Girls basketball: Here are 5 storylines to watch across the Suburban Life area this postseason

Illinois high school basketball has entered its most exciting month of the season. Girls basketball playoffs start next week, with the boys beginning the following week.

Here are postseason storylines to watch for Suburban Life area teams.

Does the road to a state title go through La Grange?

It is quite debatable who is the team to beat in Class 4A this season.

There is no debate where the best collection of talent is.

The Lyons Sectional features three of the top four teams in the final Associated Press Class 4A poll – Kenwood, Lyons and Nazareth. Add in Young, and it’s four of the top 10 teams.

It’s a shame only one will have a shot to play at state.

No. 1-ranked Kenwood (27-2) has just one loss to an in-state team, to No. 2 Benet back in November. Lyons (28-2), led by Stanford recruit Nora Ezike and Emma O’Brien, is enjoying its best season since the 1999 state team. That was also Lyons' last sectional champion.

Defending 4A runner-up Nazareth (28-2), with an almost entirely new cast from its last three state teams aside from junior Stella Sakalas, has been red hot – 20 straight wins since a loss to Benet Dec. 14.

Lyons is the No. 1 seed, and could enjoy the advantage of playing on its home court. But whoever emerges from this dogfight will be a big favorite to go to state.

Big-time potential rematches in sectionals

Lyons and Nazareth, seeded third in the sectional, could meet in a potential sectional final, a rematch of last year’s dandy of a sectional semifinal that Nazareth won over its neighborhood rival 44-40 on the way back to state.

It’s not the only pairing that looks destined for a rematch.

Benet and Waubonsie Valley are the top two seeds in the Class 4A Bolingbrook Sectional and heavy favorites to reach the final. It would be a rematch of last year’s classic of an overtime final won by Waubonsie 63-61 over Benet on the Warriors' way to fourth in Class 4A.

Most of the principle players are back from that game. Waubonsie Valley (27-1), whose only loss is to Fremd, is led by standout junior Danyella Mporokoso. Benet (26-2) features a deep lineup led by guard Aria Mazza. Odds are good the Redwings will be here – they’ve made nine straight sectional finals under head coach Joe Kilbride.

Can Glenbard South get back to state?

Glenbard South is not that far removed from making back-to-back state appearances in 2018-2019 behind former all-state post Maggie Bair.

Could this be the year the Raiders return?

The ingredients are there. Senior post Brooklynn Moore this season joined Bair as the only Glenbard South players to ever hit 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds.

Moore leads an experienced, defensive-minded 27-3 Raiders' team that gives up just 26.9 points per game and was ranked No. 9 in the final Class 3A statewide poll.

Glenbard South last season won its first regional title since that state team. Its biggest hurdle to state could be a potential sectional final at DePaul Prep against Montini and Missouri recruit Nikki Kerstein.

Who else can make a run?

The aforementioned teams are the best bets, but not the only ones who could make a playoff run.

Glenbard West, with a senior-laden group led by Makenna Yeager and Julia Benjamin, is seeded fourth in the Class 4A St. Charles East Sectional. Likewise Downers Grove North, led by talented sophomore Campbell Thulin, is seeded fourth in the Class 4A Bolingbrook Sectional – but could have to beat Plainfield North on its home floor to win a regional.

In Class 2A Westmont (19-10), enjoying its best season in 15 years, is a No. 1 seed in the Lisle Sectional.

Who is playing the last Saturday of the season?

The Suburban Life area has been well-represented on championship Saturday.

An area team has been in either the Class 4A or Class 3A final the last three years, and in five of the last six postseasons.

Don’t be surprised it it happens again.

Either Lyons or Nazareth, should they emerge from a gauntlet of a sectional, have an excellent chance to make state. Benet likewise has a tough path, potentially Waubonsie Valley in a sectional final and fifth-ranked Alton possibly in a supersectional. If the cards fall right, Benet could get a rematch with Lyons or Nazareth in a Class 4A semifinal (they split two games with both during the regular season).

Either Glenbard South or Montini could make a run in Class 3A.