IHSA announces postseason basketball assignments
<p dir="ltr"><span>The IHSA delivered an early Christmas present on Wednesday by releasing its girls and boys basketball postseason assignments.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Regionals will take place the week of Feb. 20-24 for boys and Feb. 6-10 for girls. Sectionals will take place the week of Feb. 28-March 3 for boys and Feb. 13-16 for girls.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>In Class 1A boys, Steeleville was assigned to Sub-Sectional A of the Norris City-Omaha-Enfield (NCOE) Sectional with 12 other teams.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Crab Orchard, near Marion, and Wayne City will be the two regional hosts, while Cobden and Hardin County will be the regional hosts in Sub-Sectional B.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Other teams in Sub-Sectional A are Webber Township, Christopher, Elverado, Galatia, Thompsonville, NCOE, Sesser-Valier, Waltonville, Woodlawn and Zeigler-Royalton.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Last year, Steeleville advanced to the championship game of the Crab Orchard Regional before losing to Woodlawn, 69-27, to end a 22-9 season.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>The Cardinals went on to take fourth place at the state tournament in Bloomington.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>In Class 2A boys, Chester was assigned to Sub-Sectional B of the Nashville Sectional, with Trico and Waterloo-based Gibault Catholic as regional hosts.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Hillsboro and Carlinville are the regional hosts of Sub-Sectional A.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Other teams in Sub-Sectional B are Alton Marquette, Anna-Jonesboro, Dupo, Du Quoin, Pinckneyville, Red Bud, Sparta, Vienna and East Alton-Wood River.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Chester has played Vienna, falling to the Eagles 51-48 in the Yellow Jackets' home opener on Dec. 7, and will face Anna-Jonesboro (Dec. 20), Gibault Catholic (Jan. 27) and Sparta on Senior Night on Feb. 18.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Chester already has wins over the Pioneers, Bulldogs and and Red Bud in the Trico Pioneer Invitational and will face Trico in a Black Diamond Conference West Division matchup on Friday at Colbert Gymnasium.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Both Class 1A and 2A Super-Sectionals are at SIU Arena in Carbondale on March 7.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>In Class 1A girls, Steeleville was assigned to Sub-Sectional A of the Woodlawn Sectional, with Christopher and Marissa-Coulterville as regional hosts.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Goreville and Mounds Meridian are the regional hosts of Sub-Sectional B.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Other teams in Sub-Sectional A are Webber Township, Elverado, Galatia-Thompsonville, Gallatin County, New Athens, Wayne City, Woodlawn and Zeigler-Royalton.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>New Athens is a Cahokia Conference Kaskaskia Division foe for the Lady Warriors and New Athens beat Steeleville, 47-40, on Nov. 30 in Steeleville's conference opener. The teams will face each other again on Feb. 1 in New Athens.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>The IHSA has not yet announced a Super-Sectional site for that part of the postseason bracket.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>In Class 2A girls, Chester got separated from its Randolph County rivals in being assigned to Sub-Sectional B of the Johnston City Sectional.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Red Bud and Sparta both got assigned to Sub-Sectional A, with Sparta serving as one of the regional hosts. Althoff Catholic is the other regional host.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>In Sub-Sectional B, Anna-Jonesboro and West Frankfort are the regional hosts. Other teams in the Sub-Sectional are Trico, Du Quoin, Eldorado, Harrisburg, Johnston City, Sesser-Valier-Waltonville and Vienna.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>The Lady Yellow Jackets have lost to S-V-W twice already this season at both the Sparta Girls Basketball Invitational (58-27) and on Dec. 3 at Colbert Gymnasium (64-38). The teams will play again on Jan. 25 in Sesser.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Illinois College will host the Super-Sectional on Feb. 20.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Seeds will be announced on Jan. 26 for girls and Feb. 9 for boys.</span>