Matchups are now set for the March Madness high school boys basketball playoffs, and if you’re looking way down the road, the top two teams in Illinois — Stevenson and Simeon — could meet in the state championship game.
If that happens, it will be a rematch, as the Patriots and Wolverines will play Saturday night at Niles West in a nonconference game. That’s the second game of a doubleheader, with Lake Forest and Highland Park meeting in the first game.
Lake Forest and Highland Park are both in the same regional, so yet another rematch between top teams is a possibility.
Regional play will begin the week after next, with area schools involved in six different Class 4A regionals and in four different 3A regionals.
This year, area 4A schools are split into two sectionals that will be hosted by Waukegan and Barrington. The area’s five 3A teams all were assigned to the Vernon Hills Sectional.
Stevenson has been the biggest fan draw all year, led by Villanova-bound superstar Jalen Brunson and Rice-bound Connor Cashaw.
And there’s plenty of talent headed to the Stevenson Regional besides the Patriots. A good Niles North team from the Central Suburban League North Division and Zion-Benton from the same North Suburban Conference Lake Division as Stevenson are both coming to Lincolnshire.
If form holds and the higher-seeded teams all win regional titles, the 4A Waukegan Sectional would feature Stevenson (No. 1 seed) against Notre Dame (No. 4), and Lake Forest (No. 2) against Maine South (No. 3).
The 4A Barringon Sectional would match Barrington (No. 1) against Lake Zurich (4) and Lake Park (2) against Palatine (3).
The 3A Vernon Hills Sectional semifinals would feature Vernon Hills (No. 1) against Richmond (4) and DePaul Prep (2 seed, formerly Gordon Tech) against St. Patrick (3).
Here are matchups for the March Madness regionals. All regional finals will be played on Friday, March 6.
CLASS 3A
VERNON HILLS HOSTS SECTIONAL
Ridgewood Regional
Monday, March 2 quarterfinal
CICS/Northtown (16 seed) vs. Senn (17), 7
Wednesday, March 4 semifinals
Vernon Hills (1) vs. CICS/ Northtown or Senn, 6
Ridgewood (8) vs. Antioch (9), 7:30
Lakes Regional
Monday, March 2 quarterfinal
Austin (14 seed) vs. Sullivan (20), 7
Tuesday, March 3 semifinal
Richmond (4) vs. Austin or Sullivan, 7
Wednesday, March 4 semifinal
Lakes (5) vs. Northside (12), 7
DePaul Prep Regional
Monday, March 2 quarterfinal
Amundsen (15 seed) vs. Alcott (18), 7
Tuesday, March 3 semifinals
DePaul (2) vs. Amundsen or Alcott, 6
North Chicago (7) vs. Noble/Rowe-Clark (10), 7:30
Johnsburg Regional
Monday, March 2 quarterfinal
Johnsburg (13 seed) vs. Elmwood Park (19), 7
Tuesday, March 3 semifinal
St. Patrick (3) vs. Johnsburg or Elmwood Park, 7
Wednesday, March 4 semifinal
Wauconda (6) vs. Clemente (11), 7
CLASS 4A
WAUKEGAN HOSTS SECTIONAL
Stevenson Regional
Monday, March 2 quarterfinal
Niles West (16 seed) vs. Maine East (17), 7
Tuesday, March 3 semifinal
Stevenson (1) vs. Niles West or Maine East, 7
Wednesday, March 4 semifinal
Niles North (8) vs. Zion-Benton (9), 7
Notre Dame Regional
Monday, March 2 quarterfinals
Libertyville (13 seed) vs. Waukegan (20), 6
Warren (12) vs. Maine West (21), 7:30
Tuesday, March 3 semifinal
Notre Dame (4) vs. Libertyville or Waukegan, 7
Wednesday, March 4 semifinal
Deerfield (6) vs. Warren or Maine West, 7
Mundelein Regional
Monday, March 2 quarterfinals
Carmel (15 seed) vs. Glenbrook South (18), 6
New Trier (10) vs. Mundelein (23), 7:30
Tuesday, March 3 semifinal
Lake Forest (2) vs. Carmel or Glenbrook South, 7
Wednesday, March 4 semifinal
Highland Park (7) vs. New Trier or Mundelein, 7
Evanston Regional
Monday, March 2 quarterfinals
Glenbrook North (14 seed) vs. Mather (19), 6
Loyola (11) vs. Taft (22), 7:30
Tuesday, March 3 semifinals
Maine South (3) vs. Glenbrook North or Mather, 6
Evanston (5) vs. Loyola or Taft, 7:30
CLASS 4A
BARRINGTON HOSTS SECTIONAL
Rolling Meadows Regional
Monday, March 2 quarterfinal
Rolling Meadows (15 seed) vs. Dundee-Crown (17), 7
Tuesday, March 3 semifinals
Barrington (1) vs. Rolling Meadows or Dundee-Crown, 6
Elk Grove (8) vs. Conant (9), 7:30
Wheeling Regional
Monday, March 2 quarterfinals
Schaumburg (13 seed) vs. Fenton (20), 6
Prospect (12) vs. Wheeling (21), 7:30
Tuesday, March 3 semifinals
Lake Zurich (4) vs. Schaumburg or Fenton, 6
St. Viator (5) vs. Prospect or Wheeling, 7:30
Palatine Fremd Regional
Monday, March 2 quarterfinals
Hoffman Estates (16 seed) vs. Buffalo Grove (18), 6
Grayslake North (10) vs. Grant (23), 7:30
Wednesday, March 4 semifinals
Lake Park (2) vs. Hoffman Estates or Buffalo Grove, 6
Palatine Fremd (7) vs. Grayslake North or Grant, 7:30
Cary-Grove Regional
Monday, March 2 quarterfinals
Grayslake Central (14 seed) vs. McHenry (19), 6
Cary-Grove (11) vs. Round Lake (22), 7:30
Wednesday, March 4 semifinals
Palatine (3) vs. Grayslake Central or McHenry, 6
Hersey (6) vs. Cary-Grove or Round Lake, 7:30
