1A Bureau Valley Regional

Team to beat: 2 Eastland (27-5)

Pairings: Monday - Game 1: 15 Rockford Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (5-24) at 2 Lanark Eastland, 6:30 p.m. Game 2: 10 Polo (13-15) at 7 West Carroll (14-16). Game 3: 14 Hiawatha (13-16) at 3 Orion (23-8), 6 p.m. Game 4: 11 Bureau Valley (10-16) at 6 Fulton (13-18), 6 p.m. Wednesday - Game 5: Winners 1-2, 6 p.m. Game 6: Winners 3-4, 7:30 p.m. Friday - Championship: Winners 5-6, 7 p.m.

Worthy of note: The Storm are hosting their own regional, but they’re going to have to play their way home with an upset over Fulton. The Steamers beat the Storm 65-55 at home in mid-December. BV strung five wins in a row until falling to Abingdon-Avon and Annawan in the Lincoln Trail Conference Tournament. “While our schedule didn’t help our seed, I think it prepares us for the level of competition at the top of the 1A sub-sectionals. Will need to slow Fulton down as they love to have a bit of a track meet style of play. If we can pull one off on the road, then it’ll be nice to have some home games in the postseason,” BV coach Jason Marquis said.​​​​​​​ .... The Storm seek their first regional title since 2018-19, when they also won sectional. ... Orion drops to 1A this year after playing for a 2A regional championship last year. ... Favored Eastland is a defending regional champion.

BCR Pick: Eastland over Orion

Last year’s regional finals: Eastland 55, Newman 44; Sherrard 75, Orion 64 (2A)

Next: Winner advances to Orion Sectional to face Pearl City Regional winner at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4

1A Serena Regional

Team to beat: 1 Ottawa Marquette (22-7)

Pairings: Monday - Game 1: 9 Midland (15-15) at 8 Serena (15-15), 6 p.m. Game 2: 13 DePue (7-20) at 4 Dwight (17-12). Game 3: 12 Putnam County (9-22) at 5 St. Bede (16-13), 6 p.m. Wednesday - Game 4: 1 Marquette vs. Winner 1, 6 p.m. Game 5: Winners 2-3, 7:30 p.m. Friday - Championship: Winners 4-5, 7 p.m.

Worthy of note: The favored Crusaders are 5-0 against the field with wins over St. Bede, PC, Serena, Midland and Henry. They have Dwight to play on Saturday. ... The Bruins have split with Dwight, beat Serena and lost to Marquette and Henry. They have won three of their last five games heading into Friday’s game with Henry. ... St, Bede seeks its first regional title since 2000.

BCR Pick: Marquette over St. Bede

Last year’s regional finals: HBR 72, Serena 68

Next: Winner advances to Amboy Sectional to face Hinckley Regional winner at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3

1A Woodland Regional

Team to beat: 2 Woodland (22-9)

Pairings: Monday - Game 1: 15 Earlville (1-28) at 2 Woodland, 6 p.m. Game 2: 10 Leland (12-17) at 7 Henry-Senachwine (16-13), 6 p.m. Game 3: 14 LaMoille (3-23) at 3 Newark (15-15), 6 p.m. Game 4: 11 Amboy (10-20) at 6 Gardner-South Wilmington (16-13), 6 p.m. Wednesday - Game 5: Winners 1-2, 6 p.m. Game 6: Winners 3-4, 7:30 p.m. Friday - Championship: Winners 4-5, 7 p.m.v

Worthy of note: Woodland has swept Henry and beat LaMoille and GSW, split with Marquette and St. Bede, standing 10-2 against subsectional foes.

BCR Pick: Woodland over Newark

Next: Winner advances to Amboy Sectional to face Somonauk Regional winner at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4

2A Farmington Regional

Team to beat: (1) Sherrard (21-7)

Pairings: Monday - Game 1: 9 Princeton (5-25) at 8 Monmouth-Roseville (12-17), 6 p.m. Wednesday - Game 2: 1 Sherrard vs. Winner 1, 6 p.m. Game 3: 4 Farmington (15-13) vs. 5 Kewanee (14-17), 7:30 p.m. Friday - Championship: Winners 2-3, 7 p.m.

Worthy of note: Princeton is four-time defending regional champions but has slipped this season. The Tigers have stepped it up of late, defeating Hall 67-65 in overtime and playing a 21-win Winnebago team to a 73-69 overtime loss before falling at Dixon 70-45. Senior Gavin Lanham is the only returning starter from last year’s regional champs. ... Three Rivers West champ Sherrard, also a defending regional champion, split league games with Mon-Rose, losing the most recent meeting 44-33 on Feb. 13, and has defeated Kewanee (62-43). ... Farmington also beat Kewanee 48-41 at home on Jan. 31.

BCR Pick: Sherrard over Farmington

Last year’s regional finals: Princeton 59, Seneca 53; Sherrard 75, Orion 64

Next: Winner advances to IVC Sectional to face Canton Regional winner at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3

2A Rockridge Regional

Team to beat: (2) Riverdale (22-8)

Pairings: Monday - Game 1: 10 Rockridge (4-23) at 7 Hall (13-17), 6 p.m. Wednesday - Game 2: 2 Riverdale vs. Winner 1, 6 p.m. Game 3: 3 Chillicothe IVC (17-13) vs. 6 Mercer County (14-16), 7:30 p.m. Friday - Championship: Winners 2-3, 7 p.m.

Worthy of note: The Red Devils open Monday hoping to spoil the Rockets’ homecoming to their own regional. Hall coach Mike Filippini said he doesn’t mind playing the Monday quarterfinal game because it will give sophomore center Chace Sterling some game minutes coming off a hip injury. The Red Devils would advance to face Riverdale, which they just played to an 80-78 loss. “We’re very familiar with all the teams so I think we match up pretty well. Riverdale is the favorite, great offensive team, lots of scoring options. Chili (IVC) is big and physical so it shapes up to be a very competitive regional,” Filippini said. ... Hall seeks its first regional title since 2004. ... Rockridge and Riverdale both played for regional titles last year.

BCR Pick: Riverdale over IVC

Last year’s regional finals: Macomb 42, Rockridge 41; Rock Falls 61, Riverdale 58

Next: Winner advances to IVC Sectional to face Downs Tri-Valley Regional winner at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3

Other area regionals

At Alleman (1A): Team to beat - 1 Sterling Newman (29-1). Others - 4 Annawan (19-6), 5 Forreston (16-14), 8 Alleman (9-21), (9) Morrison (12-16), 12 Milledgeville (12-18), 13 Wethersfield (9-19), 16 AFC (0-28). BCR pick: Newman

At Rock Falls (2A): Team to beat - Mendota (26-5). Others - 4 Oregon (22-9) vs. 6 Rock Falls (10-21), 8 Genoa-Kingston (9-19), 9 Aurora Central Catholic (12-19). BCR pick: Mendota

At Aurora Christian (2A): Team to beat: 2 Byron (23-6). Others: 3 Aurora Christian (18-7), (5) Erie-Prophetstown (14-10),7 Sandwich (10-20), 10 Stillman Valley (11-15). BCR pick: Byron

At LaSalle-Peru (3A): Team to beat - 2 LaSalle-Peru (18-10). Others - 3 Ottawa (14-12), 5 Streator (13-17), 7 Dixon (11-17). BCR pick: Ottawa

- Kevin Hieronymus