The boys basketball postseason is set to tip off this coming week with regional games in all four classes. Here are storylines to watch in Kendall County.

Can Yorkville Christian make a run in Class 2A?

Yorkville Christian won three straight regional titles, the school’s first, from 2019-2022, culminating in the program’s Class 1A state championship in 2022.

In three seasons since then, though, the Mustangs have not made it out of a regional.

Does that change in Class 2A?

Yorkville Christian is moving up a class for this postseason.

The Mustangs (19-10) are a No. 1 seed in a sub-sectional of the Seneca Sectional, shipped 63 miles away for a regional at Beecher next week. Should seeds hold, they could face 24-5 Bishop McNamara, playing for retiring coach Adrian Provost, in a sectional final.

The path, and Yorkville Christian’s personnel, seems to set up for a run. SIU-Edwardsville recruit Jayden Riley is one of the state’s best guards who scored his 2,000th point in a Mustang uniform this season. Junior Tray Alford, who scored his 1,000th point, is a talented running mate. Yorkville Christian, as it usually does, has tested itself with a schedule full of strong larger schools.

Looming in a potential supersectional matchup in Pontiac is Class 2A No. 1-ranked Teutopolis.

Stars come out in Naperville

Neuqua Valley (29-1) has emerged as one of the state’s best teams, winners of 27 in a row behind Illinois recruit Mason Martin and Cole Kelly, arguably the best player in Illinois’ sophomore class.

The only team to beat Neuqua?

That would be Oswego East (19-11), 74-65 back on Nov. 28, the day after Thanksgiving.

The game was full of spectacular individual efforts, with DePaul recruit Mason Lockett scoring 39 points to top Kelly’s 30 and Martin’s 22.

Could a rematch happen next Friday?

Oswego East first has to get past a first-round matchup with Downers Grove North on Wednesday. If the Wolves do, the stars are aligned for a rematch of stars on the south side of Naperville.

Third time a charm for Oswego?

Oswego (22-9) has been one of the hottest teams around, 14-2 since Jan. 3.

Ethan Vahl and Co. swept the Oswego crosstown series for the first time in a decade with two riveting overtime wins. Oswego’s 22 wins are the program’s most in 13 years.

Can they get a third crack at Bolingbrook?

The Raiders, led by super sophomore Brady Pettigrew, handled Oswego fairly easily in sweeping the season series, 82-54 and 83-60. Bolingbrook is the sectional host in a sectional headlined by No. 1-ranked Benet.

But Oswego is regional host, gunning for its first regional title in a decade. The Panthers must first get past Plainfield East, who they beat in double overtime in January, for a third shot at Bolingbrook.

Go west, young Reapers

Plano, which has put together an 18-12 season to finish third in the Kishwaukee River Conference, will need a full tank of gas in the bus next week.

The Reapers are headed two hours west for a regional at Geneseo, and draw the regional host Maple Leafs in a semifinal.

Like Oswego and Oswego East, a reward for a semifinal win is a date with one of the state’s best teams.

That would be No. 1-ranked Kankakee (25-1), led by Mr. Basketball candidate Lincoln Williams and Indiana State recruit EJ Hazelett.

Kendall County’s other teams

Yorkville, seeded 13th in the Bolingbrook Sectional, plays fourth-seeded and regional host Naperville North in a regional semifinal Wednesday. Sandwich, seeded seventh a sub-sectional of the Class 2A Mendota Sectional, hosts 10th-seeded Stillman Valley Monday.

Newark, seeded third in a sub-sectional of the Class 1A Amboy Sectional, hosts 14th seeded LaMoille Monday.