Winners of last fall’s IHSA Class 2A state championship in football and a Class 2A baseball third-place team two years ago, many of those same faces make up a Wilmington boys basketball team that hasn’t seen the storied success that other Wildcats boys sports programs like football, baseball and wrestling have traditionally seen.

And that’s something the Wildcats are looking to change as the regular season ends this week and postseason action is less than a week away.

Entering Tuesday night’s trip to Manteno, the Wildcats were one of four teams tied atop the win column of the Illinois Central Eight Conference leaderboard. Only two of those teams won on Tuesday, and one of them was the Wildcats, who avenged last month’s loss to the Panthers with a dominant 60-35 effort that included a game-changing 40-10 run in the middle two quarters.

Ryan Kettman had a game-high 17 points, one of three Wildcats in double figures. An all-state talent on those state football and baseball teams, Kettman credited the bond and unity the Wildcats (19-9, 9-5 ICE) have for allowing them to tie for the program’s winningest season in the last 40 years and stay alive for a share of their first conference title since 1982.

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Boys Basketball: Manteno vs. Wilmington Wilmington's Ryan Kettman goes for a layup against Manteno's Braden Campbell during Wilmington's 60-35 victory over Manteno on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (Tiffany Blanchette)

“It means a lot, just coming in with this group of guys this year, knowing the bond we’ve had from football and playing other sports together,” Kettman said. “It’s just something special that we have.”

In their regular-season finale, the Panthers (13-16, 6-8) came out scorching from downtown, burying 4 of 5 3-pointers in the first quarter to take a 17-8 lead after one. But over the second and third quarters, the Wildcats went on a 40-10 run with a dazzling defensive display and sizable advantage on the glass.

“We just had to pick up our energy,” Wilmington junior guard Brysen Meents said. “We picked up the energy, made them put the ball on the ground. They didn’t have the chance for many more 3s.”

They forced 18 Manteno turnovers, including 13 in the middle two frames that led to 10 Wilmington points off turnovers, and outrebounded the Panthers 29-20, including nine offensive rebounds good for seven second-chance points.

“We’ve been practicing better lately, and our thing is you have to be able to defend, be able to rebound and run; that’s what we want to do,” Wilmington coach Doug Krop said. “Early in the first quarter they hit some shots, because they can shoot it and you’re not going to keep them down, but it’s a make-or-miss game. They just missed some, we were able to rebound and go.”

Kettman added five rebounds and steals apiece, two assists and a block to his 17 points. Meents had 14 points, four boards and three assists, and Declan Moran held it down inside with 12 points, 10 boards, two assists, a steal and a block.

“Those have kind of been like the big three for us, and obviously they all do different things,” Krop said. “But all three of those guys can play-make, all three of those guys can score, and all three of those guys are winners and tough as nails.”

The Wildcats are one game behind Streator in the loss column, as the Bulldogs host Lisle on Wednesday. A Lions win would give Wilmington and Streator a tie for the conference title, something Wilmington boys basketball last celebrated in 1982.

They finish the regular season against Beecher on Thursday and will host either Universal or Westmont in Class 2A regional semifinal action next Wednesday. The Wildcats last won a boys basketball regional in 1986.

The Panthers, who got 10 points from Ramsey Owens and nine from Eric Eldridge on Tuesday, are off until they host Coal City in Class 2A regional quarterfinal play on Monday, with the winner squaring off with Pontiac in Manteno on Wednesday.

While their last regular-season game didn’t end how they’d hoped, Manteno coach Zack Myers said the Panthers are hoping to give the senior trio of Braden Campbell, Mitchell Boyd and Eldridge at least one more win.

“Braden’s been a big part of it and a big part of our team returning from last year,” Myers said. “Eric and Mitchell have obviously been big for us. … Definitely three seniors we’re going to miss, but we want to be able to win a game in a regional and have a shot at Pontiac."