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Prep Sports | Illinois Valley

NewsTribune boys basketball regional preview

L-P's Erick Sotelo gets in front of Morris's RJ Kennedy to score on a break-away on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 in Sellett Gymnasium at L-P High School.

Here’s a look at all the boys basketball regionals involving NewsTribune-area teams.

Class 3A

La Salle-Peru Regional

Schedule

Wednesday - No. 2 La Salle-Peru (18-10) vs. No. 7 Dixon (11-17), 6 p.m.; No. 3 Ottawa (14-12) vs. No. 5 Streator (13-16), 7:30 p.m.

Friday - Championship, 7:30 p.m.

Worth noting: The Cavaliers are looking for their third consecutive regional championship. L-P hasn’t won three regional titles in a row since the Cavs won five straight from 1989-93 under Chips Giovanine. For the second year in a row, L-P will play the regional on its home court. The Cavs enter the postseason with some roster uncertainty due to injuries. Starters Marion Persich and Jameson Hill have both missed multiple games to end the regular season. L-P is 6-0 against the other teams in the field. The Cavs beat Dixon 69-46 on Jan. 20. L-P beat the Pirates three times and the Bulldogs twice.

Next: Winner advances to play the winner of the Morton Regional at the Ottawa Sectional.

Class 2A

Rockridge Regional

Schedule

Monday - No. 10 Rockridge (4-23) at No. 7 Hall (13-17)

Wednesday - No. 2 Riverdale (22-8) vs. Hall/Rockridge winner, 6 p.m.; No. 3 IVC (17-13) vs. No. 6 Mercer County (14-16), 7:30 p.m.

Friday - Championship, 7 p.m.

Worth noting: The Red Devils have struggled over the last month, going 2-11 in their last 13 games. Hall has been without starter Chace Sterling for most of that stretch due to an injury. The Red Devils, who last won a regional in 2004, haven’t played Rockridge but did play a close game against Riverdale, losing 80-78 on Feb. 10. The Red Devils have not played either IVC or Mercer County.

Next: Winner advances to play the winner of the Tri-Valley Regional at the IVC Sectional.

Hall's Braden Curran eyes the hoop as Mendota's Drew Becker defends on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026 at Mendota High School.

Rock Falls Regional

Schedule

Monday - No. 9 Aurora Central Catholic (12-19) at No. 8 Genoa-Kingston (11-19), 6 p.m.

Wednesday - No. 1 Mendota (26-5) vs. ACC/G-K winner, 6 p.m.; No. 4 Oregon (22-9) vs. No. 6 Rock Falls (10-21), 7:30 p.m.

Friday - Championship, 7 p.m.

Worth noting: The Trojans enter the postseason on a hot streak, winning their last 12 games. Mendota’s 74-42 win over Kewanee on Friday gave it a share of the Three Rivers Conference East Division title. The Trojans, who are 15-1 in 2026, also won the conference title last season. Mendota defeated Genoa-Kingston 79-52 on Dec. 22 but hasn’t played Aurora Central Catholic. Rock Falls gave the Trojans one of their five losses this season. The Rockets beat Mendota 67-65 on Dec. 15. Mendota beat Oregon 71-62 on Feb. 14. The Trojans are looking to play in a regional final for the first time since 2014 and are looking to win their first plaque since winning a 3A regional in 2013.

Next: Winner advances to the Mendota Sectional to play the winner of the Marengo Regional.

Farmington Regional

Schedule

Monday - No. 9 Princeton (5-25) at No. 8 Monmouth-Roseville (12-17), 6 p.m.

Wednesday - No. 1 Sherrard (21-7) vs. Princeton/Monmouth-Roseville winner, 6 p.m.; No. 4 Farmington (15-13) vs. No. 5 Kewanee (14-17), 7:30 p.m.

Friday - Championship, 7 p.m.

Worth noting: The Tigers have won four consecutive regionals but have a tough path to a fifth straight. Princeton must hit the road to play Monmouth-Roseville on its home court. A quarterfinal win would set up a battle of the Tigers as Princeton would face top-seeded Sherrard in the semis. Kewanee is the only team in the field Princeton has played. The Tigers are 1-2 against Kewanee, but beat the Boilermakers 63-58 in the most recent matchup Jan. 30.

Next: Winner moves on to the IVC Sectional to face the winner of the Canton Regional.

Class 1A

Serena Regional

Schedule

Monday - No. 9 Midland (15-15) at No. 8 Serena (15-15), No. 13 Putnam County (9-22) at No. 5 St. Bede (16-13), No. 13 DePue (7-20) at No. 4 Dwight (17-12), 6 p.m.

Wednesday - No. 1 Marquette (22-7) vs. Midland/Serena winner, 6 p.m.; DePue/Dwight winner vs. Putnam County/St. Bede winner, 7:30 p.m.

Friday - Championship, 7 p.m.

Worth noting: The regional field is very familiar with each other with five Tri-County Conference teams and a pair of Little Ten Conference teams. The top-seeded Crusaders have had the most success against the field, going 7-0 against regional teams. St. Bede is 5-2, Dwight is 4-2, Putnam County is 1-3, Serena is 1-5, DePue is 0-4 and Midland is 0-4. The Bruins and Panthers open in Peru. St. Bede beat PC 55-38 during the regular season. DePue will head to Dwight. The Little Giants and Trojans have not played this season. St. Bede and Dwight split a pair of games during the regular season. Several teams in the regional are looking to end regional title droughts. St. Bede has the longest drought of the group, having last won a regional title in 2000. DePue and Dwight last won in 2017 and Marquette last won in 2019. Serena, Midland and Putnam County have all won regionals in the last five years.

Next: Winner advances to face the winner of the Hinckley-Big Rock Regional at the Amboy Sectional.

Bureau Valley Regional

Schedule

Monday - No. 14 Hiawatha (13-16) at No. 3 Orion (23-8), No. 11 Bureau Valley (10-16) at No. 6 Fulton (13-17), 6 p.m.; No. 15 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (5-25) at No. 2 Eastland (25-5), 6:30 p.m.; No. 10 Polo (13-15) at No. 7 West Carroll (14-17), 7 p.m.

Wednesday - Semifinals, 6 p.m./7:30 p.m.

Friday - Championship, 7 p.m.

Worth noting: Bureau Valley hasn’t won a regional title since claiming a Class 2A plaque in 2019. The Storm are dropped down to 1A this season. The Storm had a rough start to the season as they went 2-13 in their first 15 games. But since then, Bureau Valley has gone 8-3, including a fourth-place finish in the Lincoln Trail Conference Tournament. Fulton is the only team in the regional field Bureau Valley has played. The Storm lost to the Steamers 65-55 on Dec. 19. The BV-Fulton winner will face the winner between Orion and Hiawatha in the semifinals.

Next: Winner moves on to the Orion Sectional to face the winner of the Pearl City Regional.

Woodland Regional

Schedule

Monday - No. 10 Leland (12-17) at No. 7 Henry-Senachwine (16-13), No. 14 LaMoille (3-24) at No. 3 Newark (15-16), No. 15 Earlville (1-28) at No. 2 Woodland (22-9), No. 11 Amboy (10-20) at No. 6 Gardner-South Wilmington (16-14), 6 p.m.

Wednesday - Semifinals, 6 p.m./7:30 p.m.

Friday - Championship, 6 p.m.

Worth noting: Henry, LaMoille and Earlville are familiar with the regional field. The Mallards are 2-3 against teams in the regional, including a 69-64 loss to Leland. The Red Raiders and Lions have had tough seasons. Earlville’s lone win came against LaMoille. The Red Raiders are 1-5 against the regional field, including a 90-46 loss to Woodland on Thursday. LaMoille is 0-7 against the regional field, including a 69-37 loss to Newark.

Next: Winner moves on to the Amboy Sectional to play the winner of the Somonauk Regional.

Knoxville Regional

Schedule

Monday - No. 14 Lowpoint-Washburn (8-20) at No. 3 Fieldcrest (16-13), No. 10 United (14-14) at No. 7 Roanoke-Benson, No. 11 West Central (9-18) at No. 6 Peoria Heights (17-12), 6 p.m.; No. 15 Knoxville (3-24) at No. 2 Brimfield (22-7), 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday - Semifinals, 6 p.m./7:30 p.m.

Friday - Championship, 7 p.m.

Worth noting: Fieldcrest opens the postseason at home against Lowpoint-Washburn. The Knights and Wildcats haven’t played this season, but do have a common opponent in Tri-County Conference regular season champion Woodland. Fieldcrest beat the Warriors 57-45 and Lowpoint-Washburn lost to Woodland 56-40. Fieldcrest, which last won a regional in 2A in 2024, has dropped down to 1A.

Next: Winner advances to the United Sectional to face the winner of the Rushville-Industry Regional.