March 15 is more than the Ides of March of historical Roman fame which was the death of Julius Caesar. March means the shift of Winter sports to Spring sports, even without Spring training in Major League Baseball.
March, among other items, is high school and college basketball tournaments for boys and girls, men and women. It means one and done with sudden death for tournament teams.
In high school a new format in the State tournaments thrusts all four classes into one weekend over three days.
Glenbard West High School has the pressure of the top-seeded team in Class 4A tournament Friday and Saturday at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. The Hilltoppers, filled with long-armed, premier, players, must win two games to capture the State championship. Whatever the outcome, there will be two quality teams standing in the way of their objective. Drama will fill the arena. Bolingbrook is the first hurdle, an outstanding team that defeated Oswego East, 52-51, in two overtimes at Oswego High School, sectional. Chicago’s Whitney Young and Barrington will be a good game in the other semifinal.
The new format for both boys and girls high school tournaments allows all four classes in each boys and girls to be played within the same three-day run, Thursday through Saturday. At first look it is a positive step, and in the boys case, the four classes have moved back to the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana following a 25-year hiatus.
In other sports items:
• The University of Illinois, Loyola University, and 66 other Division I college basketball teams will be joyful, optimistic, and aware that the NCAA March Madness tournament which was ready to start Tuesday, March 15, the Ides of March, is a magical and precious one-and-done time. There are no second chances. The rush of Illinois to defeat Iowa on the same day Nebraska upset host Wisconsin in the final day of regular season, permitted the Illini to take the No. 1 draw in this week’s Big Ten Conference tournament. The dramatic turn of events is the opposite of the Illinois Big Ten Conference Tournament championship, however, which ended in a thud of defeat against Loyola University. The success for Loyola was the highlight of the season for Loyola head coach Porter Moser, originally from Naperville. Loyola discovered sudden defeat in the Sweet Sixteen. Subsequently Moser left Loyola for Oklahoma University in the Big 12 Conference for a new challenge. Moser and the Sooners will take an overall record of 17-14 and 7-11 in the Big 12 into the Conference tournament Thursday, March 10 against Baylor, last year’s national champion and No. 2 seed in the Big 12.
• In a high school postseason all-star game, the return Saturday, April 2 will be boys and girls games between the Interstate Eight Conference and the Little Ten Conference. The games will be played during the men’s two Final Four semifinal games in Division I in Indianapolis. Keep the radio and other devices close at hand. Excitement awaits.