The IHSA’s board of directors this week finalized expectations for the 35-second shot clock, which will be required for varsity boys and girls basketball contests beginning with the upcoming 2026-27 IHSA season.

"If we get them to be close with us and trust us a little bit more, I think it'll benefit everybody." — Callie Countryman on the freshmen and sophomores stepping up for Sycamore. And they've had plenty of reps for the Spartans so far this summer.

"All of a sudden the kid who broke the school record for assists last year has more weapons to feed." — Coach Doug Brewington on how Ari Rich's emergence is changing things for Presley Meyer and the Cogs' offense.

The Sycamore girls basketball team took on Auburn Monday in the DeKalb Summer Shootout.

The Genoa-Kingston girls basketball team took on DeKalb Monday in the DeKalb Summer Shootout.

Grace Brunscheen is ready for her junior year. The Kaneland star averaged 10.7 points a game last season and is working to expand her post game this summer. "Mentality and mental health is super-important," she said.

At 5-10, Emma Craig is undersized for her position. But the DeKalb sophomore isn't backing down. She's using summer league to build strength and confidence against bigger competition. "This team really pushes me to be my best," she said.

Sixteen girls basketball teams from across the area gathered for the Braidwood Shootout hosted by Reed-Custer on Tuesday, playing four games apiece to gain some valuable in-game experience this summer.

The Kaneland girls basketball team met Auburn Monday night in the DeKalb summer league at DeKalb High School.

The DeKalb High School girls basketball team took on Boylan in summer league action Monday night at DeKalb High School.

Tommy Stokke, a 2009 Minooka graduate who has coached basketball, both boys and girls, from middle school through varsity assistant, has been hired as the next Yorkville High school girls basketball coach.

Eight area college, high school and junior high coaches from the Kankakee area were named Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Coaches of the Year.

Dan Murray has built successful girls basketball teams at three schools over the last 26 years. But he’s never built from scratch. Murray is about to embark on those uncharted waters at Marmion as the school goes co-ed for the 2026-2027 school year. 'We're chomping at the bit.'

Last week, Chicago Marshall boys basketball program was chronicled. It would be remiss for me not to mention the girls program, as well.

The Lake County Senior Shootout will take place April 11 at Waukegan High School (Brookside Campus).

Kankakee's Lincoln Williams was named the Steve Tappa Illinois Media Player of the Year in Class 3A, one of 13 local boys and girls basketball players to earn All-State recognition.

From one of the most prolific 3-pointer shooters in state history to a record-setting junior in Genoa, we take a look at the best players around in the Daily Chronicle 2026 All-Area Girls Basketball Team.

From eight wins to 23, Quinn Carrier learned that the best way to lead wasn't to carry her team alone. Meet the Daily Chronicle 2026 Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

Ottawa senior Mary Stisser is the 2025-26 Times Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

Honoring 25 of the area's best high school girls basketball players as selected by The Times Sports staff, here is the 2025-26 Times All-Area Girls Basketball Team.

A look at the top girls basketball players in the NewsTribune area for the 2025-26 season.

Six 1,000-career point scorers will headline the 22nd McHenry County Area All-Star Basketball Extravaganza, set for Sunday, April 12 at Alden-Hebron’s Tigard Gymnasium.

Meet the 2026 Northwest Herald All-Area girls basketball team.

Johnsburg sophomore guard Summer Toussaint surpassed 1,000 career points and helped lead the Skyhawks to a program-record 34 wins and their first conference title since 2017. Toussaint is the 2026 Northwest Herald Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

Johnsburg's Erin Stochl led the Skyhawks to a school-record 34 straight wins to start the season, the team's first conference championship since 2017 and first regional title in four years. Stochl is the 2026 Northwest Herald Girls Basketball Coach of the Year.

Joe Kilbride, who led Benet's girls basketball program to two state championships and 11 sectional final appearances in a 12-year run as head coach, has announced his retirement. Longtime assistant Kelsey Coulter has been announced as new head coach.

Here are the top girls basketball players The Herald-News had to offer during the 2025-26 season.

Providence's Landrie Callahan led the Celtics to the Class 3A supersectional and was named 2025-26 Herald-News Player of the Year

Hailee Vogt, daughter of Tyler and Melissa Vogt, has signed a letter of intent to continue her academic and athletic career as a member of the basketball team at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa.

Here is the 2025-26 All-Interstate 8 Conference girls basketball team, as voted on by I-8 coaches.

Nazareth senior Stella Sakalas, who led the Roadrunners to the Class 4A state championship earlier this month, was named Illinois Media Class 4A co-Player of the Year along with Naperville Central senior Trinity Jones in voting released Monday.

Sterling's Jossy James, Dixon's Ahmyrie McGowan and Polo's Camrynn Jones were all named to the Illinois Media All-State team on Monday night.

Dixon grad Harvest Day, along with Morrison grads Shelby and Camryn Veltrop were named to the All-Arrowhead Conference women's basketball team for Sauk Valley. Camryn was also named first-team all-region after leading it with 20.6 points per game.

Take a look at the players named to the Daily Journal All-Area team for the 2025-26 girls basketball season.

Manteno junior Maddie Gesky has been named the 2025-26 Daily Journal Girls Basketball Player of the year after leading the Panthers to the winningest season in program history while also setting both the career and single-season records for points, rebounds and blocks.

Huntley girls basketball coach Steve Raethz is stepping down after 27 seasons and 505 career wins with the Red Raiders.

St. Charles East sophomore Brooklyn Schilb, who earned Class 4A Second Team All-State honors and led the Saints to a sectional title, is the Kane County Preps 2025-26 Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

Here is the 2025-2026 Kane County Chronicle Girls Basketball All-Area team.

The Herald-News area saw plenty of representation in girls basketball All-State and All-Conference teams

Here is the 2025-26 Record Newspapers all-area girls basketball team.

Oswego East senior and Illinois Wesleyan commit Aubrey Lamberti, who this season became the program's all-time leading scorer and averaged 16.7 points and 7.5 rebounds as a senior, is the Record Newspapers Player of the Year for the second straight season.

Here is the 2025-2026 Suburban Life All-Area girls basketball team.

Nazareth senior and BYU commit Stella Sakalas, who led the Roadrunners to the Class 4A state championship and will graduate as the program's second-highest career scorer and all-time winningest player, is the Suburban Life Player of the Year.

Sophia Towne scored 17 points and hit four of Nazareth's eight threes, the Roadrunners blew open the game with a 16-0 run and beat Loyola in a matchup of the state's top two teams 55-23 in the Class 4A final for Nazareth's second state championship in the largest-ever 4A margin.

Nazareth defeated Loyola 52-31 to win the Class 4A State girls basketball championship on Saturday, March 7, 2026 at CEFCU Arena in Normal.

Byron couldn't overcome a cold shooting day and couldn't recover from slow starts to the second and third quarters, losing to Breese Central 44-28 in the Class 2A state championship game at Illinois State's CEFCU Arena. It's Byron's fifth state trophy.

Breese Central defeated Byron 44-28 during the Class 2A State championship on Saturday, March 7, 2026 at CEFCU Arena in Normal.

BYU recruit Stella Sakalas scored 30 points, 19 coming in the first half, and Nazareth pulled away to beat Belleville East 54-36 in Friday's Class 4A state semifinal.

With a pair of 2,000-point scorers in Addison Lucht and Dierks Neukomm, and a pair of 1,000-point scorers in Lauryn Hamrick and Seth Walder, the Cissna Park basketball class of 2026 made their way into school record books.

Nazareth takes on Bellville East in the Class 4A girls basketball state semifinal Friday, March 6, 2026, at CEFCU Arena in Normal. Nazareth took the win 54-36 and will play for the state title Saturday.