By Jeff Vorva
Even though the holiday tournaments have not gotten into full swing for boys and girls basketball yet, it’s not too soon to think about the postseason.
The Illinois High School Association released its assignments for the playoffs, which begin in February.
Beecher, which is off to the best start in program history with a 10-0 mark, hopes to stay as hot in February as it is in December.
The Bobcats are in the Clifton Central Sectional along with Peotone and Manteno.
Others in the sectional include Reed-Custer, Carver Military Academy, Coal City, Joliet Catholic Academy, Lisle, Chicago Christian, Southland College Prep Charter, Westmont and Wilmington.
In Class 3A, Crete-Monee is in the 19-team Thornton Sectional, which includes some strong teams in Brother Rice, Marian, and the hosts.
The seeding for the tournaments take place Feb. 8 and the first postseason games will commence Feb. 19.
For the girls, Iroquois West will be the place to be for Class 2A area teams as Beecher, Manteno and Peotone will all be fighting it out in the same sub-sectional.
In Class 3A, Crete-Monee will be in the Thornton Sectional and some of the teams to keep an eye on in that tournament include Marian and Providence Catholic
The seeding for the sectionals are scheduled for Feb. 1. The regional quarterfinals are slated for Feb. 10.
Nearly a champ
Although he didn’t get to play this year, Peotone’s Dawson Piper is a freshman linebacker on the North Central College’s football team’s roster and picked a lot of practice time and learning experiences from one of the best teams in the country.
The Cardinals were the defending national champions in NCAA Division III action but this year they were a runnerup after losing 38-37 to SUNY-Cortland on Dec. 15 in Salem Virginia.
Battle of unbeatens
Beecher’s boys basketball team will have its biggest test of the season on Friday when the Bobcats host St. Joseph Ogden in a battle of two teams who entered this week unbeaten.
St. Joseph entered the week with an 8-0 mark, which included a 57-55 overtime win over Normal West and, a 48-41 victory over Charleston and a 65-55 triumph over Danville.
In Beecher’s first 10 wins, the closest was a 60-39 win over Peotone the second game of the season on Nov. 21.
Showcase scores
Crete-Monee hosted a six-game boys basketball showcase on Dec. 16 and Southland opened things up with a 53-43 win over Intrinsic-Downtown.
Richards beat Longwood, 48-46, Oak Forest beat Horizon-Southwest 61-47, St. Laurence beat Hillcrest 38-35, Curie beat Thornwood 66-43 and host Crete-Monee lost to Thornton Fractional North, 40-31.