Boys basketball: Crystal Lake South finds rare air with sectional title and 31-3 record

Crystal Lake South’s boys basketball team has extended its historical greatness well beyond its own school.

When the Gators beat Kaneland 69-38 Friday night for the Class 3A Kaneland Sectional championship, they became only the fourth area team to have two sectional titles.

With South’s 80-49 win over Freeport in Tuesday’s sectional semifinal, the Gators became the eighth area team to reach 30 wins.

South joined former coach Gary Collins’ 1983 team as the other sectional champion in the school’s 45-year history. The Gators (31-3) will face DePaul College Prep (32-2) at 6 p.m. Monday in the Hoffman Estates Supersectional at NOW Arena.

“When we saw the draw, we thought it was possible,” Gators coach Matt LePage said. ”They’ve been talking about it all year. (Point guard AJ Demirov) has been talking about it since last year’s sectional, ‘Let’s get back and win it and make it right.’

“These guys compete and prepare and get what they deserve. We’ve had teams in the past that have had goals like this. I’m happy these guys got us over the top. I’m happy for the community too. The support was outstanding.”

Kaneland Sectional championship: Crystal Lake South 69, Kaneland 38, final. @gator_hoops wins second sectional title in school history. First was 1983. Gators are 30-3 and play Monday at 6 p.m. in Hoffman Estates Supersectional. pic.twitter.com/PJb8a0A2Jn
— Joe Stevenson (@nwh_JoePrepZone) March 2, 2024

South lost to Huntley in the Johnsburg Thanksgiving Tournament, lost to Lake Zurich at Jacobs’ Hinkle Holiday Classic and dropped a late-season nonconference game at Geneva for its only losses.

“This is the best team I’ve ever been on in my life,” South forward Colton Hess said. “This is awesome. It’s spectacular. I’ve never been a part of something like this and we’re just going to try to run it.”

South is the fourth McHenry County area team to have multiple sectional titles, joining Marengo (seven), Dundee-Crown/Dundee (six) and Alden-Hebron (two).

The Gators are the third team in FVC history to have 31 wins, joining Burlington Central (31-4, 2022) and Cary-Grove (31-3, 2020).

Crystal Lake South poses for a championship picture after they defeated Kaneland in the IHSA Class 3A Kaneland Boys Basketball Sectional championship game on Friday, March 1, 2024, at Kaneland High School in Maple Park. — Crystal Lake South poses for a championship picture after it defeated Kaneland in the IHSA Class 3A Kaneland Boys Basketball Sectional championship game on Friday, March 1, 2024, at Kaneland High School in Maple Park. (Gregory Shaver/Gregory Shaver )

The other 30-win teams from the McHenry County area were 2017 Jacobs (30-2), 2003 Johnsburg (30-2), 1952 Alden-Hebron (35-1, state champion), 1940 A-H (31-2) and 1937 Dundee (34-1, state champion).

LePage also hit a personal milestone in the Class 3A C-G Regional when the Gators survived a first-round scare against Prairie Ridge 59-57 in overtime. That was his 200th career win at South. He previously coached Crystal Lake Central’s girls to 54 victories from 2009-12.