Basketball Finals - Anybody notice what I notice

[HRCJR]

4A

(3) Lisle (Benet Academy) vs. (1) Evanston (Twp.)
(3) Richton Park (Rich Township) vs. (2) Gurnee (Warren)

3A

(1) Chicago (Brother Rice) vs. (2) Chicago (St. Patrick)
(1) Chicago (DePaul College Prep) vs. (3) Chatham (Glenwood)

2A

(1) Belleville (Althoff Catholic) vs. (2) Chicago (Christ the King)
(1) Chicago (Dyett) vs. (1) Peoria (Manual)

1A

(1) Effingham (St. Anthony) vs. (1) Chicago (C. Hope Academy)
(1) Peoria (P. Christian) vs. (1) Lanark (Eastland)

 

[ramblinman]

For some reason, you used bold face type on some of the schools, but I can't figure out why.

 

[StL_Alum]

Benet has been flying under the radar all year. They are a really good team.

 

[HRCJR]

Benet has been flying under the radar all year. They are a really good team.

Keyboard on the fritz

 

[USD24]

Benet has been flying under the radar all year. They are a really good team.

I don't know if they have been under the radar. They were pre-season #5, have been ranked all year and are now ranked #2. One of the top 5 programs in the state over the last 10 years.

 

[USD24]

4A

(3) Lisle (Benet Academy) vs. (1) Evanston (Twp.)
(3) Richton Park (Rich Township) vs. (2) Gurnee (Warren)

3A

(1) Chicago (Brother Rice) vs. (2) Chicago (St. Patrick)
(1) Chicago (DePaul College Prep) vs. (3) Chatham (Glenwood)

2A

(1) Belleville (Althoff Catholic) vs. (2) Chicago (Christ the King)
(1) Chicago (Dyett) vs. (1) Peoria (Manual)

1A

(1) Effingham (St. Anthony) vs. (1) Chicago (C. Hope Academy)
(1) Peoria (P. Christian) vs. (1) Lanark (Eastland)

I noticed that not a single team seeded lower than a three has reached the championship weekend.

 

[GP927]

Benet is the only catholic school to advance to 4A final 4 since IHSA went to 4-class system in 2007.

They have done it 4x : 2014, 2016, 2023 and 2025

 

[mc140]

Most of the public schools on that list gets kids from all over to.

 

[MMA_Det]

They need to make 8 classes for basketball

I just keep thinking of all of the mid level teams that don’t have a chance to get blown out in the first round of the playoffs….

 

[Alexander32]

Benet is the only catholic school to advance to 4A final 4 since IHSA went to 4-class system in 2007.

They have done it 4x : 2014, 2016, 2023 and 2025

Typically there are only four Catholic schools that participate in the 4A tournament (Benet, Loyola, Marist and St. Ignatius). That is a small percentage of the 141 teams that comprised this year's bracket. Nevertheless, all four schools usually have pretty good teams, and that was true again this year.

 

[jakob18]

Althoff is about to piss off a lot of people again lol

 

[RoaminCatholic]

My only observation is that Glenwood doesn't appear to belong on that list... 😁 😁 😁

 

[USD24]

I also noticed that JCA has lost to a finalist in 2A,3A and 4A.

 

[crusader_of_90]

When I watch Althoff, I keep thinking, these kids are good, but not that good. Then I see how tenacious they are on D and how quick and how much hustle they put into every possession. They are nowhere NEAR the Goodwin teams - not close - but maybe a state champ, nonetheless.

 

[doctor_d]

DePaul has been steam rolling

 

[ignazio]

A brown team isn’t competing the final weekend.

What do I win?

 

[RoaminCatholic]

When I watch Althoff, I keep thinking, these kids are good, but not that good. Then I see how tenacious they are on D and how quick and how much hustle they put into every possession. They are nowhere NEAR the Goodwin teams - not close - but maybe a state champ, nonetheless.

Manual will at least have something to say about this, if they advance to play Althoff... 🥸

 

[crusader_of_90]

A brown team isn’t competing the final weekend.

What do I win?

Your word choice presents a conundrum ....

 

[ssczar76]

Good luck to all the teams. Hope is coached by the legendary Ronnie Fields. Speaking of coaches, has a coach ever won state in basketball with two different schools?

 

[UlbKA91]

Your word choice presents a conundrum ....

Did he mean Carmelite?

 

[chakazulu89]

Let's go Rich Township!!!

 

[Golden Warrior]

Manual will at least have something to say about this, if they advance to play Althoff... 🥸

Don't overlook Christ the King. Got some grown men on that team. Namely McClure and Green.

 

[crusader_of_90]

Did he mean Carmelite?

Did he mean Caramel?

Don't overlook Christ the King. Got some grown men on that team. Namely McClure and Green.

Althoff is small. Their only size is the football player/coach's son, Leib who is 6/4, 255.

 

[crusader_of_90]

Althoff is quietly leading by 15 in the 4th.

 

[colin2229]

Althoff is quietly leading by 15 in the 4th.

Why are they 2A?

 

[crusader_of_90]

47-33 - 5:50.

Why are they 2A?

Enrollment says so.

 

[crusader_of_90]

DAMMIT - they were 19-20 at the line the other night. Today, they are 15-20 ....

48-36 with 5.25 left.

 

[UlbKA91]

Did he mean Caramel?

Althoff is small. Their only size is the football player/coach's son, Leib who is 6/4, 255.

Aside from the MC/JCA/COM 3 different shades of brown plus Hersey, Jacobs and Shepard....who then?

 

[crusader_of_90]

Althoff was compared to Diary of a Wimpy Kid, lol! And it is true!

 

[forlouann]

DAMMIT - they were 19-20 at the line the other night. Today, they are 15-20 ....

48-36 with 5.25 left.

Hill is fun to watch on the hardwood too. What an amazing athlete !

 

[colin2229]

Enrollment says so.

Just surprised their enrollment dictates 1A for football but 2A for hoops. Thought maybe they petitioned up.

 

[crusader_of_90]

Just surprised their enrollment dictates 1A for football but 2A for hoops. Thought maybe they petitioned up.

Yeah - that is weird.

 

[crusader_of_90]

MAKE YOUR CRIPPLES!!!!

Dammit!

 

[crusader_of_90]

Nice quiet W.

 

[doctor_d]

Just surprised their enrollment dictates 1A for football but 2A for hoops. Thought maybe they petitioned up.

There are a good number of really small schools that have basketball but not football

 

[crusader_of_90]

CTK coach at half: We got punked the first half. We will do the punking in the second.

 

[ramblinman]

Just surprised their enrollment dictates 1A for football but 2A for hoops. Thought maybe they petitioned up.

Among the 2A final four, Althoff is the smallest school by far at 288.

Largest 1A school in the final four is Chicago Hope Academy at 274.

 

[crusader_of_90]

The Crusaders will play for a rare back-to-back football and boys basketball state championship. The only other metro-east high school to pull off this rare football-basketball back to back state title in the same school year was Carlyle way back in 1988-89, led by future Illini great Tom Michael and current Columbia High AD Scott Horner.

 

[crusader_of_90]

Althoff may have a chance on Satuday if they play a clean game.