin is fueled by the insideoutside tandem of 6- 9 Jalen Shaw and guard Anthony Lynch. The two have played in plenty of meaningful March games in the last two years.
The pick: Benet 47, Larkin 42.
Hoffman Estates: Lake Zurich ( 26- 7) vs. Evanston ( 25- 5)
Lake Zurich is sky- high after winning its first sectional championship, and Evanston is playing in its third supersectional — and second in a row— under coach Mike Ellis.
Lake Zurich has had an advantageous path to the supersectional. Now the trio of Ryan Kutsor, Peter DiCerbo and J. R. Cison will have to handle Evanston’s speed, quickness and attacking style. TheWildkits, who can turn their defense to transition offense in a hurry, are fueled by the perimeter firepower of Lance Jones ( 16.5 points per game), Jaheim Holden ( 15.3) and Blake Peters ( 9.5).
The pick: Evanston 68, Lake Zurich 61.
Chicago State: Simeon ( 29- 3) vs. Young ( 26- 7)
Young is chasing back- to- back state titles, but Simeon has been the favorite all season.
The teams are so familiar with one another. Young beat Simeon for the 4A championship last season, but the Wolverines turned the tables on the Dolphins in the city playoffs last month.
Look for Young to try to speed Simeon up because it had no answer for 6- 5 Messiah Jones ( 23 points, 14 rebounds) in the city playoffs. Then there is the dilemma of dealing with Simeon’s versatile Talen Horton- Tucker, the SunTimes Player of the Year.
The pick: Simeon 62, Young 55.