By Bobby Narang Glenbard West High School senior center Braden Huff raised his hands up in the air in excitement late on Saturday night. After scoring 19 points, hitting two 3-pointers and dishing out five assists, Huff was ready to celebrate a season-long goal. Huff was a driving force in
By Bobby Narang Four high school teams were vying for the ultimate prize in girls basketball in the first weekend of March. After the coronavirus pandemic led to a non-playoff season in 2020-2021, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) welcomed back the return of the State tournament at Redbird Arena
By Bobby Narang High school State basketball is set to return to the middle part of the State this month. The four-class girls basketball field was finalized following Monday’s super-sectional action. In Class 3A, Nazareth Academy and Carmel are among the northern Illinois teams to reach the final four. Benet
By Bobby Narang The Glenbard West High School boys basketball team doesn’t need a State championship to validate its place in history. The Hilltoppers, who captured the West Suburban Conference Silver championship for the second straight season and for the fourth time in the last 50 years, did manage to
By Bobby Narang The Wheaton Warrenville South High School boys basketball team had a detailed celebration in store following its game against Lake Park. With the two DuKane Conference teams hooking up for a Friday game, the Tigers were seeking to win the Conference championship for the second year in
By Bobby Narang The Wheaton Warrenville South High School boys basketball team is one of the big surprises in the Chicagoland hoops scene this season. But then again, considering the Mike Healy’s coaching acumen, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Tigers are among elite in northern Illinois.. In the
By Bobby Narang The calendar turned to February and the first high school basketball State tournament playoffs in two years looms around the corner. Glenbard West remains the best boys team in the State, even with legitimate challengers. The Hilltoppers (24-0) are on a collision course for a date in
By Bobby Narang Glenbard West High School senior center Braden Huff wanted his game to be in a showcase. So did his teammates. Huff, a Gonzaga University recruit, is one of the best players in the Midwest, but his name is not included among the elite players in the country.
By Bobby Narang Benet Academy High School is on track for another memorable run in the Class 4A girls basketball playoffs. Led by senior center Morgan Demos and junior point guard Lenee Beaumont, the Redwings have won four straight games after an impressive 56-30 victory over Waukesha West at the
By Bobby Narang Montini Catholic head coach Shannon Spanos finally will get an opportunity to make her own mark in the high school playoffs. After taking over the varsity girls basketball program following the surprising departure of long-time coach Jason Nichols in May 2020, Spanos dealt with a shortened first
By Bobby Narang Glenbard West High School is on an epic run in boys basketball. The Hilltoppers were among the small handful of teams to win holiday tournament championships in Chicagoland in late December 2021. The Hilltoppers won the prestigious 47th Jack Tosh Classic, by defeating Lyons in the championship
By Bobby Narang Through the first six weeks of the high school basketball season, Glenbard West High School has established itself as one of the best teams in the State. The Hilltoppers are defeating teams with ease, making good teams look bad in compiling victory after victory. But Glenbard West’s
By Bobby Narang Benet Academy High School and Naperville North collided for an early-season battle of two of the top girls basketball teams in the DuPage County area. Each team will compete for the Class 4A State championship in Normal, and both have the talent, depth, and experience to land
By Bobby Narang It was a night to remember in Yorkville. Class 1A Yorkville Christian, a relatively new high school, was on the center stage in the Illinois boys basketball scene and was host to undefeated and highly-ranked Glenbard West. The host Mustangs have enjoyed playing several high-profile games and
By Bobby Narang The high school girls basketball season is ready to hit the one-month mark. So far, the season has included the typical ups and downs for teams. Benet Academy, which won seven of its first eight games, is one of the top teams to watch. Led by a
By Bobby Narang Lockport has returned back to the State football championship game. The Porters ended a long drought going back to 2003, when Lockport defeated Maine South 48-27 in the Class 8A final. In 2002, the Porters defeated Stevenson to capture the 8A championship. Saturday, Nov. 20, the Porters
By Bobby Narang The Batavia High School girls basketball team returns one of the tallest and best players in the State this season. At 6-5, Tessa Towers embodies her last name. She’s tall, strong, and committed to being an outstanding player. The University of Wisconsin recruit averaged 17.1 points and
By Bobby Narang Nazareth Academy High School head football coach Tim Racki has experienced extreme highs during his illustrious coaching career. He’s won seven State championship, including four consecutive at the closed Driscoll in Addison. The former Southern Illinois University football player has notched a pair of second-place trophies, most
By Bobby Narang Nothing has been ordinary about Glenbard South High School’s football season. The Raiders won eight of their nine regular-season games to earn a rare No. 1 seed in Class 5A. Still, even with a prolific offense and stout defense, the Raiders had to settle for second place
By Bobby Narang York High School football head coach Mike Fitzgerald had a clear understanding of the importance of a breakout season for his program. In Fitzgerald’s fourth season, the Dukes won their first six games to earn the program’s first playoff berth since 2011. The Dukes, who will play
