Illinois’ 2025-26 girls basketball postseason tips off this Saturday, culminating with the IHSA State Finals in Normal’s CEFCU Arena (formerly Redbird Arena) the first weekend of March.

By and large, it hasn’t been a highly successful season in The Times area in terms of wins and losses. This postseason’s seeds reflect that. In fact, only one of The Times area’s dozen girls basketball teams – the Ottawa Pirates – is a top-four seed, meaning by chalk they’re favored to make it to a regional championship game.

Ottawa has drawn the No. 3 seed in its half of the 3A Galesburg Sectional. That sends the Pirates (17-9) to the 3A La Salle-Peru Regional, where they will open against No. 6 seed Plano (17-13) on Monday, Feb. 16. A win would send Ottawa to Thursday’s regional title game against the winner of Monday’s other semifinal, No. 7 La Salle-Peru (12-14) or No. 2 regional favorite Sterling (20-9).

“We were fortunate to draw the No. 3 seed,” Pirates coach Brent Moore said. “That keeps us closer to home and keeps us from having to go to Metamora, which is loaded. We like our draw, but we’re also aware that this time of year nothing’s going to be easy.

“It’s win or go home.”

Ottawa hasn’t played Plano or Sterling this season, but split two meetings with archrival L-P. Sterling has run roughshod over the Interstate 8 Conference teams it has scheduled this season, scoring double-digit wins over Morris, L-P, Rochelle and Morris.

Being close to home could be the edge the Pirates need.

“L-P is obviously one of our rivals,” Moore said, “so we’re really familiar with their place. We know their home court ... and we feel comfortable going to and playing in that gym.”

The area’s other 3A team was not as fortunate in its draw. The Streator Bulldogs are the eighth seed of nine teams in their half of the sectional and have to report to the aforementioned 3A Metamora Regional, opening Monday against the top-seeded and state-ranked host Redbirds. No. 4 Kankakee and No. 5 Morris are the other teams at Metamora.

In Class 2A, Somonauk/Leland has an interesting path. Though the No. 6 seed in its own regional, the Bobcats (12-13 heading into a Wednesday night matchup with Indian Creek) get to play on their home court Monday when they face No. 4 seed Rockford Lutheran (19-11), which has not played a Little Ten Conference team this season.

The winner of that game – barring a seismic upset pulled off by either No. 9 seed Rock Falls or No. 8 Mendota – would get top-seeded and state-ranked Byron in Thursday’s 6 p.m. championship.

“Our focus is on our two games this week,” Bobcats coach Jason Zaleski said, referring to Somonauk/Leland’s opportunity to claim its first Little Ten title since 1999. “But our team has a very fun, exciting and challenging opportunity ahead of us against some of the best teams in the state in 2A.

“We are very lucky that our athletic director, Bitty Ness, worked hard to secure us as a host for our regional, providing a home-court advantage. If we are able to lock in, play our best ball and earn a win Monday... it is an opportunity to prove to ourselves exactly what we are capable of doing as a team and show off all of our hard work and progress.”

Seneca will be hosting its own 2A regional on the other side of the supersectional complex. The Fighting Irish are the No. 5 seed, opening play Monday against No. 4 Wilmington. The former conference rivals – the entire regional save for Seneca is filled with Illinois Central Eight teams, No. 1 Manteno, No. 8 Peotone and No. 9 Coal City rounding out the field – have not met this season. Seneca (12-17) comes in hot, winners of four of its last six.

Also in 2A, Sandwich is the No. 7 seed in the 2A Winnebago Regional, opening Monday against the No. 2-seeded hosts. No. 3 Stillman Valley and No. 5 Oregon meet in Monday’s other semifinal.

The remainder of The Times area’s teams are scattered throughout the 1A bracket.

Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland – a Cinderella regional champion a year ago – is the No. 7 seed in the 1A Clifton Central Regional, opening with a home play-in game Saturday against No. 10 Grace Christian. The winner plays No. 2 seed Roanoke-Benson on Monday.

Marquette is the No. 7 seed in the 1A Amboy Regional, and by rights should host No. 10 Gardner-South Wilmington in Saturday’s play-in round. Instead, due to water damage making Marquette’s Bader Gym unplayable, the Crusaders will visit GSW. No. 11 Putnam County visits No. 5 Dwight in the regional’s other play-in game Saturday, with Saturday winners facing No. 2 Parkview Christian and No. 3 Amboy on Monday.

Fieldcrest, now in 1A, is the No. 5 seed in its own regional in Minonk, opening Saturday at home against No. 12 Donovan. The winner gets No. 4 Iroquois West on Monday, with No. 1 Cissna Park the big dog in the regional.

The 1A Serena Regional opens Saturday with No. 9 Earlville visiting No. 8 Henry-Senachwine and No. 12 Newark calling upon No. 6 Serena. The winners of those play-ins Monday take on, respectively, No. 1 Midland and No. 4 Yorkville Christian.