Previewing and predicting the IHSA Class 3A state basketball tournament

There may not be a ton of depth in the Class 3A field, but it’s tough at the top with a handful of heavy hitters, starting with Thornton and Metamora and continuing with Peoria Richwoods, defending Class 2A champ DePaul Prep and Mount Carmel.

The star power in that group is impressive with four future Big Ten players: Thornton’s Morez Johnson (Illinois), Metamora’s Cooper Koch (Iowa), Mount Carmel’s Angel Ciaravino (Northwestern) and Richwoods’ Lathan Sommerville (Rutgers).

Here is a breakdown and predicted look at how the Class 3A field will play out over the next three weeks.

Hinsdale South Sectional

Sectional semifinals: Mount Carmel over Wheaton St. Francis; De La Salle over St. Laurence

Sectional champ: Mount Carmel

This is Mount Carmel’s sectional to lose. If these are the four teams in the sectional, the Caravan are familiar with them all — and has beaten them all. But De La Salle is a scary matchup for the Caravan if it develops. Coach Phil Segroves’ program wins its first sectional championship since a freshman, Tracy Abrams, led the Caravan to one in 2008.

Fenwick Sectional

Sectional semifinals: Westinghouse over Payton; St. Patrick over Fenwick

Sectional champ: St. Patrick

As the only 20-plus win team in the sectional, a schedule that has prepared them well and just enough firepower, veteran coach Mike Bailey wins his fourth sectional championship. But beating Fenwick on the road won’t be easy.

Lincoln Sectional

Sectional semifinals: Decatur MacArthur over Lincoln; Mt. Zion over Chatham-Glenwood

Sectional champ: Mt. Zion

Mt. Zion is one of the state’s best little-kept secrets with a sparkling 30-1 record. They also took care of MacArthur late in the season. The only loss? A 72-69 setback to defending 3A champ Metamora.

Troy (Triad) Sectional

Sectional semifinals: Centralia over Mascoutah; East St. Louis over Mt. Vernon.

Sectional champ: Centralia

Centralia is a sparkling 28-2 on the year but those two losses came to a pair of sectional teams: East St. Louis and Mt. Vernon. This inevitably looks like a Centralia-East St. Louis rematch. The Orphans learn from the losses.

St. Viator Sectional

Sectional semifinals: DePaul Prep over Notre Dame; Lake Forest over Deerfield

Sectional champ: DePaul Prep

The defending Class 2A champs move up to Class 3A this year and the road appears to be just as clear for them as it did in the smaller class. The Rams are a heavy favorite.

Kaneland Sectional

Sectional semifinals: Crystal Lake South over Freeport; Belvidere North over Burlington Central

Sectional champ: Crystal Lake South

Can the Gators win their first sectional championship since 1983? This field of sectional teams provides that opportunity.

Thornton Sectional

Sectional semifinals: Thornton over Hillcrest; Brother Rice over Marian Catholic

Sectional champ: Thornton

All eyes and expectations will be on the top two seeds, Thornton and Brother Rice. The potential sectional title game matchup between these two would be one of the best in the state. With Morez Johnson and the home court, the Wildcats get it done and set up a monster super-sectional clash with …

Pontiac Sectional

Sectional semifinals: Metamora over Sterling; Peoria Richwoods over Kankakee

Sectional champ: Metamora

Metamora and Thornton are on a collision course. They look as if they will meet for a second time this season in the Ottawa Super in what could be a de facto 3A state title game. But Metamora, the potent defending Class 3A champs, must first take care of a very tricky and challenging sectional.

Talented Kankakee has put together a nice season and played Thornton tough in two losses. Peoria Richwoods, led by 6-10 Lathan Sommerville, is 24-4 and has won 11 straight heading into the postseason. Even Sterling has 23 wins, including one over highly-regarded Quincy.

Super-Sectional Picks

Chicago Super: Mount Carmel over St. Patrick

Springfield Super: Mt. Zion over Centralia

Hoffman Estates Super: DePaul Prep over Crystal Lake South

Ottawa Super: Metamora over Thornton

State Final Picks

Class 3A State Semifinals: Mount Carmel over Mt. Zion; Metamora over DePaul Prep

Class 3A state championship: Metamora over Mount Carmel