IHSA Class 3A State Finals preview

Nazareth Academy and Glenbard South return to the IHSA Class 3A state finals for the second straight year and for both, it’s their second appearance in program history. Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin makes its first appearance in program history.

Morton is the favorite, making its fourth appearance in five years and trying to become the third program in IHSA girls basketball history to win four state championships in five years. The Potters would join Chicago Marshall, which won four titles from 1989-93 (not winning 1991), and Lombard Montini, which won four from 2010-14 and placed third in 2013.

Schedule and Information

At Redbird Arena, Normal Ill.

Friday’s semifinals

Morton vs. Nazareth, 11:00 a.m.
3-point shootout
Sacred Heart-Griffin vs. Glenbard South, 1:15 p.m.

Championship Saturday

Third-place game, 11:15 a.m.
Championship game, (approximately) 1:15 p.m.

Tickets: $10 general admission
TV: NBC Sports Chicago
Stream: NFHS Newtwork
Broadcast team: Nathan Baliva (Play by Play), Rachel Galliger (Analyst) and Piper Shaw (Sideline reporter)

Teams

Morton (31-3)

Projected starters

1 Tenley Dowell (2019, G, 6-1) – 15.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.9 apg, shooting 52.4/33.3/75.2
4 Courtney Jones (2020, G, 5-8) – 5.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.4 apg, shooting 47.1/41.3/73.5
11 Peyton Dearing (2020, G, 5-4) – 3.7 ppg, 1 rpg, 1.2 apg, shooting 33.3/31.9/72.2
23 Lindsey Dullard (2020, G, 6-0) – 11.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.5 apg, shooting 44.6/36.3/74.2
31 Katie Krupa (2022, F, 6-0) – 8.6 ppg, 4 rpg, 0.8 apg, shooting 59.2/1-2/68.6

Bob Becker is 477-149 (.762) in his 20th season as Potters coach. This is the program’s sixth state finals appearance, which have all occurred in the last 12 years. His daughter, Maddy Becker (2020), will miss the state finals after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament, a medial meniscus tear and partial medial collateral ligament tear, according to the Peoria Journal Star. It occurred 30 seconds into the sectional semifinal against Canton on a non-contact play.

Katie Krupa (2022) scored a career-high 26 points in that game and then 21 in the final over Richwoods. Tenley Dowell (2019) signed her letter of intent to Butler while backcourt ‘mate Lindsey Dullard (2020) is committed to Alabama-Birmingham.

Key to watch: Foul trouble could be a factor if one of the Potters stars gets in trouble. Most importantly, this team is so versatile defensively that opposing offenses may have a tough time adjusting if they don’t have multiple ball handlers.

Nazareth (31-3)

Projected starters

10 Sophia Cullotta (2019, G, 5-6) – 5.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.6 apg, shooting 39.9/32.4/68.4
11 Jovanna Martinucci (2019, G, 5-6) – 6.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 4.9 apg, shooting 30.1/21.5/72.4
15 Franchesca Metz (2020, F, 5-11) – 4.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.3 apg, shooting 42.3/29.7/57.1
21 Kaylen Evans (2020, G, 5-8) – 10.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.4 apg, shooting 38.6/20.0/62.2
33 Annie Stritzel (2019, G, 5-11) – 22.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.8 apg, shooting 52.4/35.9/62.2

Eddie Stritzel is 76-20 in his third year at Nazareth (312-71 in his 12th season overall) and led the Roadrunners to the first state finals appearance last year, losing to Richwoods 55-46 in the championship. His daughter, Annie Stritzel (2019), is committed to Harvard. She scored 36 points in a sectional title win over Fenwick and 34 more in Monday’s supersectional win over Lindblom.

Key to watch: Stritzel has dominated teams for the Roadrunners all season but she’s going to need a sidekick at Redbird Arena. Will Kaylen Evans (2020) or somebody else step up to help take the scoring load off Stritzel?

Sacred Heart-Griffin (29-6)

Projected starters

13 Payton Vorreyer (2019, G, 5-8) – 15 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.1 apg, shooting 42.4/32.4/73.8
22 Maggie Gilmore (2019, G, 5-8) – 4.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 0.7 apg, shooting 38.9/20.0/52.1
24 Sophie Lowis (2021, G, 5-8) – 10.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 5 apg, shooting 36.6/33.0/53.8
32 Maddie Manker (2019, F, 5-11) – 3 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 0.6 apg, shooting 34.6/2-9/31.0
35 Victoria Zeiglar (2019, C, 6-1) – 9.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 0.7 apg, shooting 42.2/1-6/68.6

Steve Klunick is 121-45 in his sixth season as the Cyclones coach. Payton Vorreyer (2019) scored her 1,000th career point in January. Get to know Payton in Channel1450’s Ten Question Tuesday feature. Victoria Zeiglar (2019) has proven tough to stop this season, notching a handful of double-doubles.

Key to watch: Zeiglar could be the key to the Cyclones final two games battling against Glenbard South and Morton’s capable bigs. Her rebounding and frame inside will be crucial to her team’s success.

Glenbard South (26-7)

Projected starters

3 Lauren Cohen (2021, G, 5-8) – 8.9 ppg, 4 rpg, 2.6 apg, shooting 32.6/27.6/53.7
22 Raquel LaPonte (2020, G, 5-6) – 4.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.3 apg, shooting 35.2/32.0/69.0
23 Iman Sellers (2021, G, 5-6) – 9.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1 apg, shooting 41.0/22.2/72.4
34 Alex Wilharm (2021, F, 5-11) – 2.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 0.3 apg, shooting 31.0/16.0/40.0
42 Maggie Bair (2019, F, 6-3) – 16.7 ppg, 13.8 rpg, 1.3 apg, shooting 46.9/26.8/68.7

Morgan Eufrasio, previously Kasperek, is 97-27 in her fourth season at Glenbard South (116-30 overall in her fifth season). Lauren Cohen (2021), Iman Sellers (2021) and Alex Wilharm (2021) all played in last year’s state finals as freshmen.

Keys to watch: Maggie Bair (2019) is a load for any team to handle due to her versatility. The Raiders are going to need to be able to shoot it from the 3-point line, which could be led by Bair whether she’s established inside or on the perimeter.

Predictions

Morton vs. Nazareth

Nazareth doesn’t quite have Stritzel’s sidekick like Alyssa Geary, now at Providence, was last year. They Roadrunners will need their guards to step up to handle Morton’s pressure and knock down perimeter shots. Offensively, Morton can win the battle on the perimeter but Krupa’s play in the low post and cutting towards the basket will be key.

Prediction: Morton 58, Nazareth 43

Sacred Heart-Griffin vs. Glenbard South

The Raiders want to play the slowest game possible and bore opponents to sleep, as evident by a 42 points per game average this season. Bair and Zeiglar will be the matchup to watch and could be the determining factor in the game. Vorreyer could be the determining factor in dictating the pace and pushing the Cyclones ahead.

Prediction: Glenbard South 44, Sacred Heart-Griffin 40